Bluefors Opens Shared Lab Facility at the UChicago Science Incubator, Expands Bluefors Lab Chicago
Bluefors has opened a second Chicago-based lab facility at the UChicago Science Incubator located at Hyde Park Labs. The additional Bluefors Lab will provide more opportunities for quantum technology development in the Chicago area.
Bluefors Lab offers startups, research groups, and other organizations easy and convenient access to a cryogenic measurement system through a service-based model. Earlier this year, the first Bluefors Lab Chicago facility opened, bringing the service to the United States for the first time.
The expansion of Bluefors Lab Chicago introduces a second system at Hyde Park Labs—a new commercial laboratory facility that advances science research and entrepreneurship on Chicago’s South Side. The 300,000 ft² building includes spaces for academic research, science-based companies, and the UChicago Science Incubator, which gives early-stage life sciences, quantum, clean energy and data science companies access to state-of-the-art facilities.
“Chicago has long been a leader in advancing computing technologies, and we’re proud to strongly support this dynamic ecosystem alongside both academic and industry partners. We’re excited to partner with the University of Chicago to support cutting-edge research at Hyde Park Labs and help empower the next generation of innovators. Through the Bluefors Lab, early-stage startups, faculty, and students will also have flexible access to cryogenic measurement systems enabling hands-on experimentation,” said Anssi Salmela, Chief Offering Development Officer at Bluefors.
In addition to the UChicago Science Incubator, managed by the Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation in partnership with management company Portal Innovations, Hyde Park Labs will serve as a hub for many quantum technology companies.
Raul Vasquez, UChicago Science Incubator Executive Director, explained the benefits that the new lab brings to Chicago: “The goal of the UChicago Science Incubator at Hyde Park Labs is to support innovative companies across the ecosystem, including those developing technologies in quantum, and we are excited to partner with Bluefors to provide access to cryogenic infrastructure and onsite technical expertise. These resources are crucial to advancing the translation and scale-up of quantum research and technologies across the ecosystem and lower the barrier to access for early-stage startups. The addition of the Bluefors Lab builds on other benefits and offerings at the Incubator, including access to additional state-of-the-art lab equipment, programming, and University of Chicago facilities and talent.”
Bluefors’ cryogenic measurement systems allow quantum researchers and tech innovators to reliably operate at ultra-low temperatures—critical for the development of quantum technologies such as quantum computing, sensing, and communications. The equipment at the shared lab facility will initially include an LD400He Measurement System offering versatility and high cooling power for experiments in the 1 K range. Alongside the cryogenic measurement system, a suite of measurement electronics is offered to support quantum technology research, including Quantum Machines’ OPX 1000 hybrid control electronics. Lab users will also benefit from the expertise of Bluefors’ technical staff managing the lab and its infrastructure.
The expansion of Bluefors Lab to Hyde Park Labs adds to the growing hub of quantum research and development resources now available in the Chicago area. Contact Bluefors to book time at the lab, or to take a tour of the facilities.