Active Testbed · 2024 onwards
QUARTET trapped-ion testbed (Oxford Ionics)
QUARTET
A trapped-ion quantum computing testbed built for the National Quantum Computing Centre under its 2024 testbed programme.
Role: Lead
Themes: Computing
Oxford Ionics
Company · Oxford
Oxford Ionics builds trapped-ion quantum computers in which the ions are controlled by electronics on a chip made in standard semiconductor fabs, an approach it calls Electronic Qubit Control. Chris Ballance and Tom Harty founded it in Oxford. In August 2025 it installed QUARTET, a full-stack trapped-ion machine, at the National Quantum Computing Centre under the NQCC testbed programme. IonQ completed its purchase of the company in September 2025 and uses it as a UK base for work with universities and public-sector partners.
Oxford Ionics is an Oxford company. It leads 1 UK project (QUARTET) and is a partner in 7 more. People profiled here include Chris Ballance (Co-Founder and CEO) and Tom Harty (Co-Founder and CTO).
Sources: Oxford Ionics · Chris Ballance, the British quantum entrepreneur who put ion traps on a chip | Quantum Zeitgeist · Oxford Ionics installs quantum computer at UK's NQCC | Quantum Zeitgeist · IonQ completes acquisition of Oxford Ionics | IonQ
Projects (8)
Leads (1)
Partner in (7)
- Active Hub · 2024 to 2029
Hub for Quantum Computing via Integrated and Interconnected Implementations
QCi3
The national research hub for quantum computing, led by the University of Oxford. It works on scalable and networked quantum computers.
Role: Partner
Funding: £21.9m
Themes: Computing, Networks, Software and algorithms
- Active Programme · 2024 onwards
NQCC Quantum Computing Testbed Programme
A £30m programme that paid seven companies to build prototype quantum computers, known as testbeds, at the NQCC in Harwell.
Role: Partner
Funding: £30m
Themes: Computing
- Completed Consortium · 2025 to 2026
Open Architecture Quantum (OAQ) Testbed
OAQ Testbed
A TreQ-led consortium that built a modular quantum computing testbed in Oxfordshire that mixes processors, control systems and software from different suppliers.
Role: Partner
Themes: Computing
- Completed Programme · 2025 to 2026
Quantum Missions pilot: Quantum Computing and Quantum Networks
Quantum Missions pilot
An Innovate UK competition that funded industry projects in quantum computing and quantum networks towards the UK quantum missions.
Role: Partner
Themes: Computing, Networks
- Completed Consortium · 2022 to 2025
Autonomous Quantum Technologies
AutoQT
A Riverlane-led consortium developing automated methods to control and tune large numbers of qubits.
Role: Partner
Themes: Computing, Software and algorithms
- Completed Consortium · 2020 to 2024
DISCOVERY: Developing UK Industrial Supply for Commercial Quantum Computing
DISCOVERY
An M Squared-led consortium that worked on the photonics needed to scale neutral-atom, trapped-ion and optical quantum computers.
Role: Partner
Themes: Computing
- Completed Consortium · 2020 to 2023
NISQ.OS (Deltaflow.OS quantum operating system)
NISQ.OS
A Riverlane-led consortium that built Deltaflow.OS, an operating system meant to run the same software on different kinds of quantum hardware.
Role: Partner
Funding: £7.6m
Themes: Computing, Software and algorithms
In the news
Recent articles from Quantum Zeitgeist that mention Oxford Ionics.
Quantum Zeitgeist weekly digest, 21 September 2026, read on Quantum Zeitgeist
IBM’s $2 billion investment, split between direct funding and a new venture called Anderon, signals a decisive shift in the quantum computing landscape, from chasing qubit counts to securing a domestic supply chain for advanced wafer manufacturing. This move directly addresses a bottleneck seen in m
Image © Quantum Zeitgeist
IonQ gains control of chip supply with SkyWater foundry deal, read on Quantum Zeitgeist
At the Investor Day 2026, IonQ detailed plans for growth, anticipating $450M–$460M in revenue & highlighting vertical integration and mass-manufacturing capabilities.
Image © Quantum Zeitgeist
Quantum Zeitgeist weekly digest, 12 September 2026, read on Quantum Zeitgeist
IonQ’s claim that a 20,000-qubit machine could crack Bitcoin encryption within 26 days is a startling escalation and reignites fears about the most popular cryptocurrency and others too. This shows a central tension currently shaping quantum development: the race between building bigger machines and
Image © Quantum Zeitgeist
IonQ Superion 256 platform aims for quantum chip manufacturing at scale, read on Quantum Zeitgeist
IonQ announced IonQ Superion 256, its sixth-generation quantum computing platform, and the first in the Superion platform expected for all future compute products. The company fabricated its first fully integrated 256-qubit quantum processing units (QPUs) at SkyWater, designed to be built by the hun
Image © Quantum Zeitgeist
Sources
- NQCC: Science Minister announces the results of the £30m quantum computing testbed competition (nqcc.ac.uk)
- IonQ: IonQ completes acquisition of Oxford Ionics (ionq.com)
- Oxford Ionics (oxionics.com)
- Oxford Ionics Installs Quantum Computer at UK's NQCC (Quantum Zeitgeist) (quantumzeitgeist.com)
News from Quantum Zeitgeist.
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