The UK government wants quantum technology out of the lab and in the hands of enterprises
The UK government has unveiled plans to invest £121 million in quantum computing projects in an effort to drive real-world applications and adoption rates.
The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) said quantum technologies could lead to everything from improved healthcare systems to systems tackling crime, fraud, and money laundering.
“Backing our world-class quantum researchers and businesses is an important part of our Plan for Change,” said secretary of state for science and technology Peter Kyle.
“The UK is home to the second largest community of quantum businesses in the world, and this investment means they can go further paving the way for new quantum tools and products that make our lives easier, fuel growth, and help us tackle the great challenges of our era.”
The funding forms part of the UK’s National Quantum Technologies Programme, which aims to back early-stage research and bring it to commercialization.
It includes £46.1 million via Innovate UK to accelerate the deployment of quantum technology across a range of sectors, including computing, networking, position, navigation and timing (PNT), and sensing.
Technology secretary Peter Kyle is a driving force behind the UK’s quantum funding spree
(Image credit: Getty Images)
£21.1 million will be allocated to build on the work of the National Quantum Computing Centre, including its testbed program with Innovate UK, and another £10.9 million for the National Physical Laboratory’s (NPL) quantum measurement program to encourage more businesses to make full use of the technology.
Elsewhere, £24.6 million in funding from EPSRC will support the launch of five research hubs announced last year. This includes £3 million in support for training and skills programs intended to bolster the country’s quantum computing talent pools.
Quantum Technology Career Acceleration Fellowships will play a key role in this drive, with £15.1 million allocated to 11 fellowships aimed at developing more real-world applications.
The government said these projects will explore potential use-cases spanning a range of areas, from drug discovery to disease diagnostics.
Government eyes quantum computing fraud crackdown
The UK’s quantum computing sector is booming, according to government figures, with the country already home to the second largest community of quantum companies globally.
The use-cases for the technology are tantalizing across a range of fields, research shows, and the government is keen to harness the technology to tackle fraud in particular – an issue which currently costs the economy £2.6 billion a year.
Quantum specialists at HSBC bank, for example, are already working with government-backed partners like the National Quantum Computing Centre (NQCC) to find ways quantum can be used to identify the indicators of anti-money laundering.
Driving national quantum goals
Today’s news includes some already-announced funding, including support for five research hubs and the Quantum Missions Pilot competition.
The hubs will be based in Glasgow, Edinburgh, Birmingham, Oxford, and London, and will work on applications including faster medical scanners, secure communication networks, next-generation navigation systems, and secure and future-proof communication networks.
“Quantum – manipulating the universe at its smallest scale – has the potential to save millions for our economy, create thousands of jobs and improve businesses across the country – stopping fraudsters in their tracks, protecting our bank accounts and more,” said Kyle.
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