The Government recently announced funding of £80 million for the continuation of the UK’s Quantum Technologies Hubs and a further £235 million for the next phase of the UK National Quantum Technologies Programme (UKNQTP), which will include setting up a new National Quantum Computing Centre.
The announcement was made just before the annual Quantum Technologies Showcase, held on 9 November in London.
Delegates heard how the new funding will be used to support the UKNQTP, which is continuing to “draw the country’s research base together with industry, research funding bodies and other government agencies to build a new high-tech industry in the UK”.
The Showcase event was organised by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council and the partners in the UKNQTP (
www.uknqt.esprc.ac.uk).
It demonstrated the progress being made by the Programme, including work carried out by the Quantum Technologies Hubs, companies, the UK Defence Science and Technology Laboratory and the National Physical Laboratory.
David Delpy, chairman of the UKNQTP’s Strategic Advisory Board, said: “Over the last four years there has been a strong focus on turning science into technology and products.
"Participation by industry has grown considerably since the Programme started in 2014; it has outstripped all original predictions and hopes.
"This growth in industry participation, along with the continued co-ordinated effort and focus on a common programme, resulted in the Quantum Technologies Showcase growing larger every year, and this fourth event had over 80 exhibits.”
This year’s exhibits included technologies, products, businesses and services from a mix of academia, industry and government organisations demonstrating the significant technical and commercial progress that continues to be made and the relevance to a growing number and variety of commercial sectors.