The University of California, in partnership with the State of California, hosted the California Quantum Convening at UC Berkeley, bringing together key stakeholder groups including researchers, industry partners, national laboratories, educators, and government leaders for a full day dedicated to charting California’s future in quantum information science. The November 7th event marked a major step toward implementing AB 940, which calls for a statewide quantum technology strategy, and highlighted the central role that UC Berkeley and the Challenge Institute for Quantum Computation (CIQC) play in shaping that effort.
The Convening opened with remarks from Steven Kahn, Dean of Mathematical & Physical Sciences at UC Berkeley, and Nani Coloretti, Cabinet Secretary for Governor Gavin Newsom. Kahn emphasized the extraordinary concentration of quantum expertise in California, including those local to the event such as the Simons Institute and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. Coloretti underscored the launch of Quantum California, announcing that 2025 marks the state’s Year of Quantum Science and affirming the administration’s commitment to economic development, workforce creation, and statewide coordination under AB 940.