The City of Austin and The University of Texas at Austin are backing a planned 16.5-acre quantum technology campus in southeastern Travis County that Occam Foundry says will deepen local research capacity and create a pipeline for quantum-related workforce development.
City and university formalize support
Mayor Kirk Watson provided a letter of support for the project dated Sept. 10, signaling municipal encouragement for the development. The campus development is linked to the Texas Quantum Initiative, enacted under House Bill 4751 (2025), and includes a memorandum of understanding between Occam Foundry and UT Austin’s Texas Advanced Computing Center (TACC).
Under the agreement, TACC will support development of the 16.5-acre site while Occam Foundry will bolster TACC’s existing quantum education and workforce programs. The collaboration aims to reach beyond laboratory research to include joint pursuit of federal, state and philanthropic funding and to facilitate introductions across both organizations’ networks.
“Austin wants this project and Texas needs it,”
Watson’s support frames the effort as part of a broader strategy to build a regional quantum cluster that leverages existing Texas industries rather than relying solely on federal laboratory locations.
Focus on workforce and K–12 outreach
Officials emphasized workforce development as a central element of the partnership. Occam Foundry plans to open the campus to Austin-area public school teachers and students, offering classroom visits and teacher training initiatives with the stated goal of creating a direct pathway into the technical roles the facility will require.
Dan Stanzione, associate vice president for research at UT Austin and executive director of TACC, said the partnership supports TACC’s mission to prepare a workforce for advanced computing and future quantum technologies.
“At TACC, our longstanding commitment is to prepare the workforce for advanced computing today and the advanced computing of the future, where Quantum technologies will play a much larger role,”
Stanzione added that the campus is a “fantastic opportunity” to work with Occam Foundry on those objectives.
- Site size: 16.5 acres in southeastern Travis County
- Partnership: Occam Foundry and UT Austin’s TACC via memorandum of understanding
- Policy link: Tied to Texas Quantum Initiative created under HB 4751 (2025)
Institutional connections and funding plans
TACC’s connections within the university — including the Texas Quantum Initiative and the Cockrell School of Engineering — are cited as broadening possibilities for interdisciplinary collaboration at the proposed campus. Both partners said they intend to jointly seek funding from federal, state and philanthropic sources and to use their networks to accelerate project development.
The announcement reflects an intentional local strategy: city and university leaders are positioning Austin as an anchor for quantum technology development within Texas, emphasizing workforce training and educational outreach as primary benefits for the region.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Project footprint | 16.5 acres |
| Partners | Occam Foundry, UT Austin (TACC), City of Austin |
| Policy tie | Texas Quantum Initiative (HB 4751, 2025) |
City and university officials characterized the agreement as a rapid, proactive step to accelerate development in southeastern Travis County. Details such as a development timeline, projected job counts or specific funding commitments were not disclosed in the announcement. Officials said the campus will include programming to integrate K–12 educators and students, but specifics on curriculum or enrollment pathways have not yet been released.
The proposed campus adds to Austin’s growing profile in advanced technology and higher education collaboration. Local residents and stakeholders can expect further announcements as the partners move from memorandum to specific project planning and funding applications.
