The Denver-Boulder region aspires to become the Silicon Valley of tomorrow.

• Quantum technology is gaining prominence in the Denver-Boulder region, with companies such as Atom Computing and Maybell Quantum developing advanced computers and infrastructure.
• Colorado is competing to become a national hub for quantum technology, which would attract millions in federal funding and secure its place in the race to harness the power of quantum computing.
• Quantum technology has the potential to solve problems at a much faster rate than current computers, which could benefit numerous fields such as medicine, defense, and agriculture.

CNBC's quarterly Cities of Success series examines cities that have evolved into thriving business centers, drawing in capital, corporations, and talent due to their entrepreneurial mindset.

A new era of scientific discovery will be ushered in if computers could solve problems billions of times faster than current machines can.

The Denver-Boulder region is leading the global charge in the quantum technology revolution.

Rob Hays, CEO of Atom Computing, based in the San Francisco area, revealed in a recent CNBC interview that his quantum company chose Boulder for its new $100 million facility due to the city's thriving ecosystem.

""We've constructed two of the largest quantum computers globally in just 18 months, and the future is looking bright for us," Hays stated in the CNBC special "Cities of Success: Denver & Boulder," airing April 11 at 10 p.m. ET."

In Denver, Maybell Quantum is constructing a super refrigerator that cools atoms to temperatures three times colder than the coldest part of Antarctica.

Maybell Quantum CEO Corban Tillemann-Dick stated, "It's 10 millikelvin," which translates to negative 441.67 degrees Fahrenheit.

Quantum computers require frigid conditions to operate effectively, as the supercooled environment minimizes vibrations that can disrupt delicate subatomic calculations.

Promise and potential

Quantum technology, according to Tillemann-Dick, could be the next big thing that powers advanced computers and networking devices, similar to how semiconductors fueled the internet's complexity.

"As semiconductors were to the internet and cellular technology, this technology will be crucial to the next 100 years, revolutionizing various fields including medicine, defense, and agriculture," he stated.

Quantum computers will be used by the CEO to solve the world's most pressing problems in data centers filled with rows of them.

In the near future, you will enter a data center and see thousands of quantum computers arranged like servers, working on global workloads to solve crucial problems, as stated.

Colorado's race to become a quantum hub

Richard Feynman, a physicist, is known for introducing the concept of quantum computing in the 1980s. Since then, the technology has advanced significantly. According to McKinsey, the industries that will benefit the most from quantum computing — automotive, chemicals, financial services, and life sciences — are projected to have a combined value of $1.3 trillion by 2035.

The Biden-Harris administration has designated the Denver-Aurora region as one of 31 "Tech Hubs" in the US, as part of a program to invest in regions with high potential for growth in key technology sectors.

Elevate Quantum Colorado, a private-public consortium comprising over 100 organizations, including the University of Colorado Boulder and other higher education institutions, state and local governments, federal labs, and private companies, is leading the charge to establish Colorado as a quantum leader.

Elevate Quantum Colorado's CEO, Zachary Yerushalmi, stated that the goal is to establish Silicon Valleys in areas where they currently do not exist, focusing on the most crucial technologies of our time.

One of only a few quantum hubs in the country, Yerushalmi pointed out that the state's federal designation positions it as such.

"Yerushalmi stated, "We were up against 400 competitors nationwide and are fortunate to have been chosen as one of three. Now the stakes are high as we compete for $70 million in federal funding.""

A limited number of hubs will receive funding, and Yerushlalmi is hopeful that they will be chosen, with a decision expected by the end of the year.

Jared Polis, Colorado's governor and a staunch advocate for quantum technology, has announced plans to increase investment in the industry. In February, his administration revealed that it would allocate an additional $74 million over five to nine years if Colorado is chosen to receive federal funding.

"In a recent interview with CNBC, Polis expressed his optimism about quantum tech, stating, "I believe its time has arrived.""

On April 11 at 10 p.m. ET, CNBC will broadcast a special program titled "Cities of Success" featuring Denver and Boulder.