Mid-Atlantic NeuroQuantum Initiative Aims for NSF Engine Grant
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Published in Baltimore Business Journal – April 24, 2005 (Matt Hooke)
Some of Maryland’s most prominent science institutions are teaming up to pursue $160 million to establish a research hub focused on neuroscience, in what could be a rare opportunity to win federal money after President Donald Trump’s far-reaching budget cuts.The University of Maryland, College Park led the coalition of technology firms and economic development organizations applying for the National Science Foundation’s Regional Innovation Engine economic development program on April 15. The federal dollars would be used to fund the NeuroQuantum Initiative, aimed at exploring the connections between neuroscience and quantum computing, a form of computer science that uses physics to solve complex problems faster than traditional computers. Medtech manufacturing firm The LaunchPort, the Maryland Technology Development Corp. (TEDCO) and the Greater Baltimore Committee are also part of the initiative.
The program represents a chance for new federal investment as Baltimore and Maryland continue to be hit hard by the Trump administration’s funding and workforce cuts. Several of Baltimore’s largest employers, such as Johns Hopkins University and Global Refuge, have laid off staff after federal budget cuts.
The government’s first tranche of funding would give the coalition $15 million over two years, but there is a great potential for future grants. The state could earn up to $160 million of federal money over 10 years — a level of investment that would eclipse the potential earnings from the much-publicized federal tech hubs program, which offered between $19 million and $51 million to awardees.
At first, the National Science Foundation’s (NSF) program looked like it could be another casualty of federal cost-cutting. Grantees like the NeuroQuantum Initative were originally asked to submit proposals in January, but that date got pushed to April after Trump paused grantmaking across the federal government. The NSF has cut hundreds of grant opportunities totaling $233 million, but the engine program was spared, likely because it focuses on establishing new business, compared to programs with more academic concentrations, LaunchPort Managing Partner Bob Storey said.
The current administration also has a keen interest in quantum computing. Trump launched the National Quantum Initiative in 2018 to accelerate research about the technology.
“Quantum computing, the supply chain and developments in the life sciences that allow for more domestic production of pharmaceuticals are all considered national security issues,” Storey said.
Storey expects the federal government to make a decision by the end of the year, after site visits and other due diligence measures are completed. The federal government has not put a limit on how many regions it will select. The previous round of winners focused on more economically depressed areas, like upstate New York and El Paso, Texas. University of Maryland Chief Innovation Officer Dean Chang is the CEO of the NeuroQuantum Initiative, Storey said.
The application aligns with Maryland’s existing economic development objectives. Gov. Wes Moore has pushed for the state to become a hub for quantum computing with state government investment. The region already has a reputation for neuroscience breakthroughs, with the National Institutes of Health funding a neurological technology accelerator from Johns Hopkins University and Howard University. Although quantum computing has attracted billions of dollars in investment over the past decade, the technology is still not practical for everyday business use.
The coalition behind NeuroQuantum is hoping to learn from the Greater Baltimore Committee’s unsuccessful attempts to win federal money through the federal tech hubs program. For that effort, the GBC brought together a consortium of Baltimore businesses and nonprofits to win federal funding for economic development projects focused on the intersection of artificial intelligence and health care. The program had mixed results: The city beat out hundreds of other municipalities to win the prestigious designation of a tech hub in 2023, but did not win any large investments from the federal government thereafter. The tech hub program, which started under former President Joe Biden’s administration, is still active, but the federal government has not said if there will be a third round of funding.
The NeuroQuantum Initiative is crafting a more targeted pitch. Economic Development Administration officials felt Baltimore’s tech hub proposal lacked a focus on competing with the exports of other countries, Tech Hubs Program Director Eric Smith said in a meeting last year. Storey believes emphasizing the commercial prospects of quantum computing is key to win over federal officials this time. The initiative is giving its members very clear responsibilities to show Maryland’s concrete plans for federal cash, a strategy Storey credits to GBC’s experience wooing federal funders.