Palm Beach State College is working to establish an incubator and training center for quantum computing on its West Palm Beach campus.

This effort comes on the heels of the major announcement from quantum computing company D-Wave Quantum (NYSE: QBTS) that it will move its headquarters and research and development facility from Palo Alto, California to Boca Raton. The company also formed a partnership with Florida Atlantic University, which signed a $20 million deal to purchase an advanced quantum computer from D-Wave.

On Jan. 29, D-Wave was among the quantum computing companies that met with Palm Beach State officials, including President Ava L. Parker, to discuss creating a quantum innovation center. Officials from tech giants NVIDIA, IBM and Levatas were also there.

This effort is about creating an ecosystem for quantum computing companies to grow in Palm Beach County as part of its shift to become more of a technology and innovation hub, said Kelly Smallridge, president and CEO of the Business Development Board (BDB) of Palm Beach County.

“Quantum and AI are the industries of the future,” Smallridge said. “If we want to be at the forefront of technology and innovation, we need to go after the highest level of tech, and quantum is the highest level.”

The Quantum Innovation Center at Palm Beach State’s West Palm Beach’s campus at 812 Fern Street would have both incubator space for growing companies and training facilities so students would learn to work on quantum computers. Smallridge said the college has applied to both state and federal grants for this program.

Palm Beach State officials declined to comment on those pending grant applications.

While there’s been a surge in funding for AI companies, there’s a relative lack of funding for quantum companies, said Matt Cimaglia, managing partner of investor Quantum Coast Capital in Palm Beach and head of Florida Quantum, which advocates for the industry. Palm Beach has plenty of capital, he added.

Another area quantum is lacking is in the workforce, he said, and he believes the program at Palm Beach State, in partnership with a new curriculum for K-12 schools, can develop the quantum workforce.

There aren’t many quantum programs at colleges in the United States, he said. There is one at a community college in New Mexico.

“This will massively create jobs in Palm Beach County, if not the entire region,” Cimaglia said. “There is a unique skillset for manufacturing and maintaining these quantum computers.”