UbiQD’s Quantum Leap: How Local Roots Fuel a US Manufacturing Leader

LOS ALAMOS, NM – June 24, 2026 – In the high-altitude innovation hub of Los Alamos, a company at the forefront of advanced materials is making a significant move. UbiQD, a leader in quantum dot technology, has just acquired a third building, expanding its headquarters campus and signaling a pivotal transition from research-driven innovator to full-scale manufacturer. The expansion, supported by local economic development funds, isn't just a story about a growing company; it’s a case study in how public-private partnerships can anchor a high-tech economy and position a region at the center of a global technology race.

The new 5,000-square-foot facility will house new manufacturing equipment and R&D activities, enabling the next phase of growth for a company whose technology touches everything from agriculture to clean energy. For investors and market watchers, UbiQD’s move offers a clear signal of intent and a tangible bet on the future of applied quantum science.

"UbiQD is at the intersection of various technology waves, including semiconductors, electricity production, agriculture technology, advanced materials, and quantum," said Hunter McDaniel, Founder and CEO of UbiQD. "We're helping continue our community's legacy of world changing innovation."

A Blueprint for Local Growth

Behind the expansion is a successful partnership with Los Alamos County, which provided a low-interest loan through its Local Economic Development Act (LEDA) program. This isn't the first time the county has backed the firm. In 2017, a similar LEDA package helped UbiQD acquire its first building. In return for that support, the company committed to creating 20 jobs within five years—a target it successfully met, solidifying its credibility as a reliable local partner.

This new agreement comes with a fresh commitment: the creation of at least ten new high-tech jobs by the end of 2028. This model of public investment tied to tangible community benefits like job creation is central to New Mexico's strategy for economic diversification. For Los Alamos County, which has historically been economically dominated by the Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), fostering companies like UbiQD is a strategic imperative.

"The County appreciates and thanks UbiQD for their commitment to the Los Alamos community as their headquarters, and congratulates UbiQD on their continued success and expanded capacity to provide new technology and innovation jobs locally," commented Anne Laurent, Los Alamos County Manager.

By leveraging programs like LEDA and the state's Job Training Incentive Program (JTIP), which has awarded UbiQD over $300,000 in the last two years to train new hires, the region is building a durable ecosystem. It’s a deliberate effort to translate the area's deep scientific heritage into a diversified, resilient local economy, proving that world-changing innovation can be cultivated and scaled right at home.

From Startup to Scale-Up

Founded in 2014, UbiQD's trajectory charts a course from a plucky startup licensing technology from MIT and LANL to its current position as, by its own claim, the largest manufacturer of quantum dots in the United States. This ascent has been fueled by strategic investment and a relentless focus on scaling production. Since 2024, the company has ramped up its quantum dot production capacity by an astonishing twelve-fold.

This aggressive scaling is well-timed. The global quantum dot market is on an explosive growth path, projected by analysts to expand from roughly $10-12 billion in 2024 to over $50 billion by 2034, with a compound annual growth rate approaching 20%. While the display market remains a major driver, the fastest growth is emerging in sectors like solar cells, lighting, and healthcare—precisely where UbiQD is focusing its efforts.

A key differentiator for the company is its technology. Unlike many first-generation quantum dots that rely on toxic heavy metals like cadmium, UbiQD's dots are made from a more benign cocktail of copper, indium, and sulfur. This not only mitigates environmental concerns but also opens up applications in sensitive areas like agriculture and consumer products.

This combination of proprietary technology and manufacturing muscle has attracted significant investor confidence. The company closed its Series B financing round in 2025, providing the capital necessary to fund this current expansion and solidify its market position. The new facility, previously home to a precision machining business that served LANL for decades, represents a symbolic passing of the torch, continuing a legacy of advanced manufacturing on the same site.

Harnessing Light for a Sustainable Future

The true significance of UbiQD's expansion lies in the real-world problems its technology aims to solve. The company's quantum dots are not just a scientific curiosity; they are microscopic engines designed to manipulate light with remarkable precision, with profound implications for food and energy security.

Its flagship agricultural product, UbiGro®, is a luminescent film that transforms greenhouse coverings into smart light filters. By absorbing underutilized UV and blue light and re-emitting it as a more photosynthetically efficient orange-red glow, UbiGro boosts crop growth without using a single watt of electricity. Growers using the film have reported yield increases of 10-20%, a significant margin in an industry battling rising energy costs and climate pressures.

In the clean energy sector, UbiQD is making similar strides. The company is collaborating with First Solar, a global leader in photovoltaics, to integrate its quantum dot technology into next-generation solar panels to boost their efficiency. By optimizing the spectrum of light that solar cells can convert into electricity, the technology promises to lower the cost-per-watt of solar power. The recent acquisition of Blue Dot Systems, a specialist in perovskite materials, further deepens the firm's IP portfolio in advanced solar applications.

Beyond farms and solar fields, the company's technology is also being deployed in security inks. In partnership with SICPA, a global leader in security solutions, UbiQD is developing anti-counterfeiting features with unique optical signatures that are nearly impossible to replicate, protecting everything from currency to pharmaceuticals. The new manufacturing capacity in Los Alamos is what will allow these diverse and impactful technologies to move from the lab to the global marketplace.