---
title: April 2021
date: 2021-04-13T17:10:00-04:00
author: Lauren Stephenson
canonical_url: "https://greatercollegepark.umd.edu/news/april-2021"
section: News
---
# April 2021

*April 13, 2021* — by Lauren Stephenson
> Discovery District-based startup IonQ, founded in College Park in 2015 by Dr. Christopher Monroe and Dr. Jungsang Kim, announced its plan to become the first publicly traded quantum computing company last month. The company will enter the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) through a special-purpose acquisition company (SPAC) valued at $2B. This news comes on the heels of IonQ recently completing an extensive expansion and renovation of its office, which will enable IonQ to grow its workforce. It already has several open positions for engineers and physicists.

**University of Maryland Startup Goes Public**

Discovery District-based [**startup IonQ**](https://youtu.be/tlmu7jmc4Oc), founded in College Park in 2015 by Dr. Christopher Monroe and Dr. Jungsang Kim, [**announced its plan**](https://ionq.com/news/march-08-2021-ionq-to-become-first-public-quantum-computer-company/) to become the first publicly traded quantum computing company last month. The company will enter the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) through a special-purpose acquisition company (SPAC) valued at $2B. This news comes on the heels of IonQ recently completing an extensive expansion and renovation of its office, which will enable IonQ to grow its workforce. It already has several [**open positions**](https://ionq.com/company) for engineers and physicists.

Read more about IonQ and its recent announcement in [**Forbes**](https://www.forbes.com/sites/moorinsights/2021/03/23/ionq-takes-quantum-computing-public-with-a-2-billion-deal/?sh=11bd58be5d06), [**LaserFocusWorld**](https://www.laserfocusworld.com/photonics-business/article/14199069/quantum-computing-company-ionq-to-go-public), [**Reuters**](https://www.reuters.com/article/us-ionq-m-a-dmy-technology/quantum-computing-provider-ionq-to-go-public-via-2-billion-spac-deal-idUSKBN2B013Z), [**Technical.ly**](https://technical.ly/baltimore/2021/03/08/quantum-computing-ionq-ipo-college-park/), [**Wall Street Journal**](https://www.wsj.com/articles/quantum-computing-startup-ionq-plans-public-debut-in-2-billion-spac-merger-11615201201), and [**ZDNet**](https://www.zdnet.com/article/ionq-to-go-public-via-spac-deal-becomes-quantum-computing-pure-play/). IonQ also released an informational video, "[**The Age of Quantum**](https://youtu.be/tlmu7jmc4Oc)," explaining quantum computing and the history of the company.

- [View April 2021 Newsletter](https://mailchi.mp/9a2ba9874c87/discovery-district-newsletter-april-2021)