National lab · Swindon
STFC delivers the National Quantum Computing Centre, which sits at its Rutherford Appleton Laboratory on the Harwell Campus and was set up with an initial £93m from UKRI through STFC and EPSRC. Its own Quantum Technologies for Fundamental Physics programme points quantum sensors at questions such as dark matter and gravity, while RAL Space builds space-ready quantum subsystems, including for the SPEQTRE quantum communication experiment. Start-ups are the third strand: since April 2024 STFC has run the Quantum Business Incubation Centre at Harwell, offering up to £50,000 in R&D funding plus £10,000 in vouchers per company.
Science and Technology Facilities Council is a Swindon national laboratory. It is a partner in 7 UK projects, including SPOQC, IQN and NQCC. It funds 3 projects listed here, including QuBIC and NQCC. Profiled here: Michele Dougherty (Executive Chair).
Sources: Quantum technologies area of investment (UKRI) · New national quantum laboratory to open up access to quantum computing (GOV.UK) · QuBIC launches at Harwell Campus (Harwell Campus)
SPOQC
A UK CubeSat mission to test quantum key distribution between a satellite and a ground station in Edinburgh.
Role: Partner
Themes: Communications, Networks
IQN
A national research hub building quantum networks, from local links to satellite connections. Heriot-Watt University leads it.
Role: Partner
Funding: £21.9m
Themes: Networks, Communications
NQCC
The UK's national laboratory for quantum computing, based at the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory on the Harwell Campus in Oxfordshire.
Role: Partner, Funder
Funding: £93m
Themes: Computing, Software and algorithms, Skills and training
NQTP
The UK's national programme for quantum technologies, set up in 2014 as a partnership between government, academia and industry.
Role: Partner, Funder
Themes: Computing, Sensing, Imaging, Timing and navigation, Communications, Networks, Skills and training
A Universal Quantum-led consortium building a trapped-ion quantum computer that can correct its own errors, with Rolls-Royce as end user.
Role: Partner
Funding: £7.5m
Themes: Computing
QuPharma
A SEEQC-led consortium linking a quantum computer with a classical supercomputer to model drug properties.
Role: Partner
Themes: Computing, Biomedical and health
An Arqit-led consortium working on UK manufacture of quantum key distribution payloads for satellites.
Role: Partner
Themes: Communications, Networks
QuBIC
An incubation programme at Harwell, run by STFC with the NQCC, that gives quantum start-ups small grants and business support.
Role: Funder
Themes: Computing, Skills and training
NQCC
The UK's national laboratory for quantum computing, based at the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory on the Harwell Campus in Oxfordshire.
Role: Partner, Funder
Funding: £93m
Themes: Computing, Software and algorithms, Skills and training
NQTP
The UK's national programme for quantum technologies, set up in 2014 as a partnership between government, academia and industry.
Role: Partner, Funder
Themes: Computing, Sensing, Imaging, Timing and navigation, Communications, Networks, Skills and training
Recent articles from Quantum Zeitgeist that mention Science and Technology Facilities Council.
University of Liverpool’s Professor Carsten Welsch received the Faraday Cup Award for 20 years of work on beam-monitoring technology for CERN’s Large Hadron Collider, including the Beam Gas Curtain monitor.
Image © Quantum Zeitgeist
CERN & the Open Quantum Institute hosted 34 students in a Quantum Materials Hackathon, fostering the development of expertise to apply quantum computing to real-world challenges.
Image © Quantum Zeitgeist
Cuts to UK Research and Innovation threaten the Lovell telescope at Jodrell Bank Observatory, prompting the Institute of Physics to call it a “terrible blow” to UK science.
Image © Quantum Zeitgeist
UK quantum startups can apply for up to £50,000 via the DeepTech Catalyst program, supporting MVP development.
Image © Quantum Zeitgeist
All 11 articles mentioning Science and Technology Facilities Council
Research, commercial and investment relationships, by year. Partners with a profile here are linked.
Quantum Business Incubation Centre Strategic 2021
Recorded on Quantum Business Incubation Centre's profile.
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