Nestled between a gym and an inflatable fun park, roughly 25 miles north of Manhattan, engineers are crafting some of the smallest quantum computers ever created.
SEEQC, located in Elmsford, New York, has integrated an entire room’s worth of quantum computing equipment onto a single chip. This includes a massive cylinder cooled to almost absolute zero, along with a complex array of cables, amplifiers, and control devices.
These tiny chips, about the size of a fingernail, are paving the way for scalable quantum technology. What’s more, the U.S. could have a shot at overtaking China in the competition for quantum dominance.
“We’re dealing with a completely new style of computing,” noted Jon Levy, CEO and co-founder of SEEQC. “This opens up vast opportunities for both economic growth and national security.”
Quantum computing uses the principles of quantum mechanics to execute calculations, vastly different from the binary bits that traditional computers rely on. The most potent supercomputers today handle tasks that could take years, with the promise to transform sectors like healthcare, finance, and defense.
In light of this immense potential, governments have invested nearly $55 billion into quantum technology worldwide. China leads the charge, having allocated over $12 billion in state funding so far.
The development efforts there are well underway; the U.S. Defense Intelligence Agency recently issued a warning about China’s advancements in their 2025 Global Threat Assessment.
In contrast, the U.S. has committed only $1.2 billion, approximately 2% of the total global investment. This means much of the progress relies on private firms like SEEQC—short for Scalable Energy Efficient Quantum Computing.
With a workforce of 35, SEEQC emerged from IBM, and many staff members still have ties to that history. The chip technology is incorporated into systems at its predecessor in Poughkeepsie and also collaborates with major players like Nvidia, Google, Amazon, and Microsoft. The company has garnered $30 million in private funding to develop what is touted as the world’s first full-stack quantum processor.
Yet, SEEQC aims to do more than just support big tech aspirations. Their approach merges quantum and classical computing into a single framework, leveraging the capabilities of both in tandem.
“Traditional methods for operating quantum computers are energy-intensive, bandwidth-hungry, and slow,” Levy elaborated. “By consolidating everything onto a chip, we are roughly a billion times quicker and significantly more energy-efficient than older computing chips.”
There are other routes being explored for making this technology scalable, including superconducting systems that utilize trapped ions, neutral atoms, and photonics. It’s still anyone’s guess which method will ultimately prevail, but SEEQC’s architecture is versatile enough to integrate with multiple models, allowing for future scalability.
This adaptability is crucial, given the massive potential rewards. Quantum computing might enable the design of life-saving medications, uncover new clean energy sources, and simulate previously unimaginable materials. However, this same power could also jeopardize encryption systems that safeguard global financial operations, including cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin.
“That’s what keeps me awake at night,” Levy confided. “The global ramifications could be enormous.”
As the quest for quantum supremacy intensifies, SEEQC is gearing up to launch a second facility near Hawthorne, New York.
Still, Levy recognizes that neither his company nor the U.S. can succeed in isolation.
“To maintain our quality of life and economic edge, we need a true partnership among industry, government, and educational institutions,” he emphasized.
