The unveiling of QBase last week marked a turning point for London’s ambition to become a global quantum hub. Nestled within the city’s burgeoning Quantum Cluster, the new centre promises to bridge the gap between raw research and commercial application. Its founders, EdenBase and Northeastern University London, have positioned QBase as a living laboratory where quantum scientists, artificial‑intelligence specialists, investors, policymakers and industry leaders can converge, experiment and translate theory into practice.
A Quantum Community in London
EdenBase co‑founder Eric Van der Kleij described QBase as a “dedicated hub for Quantum + AI,” a space where ideas can move from whiteboard to prototype without the usual friction of institutional silos. The launch event drew a diverse audience: representatives from academia, venture capital, public policy and corporate R&D. By assembling stakeholders who normally operate in separate circles, QBase is deliberately creating a cross‑pollination of expertise. The presence of the London Deputy Mayor for Business, Howard Dawber OBE, underscored the city’s commitment to fostering an ecosystem that can support quantum startups from concept through to scale.
The venue itself is designed for collaboration. Open‑plan labs sit alongside meeting pods, and a dedicated incubator wing offers seed‑stage companies access to shared equipment and mentorship. Early announcements hint at partnerships with manufacturing firms that are already exploring quantum‑optimised supply‑chain models, suggesting that QBase will not only support theoretical research but also the practical integration of quantum solutions into existing production lines.
Showcasing the World’s Most Powerful Quantum Computer
One of the night’s highlights was a live demonstration of Quantinuum’s H2 quantum computer, the most powerful machine in the world today. Eloisa Angeles, principal of EdenBase’s quantum fund, guided the audience through a series of benchmark tests that illustrated the processor’s unprecedented qubit coherence and error‑correction capabilities. The demonstration was more than a spectacle; it was a concrete proof‑point that quantum hardware has moved beyond laboratory curiosity into a stage where it can deliver measurable speedups for complex optimisation problems.
Quantinuum’s spokesperson, Waseem Shiraz, explained how H2’s architecture leverages trapped‑ion technology to achieve low error rates, a critical factor for any real‑world application. The demo included a simple simulation of a logistics optimisation scenario, showing how quantum algorithms can reduce the computational time needed to find near‑optimal routes. For industry participants, seeing the tangible performance of a production‑ready quantum processor signals that the next wave of quantum‑enabled software is within reach.
Catalysing Industry Adoption
The launch event also served as a call to action for companies that are curious about quantum’s potential. Daniel Doll‑Steinberg, author of “Unsupervised” and co‑founder of EdenBase, emphasised that the real value of QBase lies in its ability to translate quantum research into commercial products. He outlined a roadmap that includes pilot projects, joint‑venture incubators and a streamlined path to funding through the EdenBase quantum fund. The presence of a manufacturing partner already on board demonstrates that the centre is attracting concrete interest from sectors that stand to benefit from quantum‑enhanced optimisation, cryptography and materials discovery.
Policy makers in attendance echoed this sentiment, noting that a coordinated approach to quantum research and deployment can safeguard national interests while fostering innovation. By aligning academic output with industry needs, QBase aims to accelerate the pace at which quantum breakthroughs are monetised, thereby ensuring that the UK remains competitive in a field that is rapidly globalising.
Concluding Insight
QBase’s debut signals that London is no longer content with being a passive observer of the quantum revolution. By assembling a multidisciplinary community, showcasing cutting‑edge hardware, and providing a clear pathway from research to market, the centre is poised to become a catalyst for the next generation of quantum technologies. As companies begin to experiment with quantum‑optimised supply chains and other applications, the city’s investment in this ecosystem may well pay dividends that extend far beyond the laboratory, reshaping industries and redefining the boundaries of computation.
