As the National Quantum Technologies Showcase convenes thousands of researchers, investors, and global policymakers in London, the UK government is advancing its ambitious agenda to harness quantum technology's transformative potential for economic growth, national renewal, and tackling pressing challenges such as healthcare and climate change. Central to this drive is a fresh wave of funding announcements aimed at fostering innovation across sectors reliant on cutting-edge quantum solutions.
Innovate UK has unveiled a £14 million funding package distributed among 14 pioneering projects through its Quantum Sensing Mission Primer awards. These projects focus on developing next-generation quantum sensors with applications spanning healthcare, transport, defence, and critical infrastructure. Notable initiatives include Delta G Limited’s development of a ‘quantum gravity gradiometer’ capable of detecting underground objects and tunnels without excavation, an advance that could revolutionise construction and security operations by overcoming traditional issues like vibration and noise interference. Xairos UK Limited is working on a quantum timing unit designed to provide a robust alternative to satellite-based timing signals, which are vulnerable to disruption in sectors such as navigation and financial services. Similarly, Monirail Ltd aims to enhance rail network efficiency with a quantum inertial navigation system tailored initially for the London Underground. Healthcare innovations also feature prominently, with the National Physical Laboratory developing super-sensitive quantum sensors to expedite cancer testing, and Siloton Limited engineering a portable quantum eye scanner poised to alleviate NHS outpatient backlogs by offering a more affordable and flexible alternative to existing optical coherence tomography machines. Quantum technology’s reach even extends into nuclear fusion, as companies like Curtiss-Wright Wimborne seek to develop quantum sensors that could be pivotal in making fusion reactors commercially viable.
Beyond these funding awards, the government has ratcheted up support through several strategic initiatives. The newly launched Quantum Centre for Nuclear Defence and Security at the Atomic Weapons Establishment, in collaboration with the University of Strathclyde, aims to integrate quantum computing and sensing into vital national security technologies. A £300,000 investment is reinvigorating the Scotland–California SU2P quantum and photonics partnership, bridging UK researchers with counterparts at Stanford and Caltech to accelerate commercialisation and investment flows. In a move reinforcing international collaboration, the UK’s National Quantum Computing Centre (NQCC) has signed a memorandum of understanding with Japan’s National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology, fostering joint quantum computing research and talent exchange. The NQCC itself has already operationalised seven quantum computing testbeds, backed by £30 million in Innovate UK funding, providing businesses with platforms to validate new quantum technologies and advance market readiness. This push is augmented by the launch of the National Metrology Institute – Quantum (NMI-Q) at the National Physical Laboratory, which coordinates quantum research across G7 nations plus Australia, with the UK co-chairing alongside the United States in the institute’s inaugural term. Efforts to strengthen quantum communications include a joint UK-Canada funding call worth nearly £3.5 million to explore terrestrial and space-based quantum networks, alongside preparations for the UK-Singapore quantum satellite SpeQtre’s launch in November to demonstrate ultra-secure quantum-encrypted communications.
These initiatives form part of a broader government commitment, underpinned by a £670 million investment outlined in the Industrial Strategy, one of the most substantial and sustained public funding commitments to quantum technology globally. The UK government projects that by 2045, quantum technology could contribute £11 billion to the country’s GDP and create over 100,000 jobs, reflecting the sector’s high economic and strategic value.
Science Minister Lord Vallance emphasised the revolutionary potential of quantum technologies at the showcase, noting their capacity to deliver ultra-sensitive sensors for medical diagnosis and quantum computing speeds that surpass classical machines by decades. Jonathan Legh-Smith, Executive Director of UKQuantum, highlighted the UK’s decade-long National Quantum Technologies Programme for positioning the country as a global quantum leader, with world-class innovations spanning sensing, imaging, clocks, and computing actively translating into commercial applications across transport, finance, telecommunications, and defence sectors.
These latest announcements align with and reinforce the UK's £2.5 billion Quantum Strategy, which includes significant investments in quantum computing infrastructure, such as the NQCC Innovation Hub dedicated to accelerating scalable quantum computing development. The government's multi-faceted approach, from supporting early-stage research hubs and career fellowships to scaling commercialisation partnerships, demonstrates a comprehensive ecosystem nurturing the UK's quantum ambitions.
In addition to these homegrown efforts, the UK’s tech leadership is further cemented through international deals, notably a recent £31 billion technology pact with the United States. This ‘Tech Prosperity Deal’ facilitates collaboration in artificial intelligence, quantum computing, and civil nuclear energy, while attracting substantial investments by major US firms, including Microsoft’s £22 billion commitment to cloud and AI infrastructure. This deepening UK-US relationship enhances the global positioning and resource base for the UK’s quantum and broader tech sectors.
Together, these strategic investments, international partnerships, and a robust national innovation ecosystem signal the UK’s resolute intent to lead the forthcoming “quantum decade,” unlocking not only scientific breakthroughs but also substantial economic and societal benefits.
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- [2] (gov.uk) - Paragraph 2
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Source: Noah Wire Services