Flexible philanthropic funding allows WQI to pursue opportunities that traditional funding sources often cannot fully support. Your gift to our discretionary fund will help support WQI’s teaching and research mission, from supporting students in the lab to funding our faculty, staff, facilities and lab infrastructure.
Philanthropic support will help us pursue new and exciting opportunities:
- Early-stage and high-risk ideas that can open entirely new research directions
- Shared facilities and testbeds that serve many research groups and partners
- Seed funding for people – faculty collaborators, research and administrative staff, postdoctoral scholars, and students – who drive momentum and attract external support
- Convening power, bringing together academia, industry, government, and community partners to align research with real-world needs
WQI welcomes conversations around gift funding and philanthropic partnerships that align with this momentum. If you would like to learn more, contact our fundraising representative, Mae Saul at mae.saul@supportuw.org or (608) 216-6274.
The Wisconsin Quantum Institute (WQI) pushes the frontier of quantum science and engineering at a pivotal moment in time.
Quantum technologies are rapidly transitioning from foundational research to tools that will reshape computing, sensing, communications, energy, and national security. UW–Madison is a definitive leader in the next generation of quantum technologies – known not only for breakthrough research, but for integrated capabilities that connect discovery, application, and societal benefit.
Building on decades of leadership and a strong record of intellectual property, startups, and education, WQI is organizing its growth around three tightly connected focus areas:
Quantum Innovation (Computing & Platforms)
Enabling research on scalable quantum systems across multiple hardware approaches, and advancing the full technology stack — from qubits and control to architecture and algorithms.
Quantum Sensing (Measurement & Detection)
Advancing deployable quantum sensors for real‑world environments, with applications spanning energy, navigation, security, advanced manufacturing, and scientific discovery.
Quantum Applications (Use‑Inspired Research)
Creating a neutral, academically rigorous hub to understand where and how quantum technologies will deliver true advantage — supporting informed decision‑making for industry, government, and the public sector.
What makes this vision distinctive is integration. These areas are deliberately interwoven, so progress in one accelerates progress in others. Philanthropic support enables WQI to develop this ecosystem as a whole, rather than as isolated projects.