UK Government to drive quantum computing by investing £2.5bn

In order to make the UK a leader in quantum computing, the Prime Minister and Technology Secretary have revealed that the government has invested £2.5bn in funding as a part of a 10-year strategy.

The fund will be used to ensure that the UK is home to world-leading quantum science and engineering. It will also be used to drive the adoption of quantum technologies in business and create a national and international regulatory framework.

Introducing the UK’s quantum strategy, Michelle Donelan, Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, said, “We firmly believe that Britain should lead the world in this physical science, and deliver opportunities and jobs in hardware, engineering and advanced manufacturing, as well as in software and applications across the economy.”

The quantum strategy is aiming to generate an additional £1bn of private investment into the programme, apart from the government funding. One of the key objectives is that, by 2033, all businesses in key relevant sectors of the UK will be aware of the potential of quantum technologies, and 75% of relevant businesses will have taken steps to prepare for the arrival of quantum computing.

The funding will also be used to form a Quantum Skills Taskforce to develop expertise, to develop an industry placement scheme and a quantum apprenticeship programme.

The taskforce will be used to attract, retain and invest in skilled quantum individuals who want to come to the UK. To support this, the government plans to update the routes that talented individuals in the field of quantum can use to come to the UK and continue their careers, via the UK Innovation Strategy. These routes include the High Potential Individual Route for internationally mobile researchers who demonstrate high potential to come to the UK; a scale-up route and an innovator route, which enable innovators and entrepreneurs to start and run businesses in the UK.

Steve Brierley, CEO and founder of Riverlane, who is a member of the UK government’s Quantum Computing Expert Group, said, “While investment in industry applications/algorithms is worth continuing, it will be for nothing if we don’t have high-quality, scalable chips and quantum hardware. If we develop the world’s central chip layer in parallel with developing the quantum hardware layer, this provides the UK with a smart, future-proofed quantum strategy.”