Cambridge and Oxford race to be the UK’s quantum powerhouse

Every year on the Thames, near Putney Bridge in southwest London, two rowing teams prepare for a six-kilometre race along the river.

The two crews represent Oxford and Cambridge universities and the race is shown live on UK TV. In recent years there have been sinkings, mutinies, disruption and last year both teams complained of water pollution because of a sewage overspill.

Not only is it raw sewage, it is raw competition and the race defines the competition that has gone on between the universities over the centuries. Oxford and Cambridge may be collectively known as Oxbridge, but the only thing they have in common is that portfolio word.

Now they are at the forefront of a modern technological race: the quest to become the UK's powerhouse in quantum computing. This competition is not just about prestige for each university; it's about positioning the UK as a global leader in a field poised to revolutionise industries from healthcare to finance.

The Quantum Leap

Quantum computing represents a paradigm shift from classical computing. While traditional computers use bits as the smallest unit of data, represented as either 0 or 1, quantum computers utilize quantum bits, or qubits.

Qubits can exist in a state of superposition, meaning they can be both 0 and 1 simultaneously. This property allows quantum computers to process a vast number of possibilities at once, making them exponentially more powerful for certain tasks.

Entanglement, another quantum phenomenon, enables qubits to be interconnected so that the state of one instantaneously influences the state of another, regardless of distance. These principles open the door to solving complex problems that are currently beyond the reach of classical computers.

Oxford's Quantum Ambitions

Oxford University has long been a beacon of scientific research, and its commitment to quantum computing is no exception. In July 2024, the UK government announced the launch of five new research hubs to develop quantum technologies, with Oxford leading the Hub for Quantum Computing via Integrated and Interconnected Implementations (QCI3). 

This initiative aims to develop the technologies needed for the UK to play a key role in the development of quantum computers—a market estimated to be worth $1.3 trillion by 2035.

The QCI3 hub brings together over 50 co-investigators from 18 institutions across the UK, collaborating with around 30 industry partners who have pledged support totaling £9.9 million. 

Professor Andrew Daley, Principal Investigator of the QCI3 hub, emphasises the collaborative nature of the project:

"Our hub brings together researchers with broad expertise on the forefront of hardware and software for quantum computing with leading experts in application areas."

Founded in 2017, Oxford Quantum Circuits (OQC) is a startup originally spun out of the University of Oxford’s computing department. It is already Britain’s biggest quantum hardware manufacturer.

Founded by Dr Peter Leek, a scientist with a PhD from Cambridge who has led his own research group at Oxford since 2012, QCS is currently working to solve some of humanity’s biggest challenges, from climate change to new drug discovery. The company specialises in building enterprise-ready quantum solutions.

OQC built the first commercially available quantum computer in the UK in Reading (an hour’s drive from Oxford), the first Quantum Compute-as-a-Service company in Europe and the first in the world to deploy a quantum computer to a commercial data centre including the integration with high performance compute.

In 2022 OQC achieved a $48M Series A raise – the UK’s largest ever Series A in quantum computing at the time. These funds are being used to invest in and hire talent from around the globe, now boasting a team of more than 100 people. In 2023, OQC began a Series B $100M investment raise, led by SBI Investment, Japan’s premier venture capital fund.

“The UK is a powerhouse in quantum computing, nearly 70% of all quantum computing companies operating in the UK were either spun out of a UK university or founded here in Oxford. Yet, despite this strong foundation, public investment in UK sovereign quantum capability has fallen behind international peers.

“A recent report by Oxford Economics outlined that quantum technologies could deliver a major economic boost to the UK as early as 2040. The UK has the foundations in place to catalyse this progress and reap the benefits of quantum computing, particularly when utilising the diverse talent pool available in the UK,” said Gerard Mullally, CEO, Oxford Quantum Circuits.

Finland-based Algorithmiq is another to acknowledge the power and influence of Oxford as a quantum cluster. It is pioneering the integration of quantum computing, AI and supercomputing to solve the world’s most complex problems.

Co-founded by Sabrina Maniscalco, Guillermo García-Pérez, Matteo Rossi, and Boris Sokolov, the company develops advanced quantum algorithms focusing on, but not limited to, Life Sciences applications to accelerate drug discovery and development. Its COO is (Oxford-educated) Kirsten Nehr. 

“The UK has long been a global leader in quantum technology, with a well-funded national strategy and world-class research hubs in Oxford and Cambridge. Historically, some of the most successful quantum companies, such as Quantinuum, have emerged from these clusters, setting the foundation for future breakthroughs. 

“At Algorithmiq, we recognize the immense value of this ecosystem and are actively engaging with leading UK pioneers, including Oxford Ionics and Oxford Quantum Circuits, to accelerate quantum innovation. The strength of this cluster continues to drive transformative advancements, positioning the UK at the cutting edge of quantum computing’s future.”

