American startup PsiQuantum has begun construction on a facility in Moreton Bay, Australia, where it plans to build and deploy what it calls the world’s first utility-scale, fault-tolerant quantum computer.

The California-based quantum computing company broke ground on the site alongside representatives from the Australian government, the Queensland government, and local officials. The project is expected to become a key part of Australia’s push to establish itself as a hub for advanced computing technologies.

The facility will be developed in multiple phases and will house the infrastructure needed to support PsiQuantum’s photonic quantum computing architecture. One of the first major components arriving at the site will be a large cryogenic plant designed to cool the quantum system.

PsiQuantum said the cryoplant, being built by Linde Engineering, is expected to be delivered in the second half of 2027. The company ordered the system in late 2024 and described it as one of the largest cryogenic cooling plants ever built for a quantum computing application.

Race toward utility

The cooling system will be followed by cryogenic cabinets that will contain photonic quantum chips. These cabinets will be connected using conventional optical fiber, forming the foundation of the company’s planned utility-scale machine.

Unlike many quantum computing efforts that remain focused on laboratory-scale systems, PsiQuantum is pursuing a photonics-based approach designed to scale using existing semiconductor manufacturing processes and optical networking technologies.

“Building a quantum computer that solves real world problems is one of the great engineering challenges of our time. For decades, quantum computing has held the promise of transforming what humanity can achieve through computation, and today in Australia we are beginning to turn that promise into reality,” said Victor Peng, Chief Executive Officer of PsiQuantum.

The company believes fault-tolerant quantum computers could eventually tackle problems beyond the reach of conventional computing systems. Potential applications include drug discovery, materials development, energy research, logistics, manufacturing, agriculture, and financial modeling.

PsiQuantum also sees quantum computing as a complement to emerging computational technologies rather than a replacement. The company said future industrial computing systems are likely to combine quantum and classical technologies to accelerate scientific discovery and solve increasingly complex problems.

Building local capability

The Moreton Bay facility is also expected to support workforce development in Australia’s growing quantum technology sector. The site sits within the Moreton Bay Central Innovation Precinct, close to a TAFE Centre of Excellence and the University of the Sunshine Coast’s Moreton Bay campus.

According to the company, the project will create jobs in engineering, technical operations, advanced manufacturing, research, and professional services. The location is intended to help students, technicians, apprentices, and engineers move directly into careers linked to quantum technologies.

“Australia has been part of this journey from the very beginning,” said Prof. Jeremy O’Brien, Co-Founder and Executive Chair of PsiQuantum.

The groundbreaking follows the opening of PsiQuantum’s Test and Validation Lab at Griffith University in Brisbane in May 2026. The laboratory houses cryogenic equipment used to test photonic quantum chips and supporting systems that will eventually be deployed at the Moreton Bay site.

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