FEATURE
We’ re proud that Cambridge is at the heart of the UK’ s next computing revolution.
Professor of Physics and first to prove that light, electricity, and magnetism work together as“ electromagnetic waves;” as well as Ernest Rutherford, who discovered the architecture of the atom and is widely regarded as the“ Father of Nuclear Physics.”
The new IonQ quantum centre is expected to support collaborative research programmes, academic engagement, talent development initiatives and industry-facing events, while creating a structured pathway for translating foundational research into commercial applications.
Research areas include quantum hardware for computing, networking, sensing and security, and quantum applications for chemistry, materials science, optimisation, security and advanced communication protocols – all areas aligned with IonQ’ s roadmap of critical quantum technologies.
A pioneering programme worth up to £ 2 billion of government investment has been announced by the UK government to ensure the UK stays at the forefront of quantum innovation.
The UK will become the first country to benefit from revolutionary quantum computers, sensors and networks, and support the emergence of the next generation of leading British companies who will help shape the curve of progress.
The UK is the first country in the world to commit to an advanced procurement to build large-scale quantum computers on its shores by the early 2030s. Joining R & D, manufacturing, software, hardware and procurement into a single programme, the UK government pitches world leadership in developing and deploying largescale quantum computers.
These systems will be built in Britain – creating British jobs, new opportunities for British businesses, and opening new routes of investment to flow into the economy from all over the world.
This first-of-its-kind procurement programme, ProQure: Scaling UK Quantum Computing, sees companies invited to table proposals to partner with the government to deliver state-of-the-art prototypes for evaluation.
Prototypes will then be assessed, with the most promising companies invited to deliver largerscale machines for use by scientists, researchers, the public sector and businesses, as part of the national computing infrastructure – with the intention of transforming the UK into a hotbed for the latest, cutting-edge quantum technology.
This will also accelerate growth of the UK’ s already thriving quantum industry – supporting homegrown firms as they scale up and grow while building an environment which encourages private backers from around the world to invest in the sector, capturing everything from hardware, processors and manufacturing through to sustained investment in UK supply chains.
Estimates show quantum could boost UK productivity by 7 % in the next two decades, creating more than 100,000 jobs in the process. That would mean £ 212 billion worth of economic impact – the equivalent of adding the combined annual GDP of Wales and Northern Ireland.
The technology is already being put to work across the country, with Q-BIOMED researchers at University College London exploring wearable brain scanners to support people suffering from epilepsy.
Laying the foundations which will give the UK a rich pool of quantum talent, the government’ s flagship TechFirst programme will launch new partnerships with companies in the sector – offering up to 100 fully funded internships.
The UK is already a global powerhouse in the technology, launching a first-of-its-kind National
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