Montana Photonics & Quantum Alliance

What Montana Photonics & Quantum Alliance does

Montana Photonics & Quantum Alliance (MPQA) is a 501c(6) non-profit industry alliance founded in 2013 and headquartered in Bozeman, Montana. It serves as a state-level convening body for Montana's optics, photonics, and quantum companies, entrepreneurs, research laboratories, and universities, with a stated mission to commercialize, grow, and sustain globally leading organizations that create high-quality jobs in the region. The alliance counts 60+ member companies, academic institutions, and government partners across southwestern Montana's Rocky Mountain corridor.

MPQA's offering is a portfolio of ecosystem services rather than a unified product platform. Core programs include the Quality Alliance (a 2017 quality-management training program with an online resource library), a member directory, a job board, and a series of recurring events including the annual OpTeC Conference co-hosted with the MSU Optical Technology Center, MPQA Networking Socials, and the Montana Quantum Leadership Summit. The organization also disseminates industry updates through a community newsletter and active social media presence. In 2023 MPQA established the Headwaters Tech Hub, a federally aligned vehicle that has since channeled EDA Tech Hubs funding to Montana State University facilities, including a $2.1M subaward to MSU Spectrum Lab in 2025 for a fabless photonic integrated circuit design facility and a $1.2M subaward to the MSU Montana Microfabrication Facility in 2026 for photonic packaging and testing infrastructure. Quality Alliance was established in 2017 to support quality processes development within the photonics and quantum industries.

Revenue is generated through membership dues from participating companies and academic institutions, supplemented by event-related revenue from conferences and networking functions. The organization is led by Executive Director Jason Yager and governed by a Board of Directors. As a non-profit trade body, MPQA does not have equity owners; its financial sustainability depends on recurring membership, event economics, and its ability to attract and steward federal and regional economic development grants. The recent MOU with the National U.S.-India Chamber of Commerce (January 2026) and the launch of the MSU QCORE test bed (2025) signal an expansion of mandate from pure regional convening toward international partnership facilitation and infrastructure stewardship.

Name

Montana Photonics & Quantum Alliance

Legal name

Montana Photonics & Quantum Alliance

Website

https://mpqa.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2013

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Montana Photonics & Quantum Alliance is a 501c(6) non-profit industry alliance headquartered in Bozeman that convenes 60+ Montana photonics and quantum companies, universities, and government partners to support commercialization, workforce development, and ecosystem growth, including federal EDA Tech Hubs funding stewardship.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Photonics & Quantum Industry Association

NAICS

Business Associations (813910), Professional Organizations (81392)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Quantum Community, Developer Relations & Ecosystem Programs (HDAGALAJ)

akta.pro secondary industries

Quantum Workshops, Bootcamps & Events Providers (HDAGALAM), Quantum Program Management & Transformation Services (HDAGALAH), Partner, Channel & Alliance Summits (THAHAMAC)

Keywords

• Photonics industry alliance
• Quantum technology hub
• Technology ecosystem network
• Workforce development programs
• Industry collaboration services

Headquarters

HQ city

Bozeman

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: As a 501c(6) non-profit organization, MPQA likely generates revenue through membership dues from optics, photonics, and quantum companies in Montana.
2. Event Revenue: Revenue generated from hosting conferences, networking events, and the annual OpTeC Conference.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Montana Photonics & Quantum Alliance (MPQA) is a 501c(6) non-profit industry alliance that serves as a hub connecting Montana's optics, photonics, and quantum companies, entrepreneurs, laboratories, and universities. The organization delivers membership services, networking events, workforce development programs, and quality management training (the Quality Alliance) to commercialize, grow, and sustain globally leading photonics and quantum organizations in Montana.

Product overview

Montana Photonics & Quantum Alliance is a 501c(6) nonprofit industry alliance, not a product company. The organization serves as a hub for Montana's optics, photonics, and quantum ecosystem, offering the Quality Alliance program (with its resource library of process tools and training materials), member directory services, a job board, events and networking opportunities, and a community newsletter. These services support industry growth, workforce development, and economic prosperity rather than representing a unified product platform.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Quality Alliance: Quality Alliance was established in 2017 to support the growth of the photonics and quantum industries of Montana through development and implementation of Quality principles and methods. It provides training materials and tools for improving quality through regular presentations, discussions, and a growing library of resources.

Products and services

• Quality Alliance Program A collaborative initiative providing quality management system training, process tools, templates, training slide decks, and narrated training videos for Montana's photonics and quantum companies.
• Quality Alliance Library An online resource library containing process tools, templates, examples, training slide decks, and narrated training videos to help organizations implement quality management systems.
• Member Directory A directory listing optics, photonics, and quantum companies, entrepreneurs, laboratories, and universities that are part of the Montana photonics and quantum ecosystem.
• Job Board Platform connecting job seekers with employment opportunities at Montana's optics, photonics, and quantum companies.
• Events & Networking Organization of conferences, networking events, and summits including the annual OpTeC Conference, MPQA Networking Socials, and the Montana Quantum Leadership Summit for Montana's photonics and quantum community.
• MPQA Newsletter Community newsletter providing early access to events, news, free resources, guides, and webinars for the Montana photonics and quantum community.

