UK signals "Quantum Decade" with new investments and deals to fast-track real-world quantum adoption

Today, as the National Quantum Technologies Showcase brings thousands of researchers, investors, and global policymakers together in London, the UK government is taking another step forward to unlock quantum’s vast potential to drive economic growth and national renewal, and help tackle major challenges like health and climate change. It announced a raft of announcements backed by millions of pounds worth of funding.

This includes the announcement of 14 projects sharing £14 million through Innovate UK’s Quantum Sensing Mission Primer awards, to support the development of next -generation sensors that could be used in healthcare, transport, and defence: 

• Gravity Cartography Mission (GCM) - Mobile Networked Quantum Sensors for Resilient Critical Infrastructure and Mapping at Scale; Delta G Limited; £1,364,536. For work on a ‘quantum gravity gradiometer’ that can detect underground objects and tunnels, without the need for excavation works, and unaffected by issues like vibration and noise often seen on construction sites.
• TimeLink; Xairos UK Limited; £1,396,392. Developing a quantum timing unit. Navigation, financial transactions, and even ATMs all rely on an uninterrupted timing signal – usually coming from satellites, which can be disrupted or spoofed. A quantum-based solution would be immune to this sort of interference.
• Rail Quantum Inertial Navigation System (RQINS) – Product Maturity Roadmap Development; Monirail Ltd; £1,263,818. Developing a quantum navigation system for use on the London Underground, and potentially the wider national rail network, to help trains run on time.
• Quantum Sensor for Orbitrap Mass Spectrometry – enhanced speed & sensitivity for healthcare analysis; NPL Management Limited; £649,307. For the development of super-sensitive quantum sensors, to speed up the testing of blood samples for signs of cancer and other diseases.
• Q-ASSET Quantum-All Solid State Enhanced Timing; Nascent Semiconductor Limited; £1,331,496. Developing a compact and highly accurate quantum clock to provide a resilient alternative to satellite signals, for critical national infrastructure that are dependent on timing information.
• Quantum eye scanning to eliminate backlogs in the NHS’s busiest outpatient speciality; Siloton Limited; £703,858. For work on a quantum eye scanner that promises to be far more portable than the OCT machines currently used in hospitals, as well as affordable.
• A Roadmap to Clinical Adoption of Quantum-Enabled Brain Imaging; Cerca Magnetics Limited; £1,488,588. To design the first quantum brain scanner for use in diagnosing epilepsy. This approach could vastly outperform conventional methods.
• Infra-red Single Photon Imaging, Ranging and Sensing (InSPIRS); Toshiba Europe Limited; £856,068. To develop new semiconductor components for quantum sensors and navigation systems, that operate 10 times faster than those currently on the market.
• QuDiFi: Quantum Radio Frequency sensor system for Direction Finding; ColdQuanta UK Limited; £1,402,428. To develop a prototype quantum system for detecting radio signals, of particular use for defence.
• Single-Photon Raman Tritium Analyser; Curtiss-Wright Wimborne Limited; £854,810. Developing a new type of quantum sensor for use in nuclear fusion reactors – which could be a crucial missing link in making fusion reactors commercially viable.
• AQlock 2; AQuark Technologies Limited; £1,399,573. Developing a quantum atomic clock for use by the telecoms industry – offering a resilient alternative to satellite signals that can be blocked, or affected by space weather.
• SrROCK (Strontium - Ruggedized Optical Beam Clock); Quantum Fabrix Limited; £705,509. Developing a ruggedised and compact quantum atomic clock that could be used in a variety of challenging settings.
• Single-photon flash LIDAR in the middle-infrared spectral region for imaging in challenging environment; Fraunhofer UK Research Limited; £814,578. Developing a new type of laser-based quantum sensor that still works effectively in smoke or fog – of use in transport, defence and elsewhere.
• SPECTRA; British Telecommunications PLC; £539,586. To develop a quantum radio signal receiver, which would be immune to many means of blocking and spoofing.

Besides the Innovate UK Quantum Sensing Mission Primer awards, today’s package of support for the UK’s quantum pioneers includes:

• Launching the new Quantum Centre for Nuclear Defence and Security at AWE. This will support AWE together with the University of Strathclyde to bring quantum computing and sensing to bear in nuclear science and technology that is vital to the UK’s security.
• A £300,000 government investment will relaunch the Scotland–California SU2P quantum and photonics partnership, linking leading researchers from Strathclyde, St Andrews, Heriot-Watt and Glasgow with Stanford and Caltech to accelerate commercialisation and investment.
• The signing of a MOU between the UK’s National Quantum Computing Centre (NQCC), and Japan’s National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology to enable easier UK-Japan collaboration in quantum computing research, as well as talent exchange
• The successful deployment of all 7 quantum computing testbeds – operationally-ready pieces of quantum-computing hardware – at the National Quantum Computing Centre (NQCC) this year, which have been delivered with £30 million support through Innovate UK. These will enable businesses to demonstrate and validate new quantum computing technologies and increase market readiness.
• The launch of the National Metrology Institute – Quantum (NMI-Q) at the National Physical Laboratory, earlier this week. NMI-Q is a partnership for quantum R&D across the G7 plus Australia, which the UK will co-chair with the US in its inaugural term.
• The recent launch of a joint UK-Canada funding call, to support shared work demonstrating quantum communications either over land, or in space. This is being backed with nearly £3.5 million from Innovate UK.
• The forthcoming launch of the UK-Singapore quantum satellite SpeQtre, set to lift off 10 November. This mission aims to prove the feasibility of ultra-secure quantum-encrypted communications in space.
  

Science Minister Lord Vallance said:

"Quantum technologies are changing the world – from ultra-sensitive sensors to help diagnose diseases through to the potential of a new type of computer that can do things in seconds that would take today’s computers decades to compute.

The UK already has considerable strengths and lots of exciting new companies have sprung up in the UK. The funding and agreements being announced today aim to support this exciting and important growth area right across the country."

According to Jonathan Legh-Smith, Executive Director of UKQuantum, the achievements of the UK’s National Quantum Technologies Programme over the last 10 years have positioned the UK as one of the world’s leading quantum nations. 

“Our companies have developed world leading technologies across the whole quantum domain -– including sensing, imaging, clocks and computing – with strong engagements across sectors such as transport, finance, telecommunications and defence.

The announcements today demonstrate the translation of innovation to commercial reality is already well underway in the UK.”

This is yet another step forward in the government's efforts to unlock the real-world benefits of quantum, underpinned by the £670 million for quantum computing announced in the Industrial Strategy – one of the largest and longest-term commitments made to this technology, of any government in the world.

The government predicts that by 2045, quantum technology could contribute £11 billion to the UK's GDP and create over 100,000 jobs.

Lead image: Freepik.