A new programme worth up to £2bn of government investment will strive to keep the UK at the forefront of quantum innovation, says technology secretary and chancellor Liz Kendall.
The ProQure:Scaling UK Quantum Computing procurement programme will launch next week, when companies will be invited to table proposals to partner with DSIT and deliver prototypes for evaluation.
These prototypes will be assessed, and selected companies invited to deliver larger scale machines for use by scientists, researchers, the public sector and businesses.
The creation of the programme means the UK is the first country to commit to an advanced procurement to build large-scale quantum computers by the early 2030s. The systems will be built in Britain, creating jobs, new opportunities for businesses, and opening new routes of investment to flow into the economy.
Estimates show quantum could boost productivity by 7% in the next 20 years, creating more than 100,000 jobs in the process. That would mean £212bn worth of economic impact – the equivalent of adding the combined annual GDP of Wales and Northern Ireland.
“I am determined this country grasps the benefits quantum computing will bring,” says Kendall. “It is only by keeping pace with technological progress that we can deliver the high-paid jobs, cutting-edge public services and innovations which change lives.
“Today’s announcements are an investment in our future – unlocking better health, wealth and more opportunities for communities across the country.”
The department for science, innovation and technology (DSIT) says quantum is technology’s ‘next great generational leap’ and will rival AI as the defining technology of the future. While a traditional computer solves problems using a one-by one approach, a quantum system explores thousands of potential answers at once.
The government believes this will accelerate how the UK drives growth, investment and national renewal for future generations.
The UK launched its National Quantum Technologies programme in 2014, which has since been backed by more than £1bn in public funding to support skills, research and infrastructure. In November, the government invested another £14m to support a series of projects finding viable use cases for quantum sensing technology.