Stories of Technology, Innovation, & Entrepreneurship in the Southeast

The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga (UTC) has been awarded a $1.33 million planning grant from the  National Science Foundation (NSF) to develop a blueprint for a QuantumGrid Innovation Hub in Chattanooga.

The award, officially titled “Planning Grant: Advanced Cybersecurity for Power Distribution Infrastructure,”  runs for one year from Oct. 1, 2025, to Sept. 30, 2026.

The $1.33 million grant is specifically for planning purposes, but it makes a serious statement about quantum as a national priority. According to officials, the U.S. power grid is one of the most frequently targeted critical infrastructure sectors. Utilities are increasingly facing a wider attack surface and more sophisticated threats, which can in turn affect communities that rely on these utilities as power sources for their businesses, personal devices, home comfort, and day-to-day life.

U.S. Representative Chuck Fleischmann said the investment is a notable recognition of Chattanooga’s progress and innovation in the quantum arena.

“This investment shows Chattanooga’s quantum ecosystem is becoming an essential part of our nation’s defense industrial base. It’s exactly the support I’ve championed for the corridor from Chattanooga to Oak Ridge, strengthening our national security while fueling growth in our region,” he said.

So, why was Chattanooga selected?

EPB of Chattanooga offers a unique foundation for this work. In addition to operating one of the most advanced and highly automated electric distribution grids in the U.S., the EPB Quantum Center is the first facility in the U.S. to offer commercial access to both a quantum computer and a quantum network, which includes a dedicated node for UTC.

The Chattanooga Quantum Collaborative and CO.LAB also help connect technical work to entrepreneurship and industry needs.

“This grant will support planning sessions, industry and startup engagement, and workforce training opportunities that connect our students directly to one of the most critical national priorities of our time: securing the infrastructure that powers our communities,” UTC Chancellor Lori Bruce said. “By leveraging EPB of Chattanooga’s highly advanced power grid and real-world quantum infrastructure in combination with UTC’s growing strengths in applied research, we are positioning our city—and our University—at the forefront of innovation in quantum technology and grid security.”

Furthermore, another selling point for Chattanooga was its highly engaged, united leadership in the quantum space.

“What sets this project apart is the ecosystem we are building,” said Dr. Mini Sartipi, the Executive Director of the UTC Research Institute and Founding Director of the UTC Center for Urban Informatics and Progress. “It’s not just about a test bed. It’s about bringing together infrastructure, workforce and talent development, research, and business partnerships. That ecosystem approach is what makes Chattanooga the right place to lead this work.”

What’s the goal for the year-long grant?

The Chattanooga team’s work will center on practical, interoperable approaches that utilities can adopt. Areas of focus include quantum-safe cryptography and communications, interoperable key management, hybrid quantum/classical detection methods, and hardware considerations for substations and field devices. The goal is to test what works in real networks, identify priorities, and set a clear path for pilot projects.

Over the 12-month planning period, the team will host stakeholder convenings to identify utility needs and technical requirements. Design sprints, reverse pitches, and hackathons will bring startups and technologists into the process, creating prototypes that can be tested under realistic conditions. A test and evaluation framework will define how solutions are validated on EPB’s automated grid and quantum infrastructure, with close attention to reliability, latency, scalability, and maintainability.

Another significant component of the project is preparing a talent pipeline. The blueprint will include apprenticeships, microcredentials, and early-career fellowships in partnership with local colleges, workforce agencies, and employers. These opportunities will prepare students and professionals for roles that combine quantum technology and grid cybersecurity.

The commercialization track will align with CO.LAB’s accelerator programs, helping startups refine products, meet compliance requirements, and connect with utility buyers. By involving companies early, the project will ensure industry needs inform the research agenda and accelerate translation from concept to deployment.

“This planning grant gives us a chance to do what Chattanooga does best: bring together cross-sector partners to solve big challenges,” said Charlie Brock, the Chief Executive Officer of the Chattanooga Quantum Collaborative. “By uniting researchers, startups, utilities, and educators, we’re laying the groundwork for a robust innovation ecosystem where quantum technologies can move from lab to market and where local talent can build careers at the forefront of energy and cybersecurity.”

At the conclusion of the award, UTC and its partners will deliver a detailed implementation plan for the QuantumGrid Innovation Hub. The plan will specify priority use cases, technical architecture, validation workflows, security practices, partner commitments, and an initial set of pilot activities. It will also outline subawards and coordination structures needed for the next phase, so work can begin without delay.

“The goal is not to have a test bed fully built at the end of one year. The goal is to know what we need, what gaps exist, and how to bring the right partners together to build it,” Sartipi said. “By grounding the work in a real-world distribution grid and a commercially available quantum network, the QuantumGrid Innovation Hub will connect Chattanooga’s regional strengths to urgent national needs.”

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