Total investment through the National Quantum Technologies Programme will pass a significant £1 billion investment milestone since its inception in 2014. The investment has secured the UK’s status as a world leader in quantum science and technologies, keeping pace with the US and China.
UK Quantum? Can the United Kingdom compete on the world’s quantum stage?
In collaboration with the Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy, UK Research and Innovation, and The Rt Hon Chris Skidmore MP, the British Government announced a significant milestone in quantum technology investment on 13 June 2019. The combined government and industry investment in quantum technologies has reached £1 billion, marking an essential step in the UK’s modern Industrial Strategy to position the country as a global leader in emerging technologies.
This investment aims to transition experimental quantum science into commercial applications, with more than £350 million planned for joint government and industry funding to move projects from research to product testing. This initiative is part of the National Quantum Technologies Programme, which has been instrumental in securing the UK’s status as a world leader in quantum science and technologies, comparable to the US and China.
This is our modern Industrial Strategy in action – taking the most innovative ideas from our world-leading researchers and showing how they can be applied, from diagnosing diseases to detecting gas leaks.
Science Minister Chris Skidmore
UK Quantum Investment. A vision for the Future?
A notable aspect of this investment is the £153 million funding boost from the Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund, surpassing over £200 million expected from the private sector. For the first time, industry funding for quantum research and development will exceed government investment, indicating strong business confidence in the commercial potential of the UK’s quantum research.
Science Minister Chris Skidmore highlighted the transition of quantum technologies from experimental science to life-changing products, emphasizing the role of this investment in achieving the UK’s target of investing 2.4% of GDP in research and development by 2027. Quantum technologies are expected to solve complex problems beyond the capabilities of current supercomputers and address challenges in various fields, including healthcare, navigation, and safety.
UK Quantum. How Britain Plans to Compete.
UK Research and Innovation Chief Executive, Professor Sir Mark Walport, reaffirmed the UK’s leadership in quantum technologies and the importance of this funding in maintaining the country’s leading position in this evolving field.
The announcement also included plans for a new program board and an expert advisory group to strategize the next phase of the National Quantum Technologies Programme. An independent Quantum Technology Leadership Group has also been formed to represent industry needs and explore quantum technologies’ commercial activities and economic impacts.
This £1 billion funding milestone underscores the UK’s commitment to advancing quantum technologies and its ambition to be a frontrunner in the global technological landscape, as Science Minister Chris Skidmore emphasized during London Tech Week.
The financial commitment from the government can be read in more detail in the report, or you can read the press release from the UK government here. The funding will impact several sectors, from Engineering to Drug Discovery, and build out the core Quantum competencies across the UK.
The UK is a world leader in quantum technologies. The funding announced today builds on the great progress we have made and lays the foundations for a quantum technology industry here in the UK.
Professor Sir Mark Walport