memQ
Solid-state quantum-memory and quantum-networking hardware startup spun out of the University of Chicago Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering and Argonne National Laboratory, productising erbium-ion quantum emitters and memories in thin-film TiO2 deposited on foundry-fabricated silicon photonics. Targets a CMOS-compatible, telecom C-band (~1.5 µm) memory platform that interfaces directly with installed optical-fibre networks without frequency conversion. Product stack spans Quantum Network Interface Controllers (QNIC), Quantum Memory Modules (QMM), a Quantum Control System, and an xDQC compiler for heterogeneous QPU interconnect.
Timeline
Current flagship
Erbium quantum-memory platform (Er:TiO2 on foundry silicon photonics) — telecom C-band Er3+ quantum memory deposited back-end-of-line on commercial-foundry silicon-photonic integrated circuits; demonstrated long optical coherence (PRApplied 24, 054037, 2025)
Milestones
- 2026-04DARPA selection for hardware- and network-aware quantum-compiler development (extends xDQC distributed-quantum-computing compiler stack)
- 2026-03Series A closes — $10M co-led by Quantonation and Ocean Azul Partners with existing and new syndicate investors; proceeds to scale the QNIC / QMM / QCS / xDQC stack and on-chip quantum-repeater development
- 2026-03Full-stack simulation framework for distributed quantum processors with CUDA-Q published as a memQ technical article
- 2026-01memQ featured in the White House OSTP highlights report on US quantum-technology progress
- 2025-11"Erbium quantum memory platform with long optical coherence via back-end-of-line deposition on foundry-fabricated photonics" published in Physical Review Applied 24, 054037 — flagship technical demonstration of the Er:TiO2-on-silicon-photonics memory platform
- 2025-07memQ achieves integration of matter qubits with commercial foundry processes for quantum networking; supplemented by US government awards for photonics control and cryogenic modulators
- 2025-05"Monolithically Integrated C-Band Quantum Emitters on Foundry Silicon Photonics" published in Nano Letters — Er3+ single-emitter isolation on a foundry photonics platform
- 2024-10First full-300 mm-wafer production run of memQ's erbium quantum-emitter photonic-integrated-circuit platform on a commercial foundry process
- 2024-09"Optical and microstructural studies of erbium-doped TiO2 thin films on silicon, SrTiO3, and sapphire" published — host-material studies underpinning the Er:TiO2 memory platform
- 2024-08NASA Phase I STTR award to memQ for quantum-networking technology development
- 2024-08"Isolation of individual Er quantum emitters in anatase TiO2 on Si photonics" published — single-Er3+-emitter isolation result, foundational for the memory product line
- 2024-04Er-atom-based telecom C-band quantum emitter announced, described by the company as the first such product
- 2023-08"A perspective on the pathway to a scalable quantum internet using rare-earth ions" published — memQ-authored perspective framing the rare-earth-ion route to a quantum internet
- 2023-02Seed round closes — $2M led by Quantonation with Exposition Ventures and the George Shultz Innovation Fund; proceeds to finish on-chip quantum-repeater prototype at Argonne
- 2022memQ joins Argonne National Laboratory's Chain Reaction Innovations (CRI) clean-energy hard-tech incubator; develops prototype with access to Argonne's Molecular Engineering and Materials Science Division
- 2021Company founded as a spin-out of the University of Chicago Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering and Argonne National Laboratory by Manish Kumar Singh (CEO) and Sean Sullivan (CTO), based on patented Er3+-on-silicon-photonics work from the Awschalom and Guha groups
Roadmap
Capability details
Quantum memory
- Platform
- erbium-tio2
- Storage time
- —
- Retrieval efficiency
- —
- Fidelity
- —
- Wavelength
- 1530 nm
- Mode capacity
- —
Networking
- Role
- vendor
- Products
- QNIC, QMM, QCS, xDQC
6 unverified fields
-
modalities.memory.storage_time_ms -
modalities.memory.retrieval_efficiency -
modalities.memory.fidelity -
modalities.memory.mode_capacity -
modalities.memory.wavelength_nm— 1530 nm placeholder — vendor cites "telecom C-band" and Er3+ ~1.5 um; the exact transition wavelength in Er:TiO2 (anatase host) is not surfaced in publicly indexed memQ pages -
shareholders— Stake percentages not disclosed for any holder — private company; only round-participation lists are public
People
References
- paper https://memq.tech/2025/11/13/ Erbium quantum memory platform with long optical coherence via back-end-of-line deposition on foundry-fabricated photonics — Physical Review Applied 24, 054037 (2025); flagship technical result
- paper https://memq.tech/2025/05/01/ Monolithically Integrated C-Band Quantum Emitters on Foundry Silicon Photonics — Nano Letters (2025)
- paper https://memq.tech/2024/08/19/ Isolation of individual Er quantum emitters in anatase TiO2 on Si photonics (2024); single-Er3+-emitter isolation on a foundry-compatible host
- paper https://memq.tech/2024/09/28/ Optical and microstructural studies of erbium-doped TiO2 thin films on silicon, SrTiO3, and sapphire (2024)
- paper https://memq.tech/2023/08/08/ A perspective on the pathway to a scalable quantum internet using rare-earth ions (2023); memQ-authored framing of the rare-earth-ion route to a quantum internet
- press https://memq.tech/memq_announces_seriesa_funding/ $10M Series A announcement (Mar 2026), co-led by Quantonation and Ocean Azul Partners
- press https://polsky.uchicago.edu/2023/02/15/quantum-startup-memq-raises-2-million-seed-round-to-shape-the-future-of-quantum-networking/ $2M seed announcement (Feb 2023) via the Polsky Center
- press https://www.prweb.com/releases/memq-inc-strengthens-advisory-board-with-appointment-of-quantum-industry-luminary-professor-david-awschalom-302527523.html Awschalom advisory-board appointment (Aug 2025)
- press https://memq.tech/charles-foley-is-the-new-chairman-of-the-memqs-board-of-directors/ Foley executive-chairman appointment (Feb 2025)
- blog https://pme.uchicago.edu/news/startup-memq-led-pme-grad-develops-semiconductor-materials-quantum-memory UChicago PME profile of memQ and Manish Singh — founding context and Awschalom-group lineage