Stony Brook University

Qunnect was born in 2017 out of research from Stony Brook University physics professor Eden Figueroa and doctoral student Mehdi Namazi, the company’s co-founder and chief scientific officer. Qunnect develops novel technologies for the quantum internet, a highly secure, next-gen network that uses single photons to transmit encrypted data. The company’s innovations include the Qu-Mem, a room-temperature quantum memory system, and the GothamQ Quantum Loop, a 21-mile urban fiber test bed that validates quantum communication under real-world conditions.

Qunnect employs 18 people and is poised for continued growth. Its GothamQ project, based in Brooklyn Navy Yard, has positioned New York City as a hub for quantum technology. In October 2022, the company secured an $8.5 million venture capital round led by Airbus Ventures. Building on this momentum, Qunnect raised an additional $5 million in January 2025, highlighting sustained investor confidence in the company’s innovations.

A significant portion of Stony Brook’s overall finances — about 20 percent — comes from federal sources. But when it comes to research funding, the share is much higher. In fact, funding from federal agencies enables the University to contribute more than $8.93 billion to Long Island’s economy. Stony Brook’s Center of Excellence in Wireless and Information Technology incubates startups, spinouts, and private ventures like Qunnect. By encouraging innovation across several critical fields — like quantum networking, energy, and biomedical engineering – Stony Brook University helps catalyze scientific discovery and economic prosperity in the State of New York and across the nation.