DISCOVERY

Kelvin Nanotechnology is partnered in the UK’s largest industry-led project to commercialise quantum computing

Nine major quantum pioneers from the UK’s quantum industry join forces to launch DISCOVERY – the largest industry-led quantum computing project in Britain to date.

The £10m research programme is designed to address technology barriers to commercial quantum computing and is part-funded by the UK Quantum Technologies Challenge, led by UK Research and Innovation.

The nine partner organisations are leaders in their respective fields including neutral atom, ion trap and optical qubit approaches to quantum computing. The multidisciplinary consortium includes start-ups, established businesses, academic institutions, and research and technology organisations with a strong track record in quantum-computing hardware development and both the collective expertise and capabilities to overcome the technical barriers to commercial quantum computing.

This three-year project is now underway as the result of a successful bid into Innovate UK’s Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund call – ‘Commercialising Quantum Technology: Technology Projects Round 1’. For project DISCOVERY all of the industrial partners, including Kelvin Nanotechnology, M Squared, Oxford Ionics, ORCA Computing, and TMD Technologies, will work closely with the Universities of Glasgow, Strathclyde and Oxford, along with the National Physical Laboratory (NPL).

At present, there are several promising approaches to commercially viable quantum computing – this project will specifically address three methods enabled by photonics that offer the highest fidelities demonstrated to date: neutral atom, ion trap and optical qubits. These approaches represent the state-of-the-art in demonstrated hardware; however, barriers to commercial deployment remain with the challenge of increasing both qubit fidelity and qubit scalability. The programme will demonstrate a shift from fundamental, academic activity to scalable, commercial implementations.

Another core objective of DISCOVERY is to develop the wider UK quantum-computing sector, and therefore the project will also support in establishing commercial hardware supply and roadmaps for industrial deployment of these technologies. The selected partners have extensive experience in the sector and can already demonstrate commercial deployment of relevant technologies across the global market for quantum information systems.

Roger McKinlay, Challenge Director for the Quantum Technologies Challenge, said: “This investment comes under the umbrella of the UK National Quantum Technologies Programme which is set to make a £1B investment over its lifetime. The Discovery team exemplifies the vibrant ecosystem which is a hallmark of the UK quantum sector and its technical expertise – which is impressive – is well matched with commercial nous and in-depth market knowledge.”

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