Quantifiable outcome

• $2.1M awarded to MSU Spectrum Lab for photonic chip design facility
• +1 more outcomes

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• National U.S.-India Chamber of Commerce (NUICC)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 18 January 2026Strategic partnership to strengthen U.S.-India collaboration in photonics, quantum, and advanced technology sectors. Brings together MPQA's regional ecosystem with NUICC's cross-border expertise. Focus areas include research and knowledge exchange, industry partnerships and supply chain development, talent and workforce development, startup and commercialization support, and joint events and delegations. MOU signed in Davos, Switzerland.
• Headwaters Tech HubcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLed by MPQA, the Headwaters Tech Hub is dedicated to fostering Montana-based technology, spurring entrepreneurship, and expanding equitable access to high-quality jobs. The IPE (Integrated Photonics Ecosystem) project builds a regional ecosystem supporting advanced photonic sensors for critical global markets.
• Montana State University Spectrum LabcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMSU Spectrum Lab awarded $2.1M subaward from MPQA to establish regional hub for next-generation photonic chip design. Since 1999, the lab has bridged academic research and private-sector application. New funding establishes a 'fabless' design and test facility for Photonic Integrated Circuits (PICs).
• Montana State University Montana Microfabrication Facility (MMF)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMSU MMF awarded $1.2M subaward to enhance infrastructure for integrated photonic prototype development. As an MSU Core Facility, MMF serves as a shared resource for university researchers, external academics, and commercial entities. The funding enables expansion into specialized hub for integrated photonics packaging and testing.
• Montana State University Optical Technology Center (OpTeC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAnnual partnership hosting the 32nd annual OpTeC Conference, highlighting optical science and engineering where students, research staff, and faculty report on recent developments in optics. MPQA co-hosts networking social with poster session including local and regional businesses.
• Montana Quantum Leadership SummitminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMPQA participates in annual Montana Quantum Leadership Summit focusing on collaboration between government, private equity and academia. The 2025 summit brought together participants to strengthen camaraderie and foster new ideas for U.S. quantum leadership.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• SPIE: The international society for optics and photonics, operating conferences, publications, training, and member services globally. Comparable to MPQA's photonics conference and training activities (e.g., OpTeC) and broader member-services model, but at global scale across many optics/photonics subfields beyond quantum.
• AIM Photonics: A public-private partnership headquartered in Rochester, NY operating a photonic integrated circuit (PIC) foundry and ecosystem program. Highly comparable to MPQA's photonic-chip-design and packaging work via MSU Spectrum Lab and Montana Microfabrication Facility, but operating a full manufacturing institute rather than a regional alliance.
• Optica (formerly OSA): The global society for optics and photonics professionals, providing conferences, publications, and member benefits across the optics and photonics community. Closely comparable to MPQA in its member-directory, events, and community-building functions, but operating worldwide and across all of optics rather than a regional quantum-and-photonics focus.

Direct peers

• National Photonics Initiative: A broad U.S. photonics advocacy coalition coordinating industry, academia, and government stakeholders to advance photonics R&D and workforce. Comparable to MPQA's photonics advocacy and ecosystem convening role, but national in scope and policy-focused rather than regionally anchored.
• Quantum Industry Coalition: An industry-led advocacy organization representing quantum technology companies in policy and standards discussions with U.S. government bodies. Comparable to MPQA as a quantum-focused industry alliance, though oriented toward policy advocacy rather than regional ecosystem and workforce development.
• Quantum Economic Development Consortium (QED-C): A national consortium managed by SRI International that brings together quantum companies, universities, and government stakeholders to grow the quantum economy. Directly comparable to MPQA as a multi-stakeholder industry alliance focused on ecosystem building, workforce development, and policy advocacy, but operating at a national rather than regional scale.
• Chicago Quantum Exchange: A regional quantum alliance anchored by the University of Chicago, Argonne, Fermilab, and Northwestern that connects academia, industry, and government partners to advance quantum R&D and workforce. Closely mirrors MPQA's industry-academia-government convening model, but with a deeper capital base and stronger ties to federal labs.
• Luminate NY: A New York State-backed accelerator and industry network for optics, photonics, and imaging startups. Comparable to MPQA in its focus on the photonics/quantum commercialization stack and member ecosystem support, but with an equity-free accelerator model and a different funding source mix.
• Quantum Strategic Industry Alliance (QSI Alliance): An industry alliance focused on building the global quantum technology supply chain and ecosystem through standards, certification, and partner collaboration. Directly comparable to MPQA's quantum ecosystem convening role, with similar emphasis on supply chain, talent, and commercialization support.

Regional players

• NY Creates: A New York-based non-profit semiconductor and photonics R&D hub that operates shared infrastructure and ecosystem programs for member companies. Comparable to MPQA's Headwaters Tech Hub / MSU facility model, though focused on semiconductor and photonics R&D infrastructure rather than regional quantum ecosystem convening.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/montanaphotonicsindustryalliance
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/montana-photonics-quantum-alliance

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Montana Photonics & Quantum Alliance