ABQ-Net Quantum Network Goes Live, Sandia and Los Alamos Labs Anchor

Qunnect and Roadrunner Venture Studios launched ABQ‑Net in Albuquerque in November 2025, deploying Qunnect’s Carina entanglement system across existing telecom fiber and anchoring the network to the Department of Energy’s Center for Integrated Nanotechnologies, which is operated jointly by Sandia National Laboratories and Los Alamos National Laboratory. Noel Goddard, Qunnect’s CEO, called ABQ‑Net “the first open access user facility in the U.S. providing full‑stack quantum networking infrastructure.”

Roadrunner and Qunnect characterize ABQ‑Net as a cornerstone of a broader state quantum push. The companies describe the project as part of a $25 million public investment aimed at commercialization and talent attraction and frame it within a larger $300 million state commitment to building a quantum economy. Rep. Meredith Dixon attended the launch and said, “The term today is inflection point. So I really do believe we’re there. And the Legislature is committed to continue to make investments.” Dixon also told reporters that DARPA will match state funds and referenced a state agreement the governor said could total up to $120 million over four years.

Physically, ABQ‑Net ties Qunnect’s new downtown Albuquerque offices to a DOE user facility and private data center infrastructure. The network includes anchor equipment at the Center for Integrated Nanotechnologies (CINT) and gear located at 123 Central NW on a data center campus owned by bigbyte.cc Corp. Qunnect and Roadrunner say the system was built to be scalable, able to expand and connect additional facilities across the region using fiber already in place.

Roadrunner positioned the project as a commercialization testbed. Adam Hammer, co‑founder of Roadrunner Venture Studios, said, “ABQ‑Net will be the proving ground for America’s next generation of quantum entrepreneurs to test, validate, and scale their technologies.” Company materials and local officials described the network as an open‑access hub for researchers and startups to validate hardware and software in real‑world conditions before commercial deployment.

Federal and laboratory context is central to local strategy. CINT is a DOE/Office of Science national user facility run by Sandia and Los Alamos, and both national labs are cited repeatedly as the state’s comparative advantage. Senator Martin Heinrich praised the launch, saying New Mexico’s effort “is leading the nation in the development and deployment of cutting‑edge quantum technologies” and that ABQ‑Net will help create “high‑quality jobs that New Mexicans can build their families around.”

Claims and figures vary across stakeholders. Qunnect and Roadrunner’s materials present both the $25 million public investment and the broader $300 million commitment; state officials described “millions in state funds” tied to the project and cited a separate potential $120 million state‑DARPA agreement. Key follow‑ups for confirmation include the exact dollar amount allocated specifically to ABQ‑Net, formal DARPA commitments, Roadrunner’s financial contribution, and technical performance metrics for Carina.

Promoters say ABQ‑Net will lay groundwork for a future quantum internet and support the Quantum Frontier Project goal of testing whether utility‑scale quantum computing can be achieved by 2033. With anchors in downtown Albuquerque, at CINT, and at 123 Central NW, the network positions New Mexico’s labs, private sector and emerging companies to test secure communications and advanced networking technologies as state and federal funding discussions continue.