Scotland poised to become ‘world-leader’ in quantum computing with £9m government funding

The UK Government has awarded £8.9m to three Scottish universities to help position Scotland and the UK as a “world-leader in quantum”.

One quantum laboratory and two research hubs have secured a share of a new £121m fund to help tackle challenges including crimefighting, fraud, and money laundering.

The University of Edinburgh’s Quantum Software Laboratory will help deliver technology to power the National Quantum Computing Centre’s testbed programme. Launched earlier this year, the programme looks to identify which types of quantum computer work best for solving different problems and support the development of large-scale quantum computers. It is hoped the initiative will fix issues affecting a range of sectors from healthcare to finance.

Technology secretary Peter Kyle said: “The quantum sector in Scotland has vast potential to unlock millions for our economy, create thousands of jobs and improve businesses across the country - making our energy grid more efficient, speeding up diagnosis of illnesses, tackling fraud.

“Many more applications are out there, and we need to back our world-class researchers who are finding them, so we can harness the full benefits of this technology for our plan for change.” 

Meanwhile, research hubs at Heriot-Watt University and the University of Glasgow have also received financial backing for skills and training activities.

Glasgow’s Hub for Quantum Enabled Position, Navigation & Timing, along with Heriot Watt’s Integrated Quantum Networks Hub (IQN) will use the cash boost to design expert-led programmes over the next four years, including summer schools and online seminars.

The three projects form part of the government’s strategy to deploy the world’s most advanced quantum network infrastructure by 2035.

Scottish secretary Ian Murray said: “By supporting the University of Edinburgh's Quantum Software Laboratory and the research hubs at Heriot-Watt and Glasgow University, we're not only creating skilled jobs across Scotland but positioning the UK as a global leader in quantum innovation. This funding delivers on our promise to drive economic growth in every part of the country through our Plan for Change, turning Scotland's scientific expertise into practical solutions for healthcare, security, and industry."

Scotland is well-known for its quantum expertise, with various of its universities leading efforts in the sector. Glasgow and Heriot-Watt universities’ hubs are two of the five announced by the UK Governmnt last year.

The IQN hub looks to address challenges facing the roll out of the quantum internet, which is believed to be near-unhackable. The network would be a key measure to help cut the UK’s cybersecurity costs, currently adding to around £27bn annually.

It is believed it could also help prevent what experts call Q-day – the moment a quantum computer will be powerful enough to break the encryption safeguarding most of the internet.

Speaking to Holyrood last September, Elham Kashefi, chief scientist at the National Quantum Computing Centre, said the consequence of Q-day could be “catastrophic”.

She added: “We have lots of options on the table. And all we are saying is, you cannot ignore it anymore.”