The Quantum Software Lab (QSL) at the University of Edinburgh now comprises more than 70 researchers, establishing itself as a significant force in quantum computing software development within three years. This growth is bolstered by a £20 million project led by the QSL, focused on delivering the tools and systems needed for practical quantum computing applications. “The Quantum Fringe belongs to everyone who takes part,” says Elham Kashefi, director of the QSL and chief scientist of the NQCC, reflecting the lab’s commitment to broadening engagement through its inaugural 16-event festival modeled after Edinburgh’s famous Fringe.

Quantum Software Lab Growth to Over 70 Researchers

The Quantum Software Lab (QSL) is establishing a full-stack feedback loop with the launch of the QATCH programme, designed to translate theoretical quantum computing into verified applications. Elham Kashefi, director of the QSL, explains that the programme is a mechanism for this process, actively shaping the design and utility of new quantum machines through daily collaboration between researchers, hardware vendors and industry end-users on national testbeds.

This initiative builds on a period of rapid expansion for the lab, which now includes almost 100 researchers working across all areas of quantum software development. The lab’s growth is reflected in its expanded event portfolio, highlighted by the recent Quantum Fringe festival, a deliberate effort to broaden engagement beyond the traditional scientific community. Sixteen events comprised this year’s festival, modeled after Edinburgh’s famous Fringe, and provided opportunities for community members to come together.

Kashefi notes that “That’s the whole point: no-one can do this alone, and each of the 16 events in this year’s festival provided an opportunity for the community to come together.” The festival also marked three years since the QSL’s launch in 2023, when the team numbered around 15 members. Beyond outreach, the QSL is actively encouraging practical application through workshops like The TartanQEC, which focused on the convergence of theory and experiment in quantum error correction. The lab also hosted a three-day summer school, introducing high-school students to research careers and providing hands-on coding experience.

Audience feedback from events indicated a positive impact on public understanding, with attendees reporting that performances “helped to understand the science” and “made quantum physics feel more approachable.” The QSL’s commitment extends to using real quantum devices, even in their imperfect state, believing that “The hardware may not yet be perfect, but if we don’t try to use real devices we might come across unforeseen bottlenecks or miss opportunities that we might not have considered.” The QSL’s work is supported by a network of partners including the NQCC, Infleqtion, Quantinuum and IBM, demonstrating a collaborative approach to advancing quantum computing. Kashefi emphasizes that “Quantum computing is almost always told as a hardware story, but a machine only matters if it can give you an answer that is useful and that can be trusted.”

We have an existing body of knowledge on how to run software on real quantum systems, which is really valuable and hard to create from scratch.
Caitlin Jones, a senior QSL researcher

Quantum Fringe Festival Fosters Cross-Sector Collaboration

The Quantum Software Lab’s (QSL) collaborative approach to quantum computing development is now explicitly extending to industry partners, evidenced by a new £20 million research programme called QATCH, or Quantum Advantage TurboCHarger. This initiative builds on the success of the Quantum Fringe festival, launched in 2025 to coincide with UNESCO’s International Year of Quantum Science and Technology, and is designed to translate theoretical quantum concepts into practical applications. “QATCH gives us more runway to design more ambitious experiments, such as developing code that will run on different hardware devices for cross-platform benchmarking and optimisation,” explains a QSL representative.

This two-day event specifically facilitated knowledge sharing on authentication requirements for securing future quantum communications networks, bringing together scientists from both academic and industrial backgrounds. The QSL’s existing expertise in running software on real quantum systems forms a key foundation for QATCH, providing a valuable starting point that is difficult to replicate. “We have an existing body of knowledge on how to run software on real quantum systems, which is really valuable and hard to create from scratch,” a researcher noted.

This knowledge base is being further strengthened through collaboration with the National Quantum Computing Centre (NQCC), allowing the QSL to refine its software development processes. “Through the collaboration with the NQCC we have been able to embed that knowledge into the way that we approach software development,” they added.

The programme will launch the UK’s first full-stack feedback loop, serving as the software engine that translates fundamental theory into verified applications. The lab also recognizes the importance of practical engineering skills, stating, “It is really important for us to build the engineering knowledge and skills needed to work with these machines.”

Quantum computing is almost always told as a hardware story, but a machine only matters if it can give you an answer that is useful and that can be trusted.
Elham Kashefi, director of the QSL and chief scientist of the NQCC

TartanQEC Workshop Advances Quantum Error Correction

The TartanQEC workshop, a collaborative effort between the Universities of Edinburgh and Strathclyde, drew over 120 researchers from the UK and Europe to focus on translating quantum error correction theory into practical methods. Discussions spanned the intersection of hardware co-design, implementation strategies and software development, reflecting a growing emphasis on integrated solutions within the field. Keynote speaker Andreas Wallraff of the ETH Zürich in Switzerland presented on QEC schemes specifically tailored for superconducting quantum computers, highlighting a targeted approach to error mitigation.

The workshop’s focus on practical application was deliberate. Researchers explored how to bridge the gap between theoretical advancements and demonstrable results on real quantum hardware. Experts noted that direct communication with hardware specialists is proving invaluable to accelerating progress. This collaborative spirit extended to a separate workshop convened by the QSL, bringing together hardware vendors and researchers to establish scalable frameworks for benchmarking rapidly evolving quantum architectures.

Participants identified that optimizing code to exploit the specific capabilities of different hardware platforms, like neutral-atom systems, can significantly reduce noise. “That allowed him to reduce the noise by recompiling the programme to exploit the gate fidelity and connectivity offered by neutral-atom systems,” explained a researcher involved in the effort, demonstrating the power of software-driven hardware optimization. The team also emphasized that many remaining hurdles are fundamentally software problems, stating, “That is a software problem.”

The Quantum Fringe belongs to everyone who takes part, whether they are researchers, scientists in government and industry, or students at university or school.
Elham Kashefi, director of the QSL and chief scientist of the NQCC

NQCC Partnership Drives Practical Quantum Computing Tools

The NQCC currently hosts seven testbed platforms, each based on a leading qubit modality, providing access for the QSL’s software specialists. This access is already yielding results, as demonstrated by the QATCH program, which aims to provide extended development time for more ambitious experiments. The program represents a shift in focus for the lab, moving from exploring potential routes to quantum advantage to delivering tools and systems with evidenced impact in the UK. The festival’s success emphasises a deliberate effort to support a more inclusive and collaborative approach to quantum computing development.