Scalable Quantum Network Technologies: Collaborative R&D

To lead a project your organisation must:

• be a UK registered business of any size (not an academic institution)
• carry out its project work in the UK
• intend to commercially exploit the project results from the UK
• collaborate with other UK registered organisations

In exceptional circumstances a research and technology organisation (RTO) can lead. The RTO must provide justification by email to support@iuk.ukri.org at least 10 working days before the competition closes. We will decide whether to approve your request.

If the lead organisation is an RTO it must collaborate with at least 2 UK registered businesses.

Project team

To collaborate with the lead, your organisation must be one of the following UK registered:

• business of any size
• academic institution
• charity
• not for profit
• public sector organisation
• research and technology organisation (RTO)

Your project must:

• have total costs between £1.5 million and £3 million
• start on 1 April 2024
• end by 30 September 2025
• last between 12 and 18 months
• carry out all of its project work in the UK
• Intend to exploit the results from or in the UK

Your proposal must be able to demonstrate how the project will enhance the scalability of quantum network technologies and build UK leadership in the emerging global market.

Your project must exploit the capabilities of second generation quantum technologies which are defined as those involving the generation and coherent control of quantum states, resulting in phenomena such as superposition or entanglement.

Our communications networks are growing in capacity and complexity as our economy becomes increasingly underpinned by data. Quantum network technologies will transform the way we distribute, secure, handle and process our information to meet these challenges, to build resilient communications and to make quantum computers scalable and usable.

The aim of this competition is to accelerate quantum network technologies by removing technological barriers to their commercialisation and adoption. Your project must identify one or more key technological barriers and propose an innovative project that will address them.

Your proposal must:

• outline one or more technological barriers and their implications to businesses
• describe how this impedes widespread customer adoption
• deliver an innovative, competitive technical solution
• plan to demonstrate the technical solution and its commercial viability
• provide a roadmap for future commercial exploitation

Your proposal must be able to demonstrate how the project will enhance the scalability of quantum network technologies and build UK leadership in the emerging global market.

Your project must exploit the capabilities of second generation quantum technologies which are defined as those involving the generation and coherent control of quantum states, resulting in phenomena such as superposition or entanglement.

We consider technologies involving single photon generation and detection to be in scope.

We encourage projects that:

• enable quantum networks to operate at scale
• develop security assurance frameworks for real world implementations of quantum-enabled solutions
• advance critical enabling technologies towards scale manufacture
• unlock and amplify the capabilities of quantum processors by connecting them into networked architectures
• work with network architects, operators and services providers to introduce quantum technologies to enhance or transform current solutions and services

Your project must focus on one or more of the following:

• techniques for securing data in storage and in flight
• networking of quantum computers to advance information processing

Innovate UK KTN will hold an online briefing event, Monday 18th September, 11am-12:30pm: click here to register to attend.

If you would like help to find a collaboration partner, contact Innovate UK KTN’s Quantum team.