Quantum Fabrix Ltd has secured a £6.8 million contract from Innovate UK to advance its atomic clock technology for use in data centres and space applications, the company says. The funding will support Phase II of the company’s SrROCK programme, focused on turning precision atomic technologies into qualified, manufacturable products.

“SrROCK gives QFX the opportunity to prove that its core atomic and vacuum technologies can be manufactured and qualified for demanding real-world applications,” says Dr Timothy Ballance, CEO of QFX. This work aims to strengthen the UK’s sovereign supply of advanced timing technology and expand the company’s distributed quantum computing platform.

SrROCK Programme Advances Atomic Clocks for Data Centres

Phase II of the SrROCK programme will integrate a strontium optical-clock physics package designed for timing infrastructure within data centres and future satellite missions, according to QFX. The £6.8 million contract from Innovate UK will fund engineering work to create a compact, low-power device intended to demonstrate timing performance and undergo space-relevant testing. This testing will generate evidence needed for customer adoption and qualification for future space deployments, a critical step toward commercial viability.

The programme extends beyond laboratory demonstration, with QFX actively engaging data centre operators, spacecraft manufacturers and mission operators to define specific deployment requirements. This collaborative approach aims to establish clear commercial pathways and plans for a subsequent in-space demonstration of the technology. SrROCK Phase II will also strengthen the UK’s domestic manufacturing capabilities in advanced atomic and vacuum systems, supporting skilled jobs and potential export opportunities in both the space and quantum technology sectors.

Timothy Ballance, CEO of QFX, stated that this capability is essential to scaling their quantum-computing platform and creates a clear route into the strategically important timing market, supporting sovereign UK supply of advanced timing technology. The company’s platform combines atomic sources, ultra-high-vacuum systems and quantum interfaces in a modular architecture, allowing access to near-term opportunities in timing and navigation while simultaneously developing its distributed quantum computing capabilities.

Founded as a spinout from Oxford University, QFX is building the hardware foundation for fault-tolerant distributed quantum computing. The company previously secured £2 million in investment in 2025, led by Silicon Valley investor Paul Graham, to accelerate the development of its technology platform.

This latest funding builds on a successful first phase of the SrROCK programme, which focused on advancing the company’s atomic source and vacuum technologies. The leadership team includes experienced professionals from Infleqtion UK, including COO Sadie Mansell and CSO Dr. Laurent Stephenson, alongside Oxford University researchers Dr. Joe Goodwin and Dr. Peter Drmota, who contribute expertise in connecting trapped ions with light and linking quantum processors.

SrROCK gives QFX the opportunity to prove that its core atomic and vacuum technologies can be manufactured and qualified for demanding real-world applications. That capability is essential to scaling our quantum-computing platform and creates a clear route into the strategically important timing market, supporting sovereign UK supply of advanced timing technology.

Source: https://www.qfx.io/post/qfx-awarded-6-8-million-contract-to-advance-enabling-quantum-hardware

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