Lathrop GPM Announces Collaboration with Quantum Startups Accelerator in Chicago
National law firm Lathrop GPM has signed on as one of the initial corporate supporters of Duality, the nation’s first accelerator focused exclusively on supporting quantum science and technology companies. As part of this collaboration, Lathrop GPM will provide general education related to intellectual property and legal contracts to support Duality’s inaugural cohort of six startups.
Launched in April 2021, Duality is a 12-month program based in Chicago that offers innovative quantum startups a comprehensive set of resources, including entrepreneurial and business training, mentorship, technical expertise, industry exposure, funding, and the opportunity to access state-of-the-art facilities. Selected from a pool of applicants from all over the globe, the first cohort of startups includes Axion Technologies, Great Lakes Crystal Technologies, qBraid, QuantCAD, Quantopticon, and Super.tech.
“Lathrop GPM’s robust IP presence in Chicago will create a strong support system for Duality’s exciting initiatives in the city’s rapidly-developing quantum startup community,” said Curtis Vock, partner in Lathrop GPM’s Intellectual Property Practice who is leading the firm’s involvement. “We’re thrilled to be among the first to support emerging companies in this space and look forward to the innovative work that hails from these startups.”
The firm is one of six corporate supporters providing in-kind support to Duality, including Amazon Web Services (AWS), Caruso Ventures, McDonnell Boehnen Hulbert & Berghoff (MBHB), Silicon Valley Bank, and Toptica Photonics. Duality is led by the Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation at the University of Chicago and the Chicago Quantum Exchange (CQE), along with founding partners, the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Argonne National Laboratory, and P33.