Cambridge's Quantum Endeavors

Not to be outdone, Cambridge University has also established itself as a formidable player in the quantum computing arena. The Cavendish Laboratory, Cambridge's Department of Physics, has been at the forefront of numerous scientific breakthroughs, including the discovery of the electron and neutron. Building on this legacy, Cambridge has been actively involved in quantum research, focusing on both theoretical and applied aspects of the technology.

In 2021, Cambridge Quantum Computing (CQC) merged with Honeywell Quantum Solutions to form Quantinuum, creating an integrated, end-to-end quantum platform. 

This merger combined CQC's expertise in quantum software and cybersecurity with Honeywell's advancements in quantum hardware. 

Furthermore, Cambridge is a key partner in the Q-BIOMED hub, led by University College London (UCL), which aims to use quantum technologies to transform early disease diagnosis. This collaboration underscores Cambridge's commitment to applying quantum advancements to real-world challenges, particularly in healthcare.

One of its most prominent companies is Riverlane, which is building the operating system for quantum computers. Its focus on error correction and control systems is vital for realising scalable and reliable quantum computation. 

Steve Brierley, CEO and Founder of Riverlane, took centre stage earlier this week in shaping the future of UK quantum computing when he spoke with UK MPs as part of the first industrial strategy inquiry, and outlined how quantum can contribute to the UK’s growth mission. 

“I chose to found Riverlane in Cambridge as it's become this global hub of chip design, and those are the skills that we need. The alternative places were Silicon Valley and Texas, but  I chose Cambridge because the UK had an amazing, industrial strategy in quantum that started in 2014. 

“For example, big investments that led to a substantial strength in the academic base, and the smart approach of offering grants that helped companies spin out of universities. That has led to the UK now having to be second only to the US in terms of number of quantum companies, and second only to the US in terms of capital raised.”

Beyond computing, Cambridge is also a hotbed for quantum sensing and metrology. Companies such as Nu Quantum are creating the so-called Entanglement Fabric for quantum computing scale-out. 

Founded in 2018, Nu Quantum is a spin-out of the University of Cambridge’s Cavendish Laboratory. In November 2023, the company raised an £8.5 million pre-series A round from main investors Amadeus Capital Partners, Expeditions Fund, and IQ Capital.   

The company says Quantum applications require systems that are thousands of times more powerful than those available today, but its networking architecture will unlock data centre-scale quantum computing by weaving together quantum processors to accelerate the path to fault-tolerance and transformational utility.

 Dr. Carmen Palacios-Berraquero, is the Founder and CEO of Nu Quantum.

"Cambridge and Oxford have been at the forefront of quantum research and discovery for over 100 years and are still leaders in terms of R&D and commercialisation. It's an amazing ecosystem for recruiting talent and forming partnerships, where the world's leading quantum companies have a home, and will continue to be a major cluster for quantum."

The Broader UK Quantum Landscape

The rivalry between Oxford and Cambridge is set against a backdrop of substantial national investment in quantum technologies. The UK government has demonstrated a strong commitment to advancing this field, recognizing its potential to drive economic growth and technological innovation.

Furthermore, the UK government's commitment to quantum technology, through initiatives such as the National Quantum Technologies Programme, has provided crucial funding and support for research and development. This strategic investment has helped to establish the UK as a global leader in quantum technologies.  

In addition to the hubs led by Oxford and Cambridge, other institutions across the UK are contributing to a vibrant quantum research ecosystem.

For instance, the University of Birmingham leads a hub focused on quantum sensors and timing, aiming to develop technologies that could revolutionize navigation and medical imaging.

The University of Glasgow spearheads a hub dedicated to quantum-enhanced imaging, with applications ranging from security to environmental monitoring. Meanwhile, the University of York focuses on quantum communications, striving to create ultra-secure communication networks resistant to cyber threats.

Hazem Danny Nakib is a member, DSAG, British Standards Institution, and honorary senior researcher at the University College of London.

“Cities worldwide and across the UK are racing to build top-tier quantum research and commercialisation capabilities, determined not to be left behind in a field poised to revolutionize healthcare, economies, and our daily life.

“Already home to world-class research and some of the earliest pioneering quantum startups, Cambridge and Oxford are primed to benefit from the establishment of several new quantum hubs—opening doors for applied research, accelerating commercialisation, collaboration and strengthening the UK’s position on the global stage."

In two months’ time the boat crews of Oxford and Cambridge universities will take their places in the middle of the river Thames to resume their annual race that first took place in 1829.

In 2025, however, the race is not only to reach Chiswick Bridge first, but also to change and save the world via quantum. There looks as if there is nothing to sink this ambition.

Let battle commence.