Shankar awarded George Shultz Innovation Fund

Cavilinq is excited to share that our CEO and Co-Founder, Shankar Menon, has been awarded support from the George Shultz Innovation Fund, a premier venture investment program managed by the University of Chicago’s Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation.

The George Shultz Innovation Fund backs founders who are transforming breakthrough ideas into scalable, market-ready businesses. Its support goes beyond capital—offering deep business expertise, strategic connections, and mentorship from investors and industry leaders who have scaled companies from concept to market impact.

Shankar’s award recognizes his leadership in positioning Cavilinq at the forefront of the quantum hardware industry. Under his guidance, the company has developed proprietary microcavity technology that delivers unmatched optical performance for quantum communication, sensing, and computation. The fund’s investment will enable Cavilinq to accelerate product development, expand industry partnerships, and lay the groundwork for full-scale commercialization.

“This award is a testament to the progress we’ve made as a team and the market potential of our technology,” said Menon. “With the support of the George Shultz Innovation Fund, we’re not just refining our product—we’re building the bridge from cutting-edge research to widespread adoption.”

By combining world-class technical innovation with a focused commercialization strategy, Shankar and the Cavilinq team are working to make quantum-grade hardware accessible to innovators and industries worldwide—unlocking new opportunities in a rapidly emerging sector.

— The CavilinQ Team