Aquark Technologies
Company · Southampton
Theme
Quantum sensing companies and projects in the UK
Instruments that use quantum effects to measure magnetic fields, gravity, rotation and acceleration more precisely than conventional sensors.
23 projects (12 active), £412.5m of it with a sourced funding figure; Innovate UK leads the most (5). 21 companies and start-ups work in this area.
UK quantum sensing companies (21)
Companies and start-ups whose listed specialisms include sensing, magnetometers, gravimeters, diamond nv, navigation, imaging.
-
BAE Systems Quantum
Company · London
Cerca Magnetics
Company · Nottingham
Covesion
Company · Southampton
Delta g
Company · Birmingham
Element Six
Company · Didcot
Kelvin Nanotechnology
Company · Glasgow
M Squared Lasers
Company · Glasgow
Magnetic Shields
Company · Staplehurst
Neuranics
Start-up · Glasgow
NIQS Tech
Start-up · Leeds
Novacene Photonics
Start-up · Glasgow
Photon Force
Company · Edinburgh
QinetiQ
Company · Farnborough
QLM Technology
Company · Bristol
Quantonova
Start-up · Haverhill
Quantrologee
Company · Glasgow
RobQuant
Company · Sheffield
Skylark Lasers
Company · Edinburgh
Spectomiq
Company · Brighton
Zero Point Motion
Company · Bristol
Projects (23)
Filter these projects- Active Programme · 2025 onwards
EPSRC Quantum Technology Career Acceleration Fellowships
EPSRC fellowships for 11 early-career quantum technology researchers at UK universities.
Led by Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council
Themes: Skills and training, Computing, Sensing
- Active Hub · 2024 to 2029
UK Hub for Quantum Enabled Position, Navigation and Timing
QEPNT
A national research hub for quantum position, navigation and timing, led by the University of Glasgow. It aims to reduce reliance on satellite signals such as GPS.
Led by University of Glasgow
Funding: £21.9m
Themes: Timing and navigation, Sensing, Defence and security
- Active Hub · 2024 onwards
UK Quantum Biomedical Sensing Research Hub
Q-BIOMED
A national research hub that develops quantum sensors for earlier diagnosis of disease. UCL and the University of Cambridge lead it.
Led by University College London
Funding: £24m
Themes: Sensing, Biomedical and health, Imaging
- Active Hub · 2024 to 2029
UK Quantum Technology Hub in Sensing, Imaging and Timing
QuSIT
A national research hub for quantum sensing, imaging and timing, led by the University of Birmingham.
Led by University of Birmingham
Funding: £22m
Themes: Sensing, Imaging, Timing and navigation
- Active Mission · 2023 to 2030
Quantum Mission 3: Quantum sensing in the NHS
Mission 3
A government goal that by 2030 every NHS Trust will benefit from quantum sensing-enabled solutions.
Led by Department for Science, Innovation and Technology
Themes: Sensing, Imaging, Biomedical and health
- Active Mission · 2023 to 2030
Quantum Mission 4: Quantum navigation
Mission 4
A government goal that by 2030 quantum navigation systems, including clocks, will be deployed on aircraft.
Led by Department for Science, Innovation and Technology
Themes: Timing and navigation, Sensing
- Active Mission · 2023 to 2030
Quantum Mission 5: Networked quantum sensors
Mission 5
A government goal that by 2030 mobile, networked quantum sensors will give new situational awareness across critical infrastructure.
Led by Department for Science, Innovation and Technology
Themes: Sensing, Defence and security
- Active Centre · 2021 onwards
Centre for Quantum Technology, University of Glasgow
A University of Glasgow centre that brings together the university's quantum research and development.
Led by University of Glasgow
Themes: Imaging, Sensing, Computing
- Active Facility · 2017 onwards
Quantum Technologies Innovation Centre
QTIC
A University of Bristol innovation centre with facilities and support for quantum and deep tech start-ups.
Led by University of Bristol
Funding: £35m
Themes: Computing, Communications, Sensing
- Active Centre · 2015 onwards
Quantum Metrology Institute
QMI
NPL's institute that provides measurement expertise and facilities for testing and validating quantum technologies.
Led by NPL
Themes: Timing and navigation, Sensing, Computing, Communications
- Active Programme · 2014 onwards
UK National Quantum Technologies Programme
NQTP
The UK's national programme for quantum technologies, set up in 2014 as a partnership between government, academia and industry.
Led by UK Research and Innovation
Themes: Computing, Sensing, Imaging, Timing and navigation, Communications, Networks, Skills and training
- Active Centre · 2012 onwards
Fraunhofer Centre for Applied Photonics
Fraunhofer CAP
Fraunhofer's first UK research centre, in Glasgow, with a dedicated unit for lasers and photonics used in quantum technologies.
Led by Fraunhofer Centre for Applied Photonics
Themes: Sensing, Communications, Materials and components
- Planned Programme · 2026 to 2028
Accelerating adoption of quantum enabled sensing and PNT
An Innovate UK grant competition to remove barriers to the use of quantum sensing and navigation technology.
Led by Innovate UK
Funding: £14.3m
Themes: Sensing, Timing and navigation
- Planned Programme · 2026 to 2030
Scaling Supply Chains for Quantum Enabled Sensing and PNT
An Innovate UK grant competition, funded by DSIT, to build supply chains around quantum sensing and navigation system makers.
Led by Innovate UK
Funding: £32.8m
Themes: Sensing, Timing and navigation
- Planned Centre · From 2025
Quantum Centre for Nuclear Defence and Security
QCNDS
A centre of excellence launched by AWE in November 2025 and led by the University of Strathclyde, applying quantum sensing and computing to nuclear science for national security.
Led by University of Strathclyde, Aldermaston
Themes: Computing, Sensing, Defence and security
- Completed Programme · 2025 to 2026
Contracts for Innovation: Quantum Sensors and PNT Missions Primer
Quantum Sensing Mission Primer
Innovate UK contracts for 14 projects building quantum sensors and position, navigation and timing products, run as phase 1 of the sensing missions.
Led by Innovate UK
Funding: £14m
Themes: Sensing, Timing and navigation, Imaging
- Completed Programme · 2023 to 2025
SBRI: Quantum Catalyst Fund
Quantum Catalyst Fund
A £15 million SBRI competition, funded by DSIT and Innovate UK, to help the public sector adopt quantum solutions.
Led by Innovate UK
Funding: £15m
Themes: Computing, Sensing, Imaging, Timing and navigation
- Completed Consortium · 2020 onwards
QT Assemble: Integrate Quantum Technology Programme
QT Assemble
A three-year Fraunhofer CAP-led consortium to make quantum technology components smaller, more robust and easier to build.
Led by Fraunhofer Centre for Applied Photonics
Themes: Materials and components, Sensing
- Completed Consortium · 2020 to 2024
UK National Foundry for Quantum Components
QFoundry
A consortium led by the Compound Semiconductor Centre in Cardiff to set up an open-access foundry for quantum semiconductor components.
Led by Compound Semiconductor Centre
Themes: Materials and components, Communications, Sensing
- Completed Hub · 2019 to 2025
QuantIC - The UK Quantum Technology Hub in Quantum Imaging
QuantIC
The phase 2 national hub for quantum imaging, led by the University of Glasgow. Its grant ran from December 2019 to May 2025.
Led by University of Glasgow
Funding: £25m
Themes: Imaging, Sensing
- Completed Hub · 2019 to 2024
UK Quantum Technology Hub in Sensors and Timing
The phase 2 national hub for quantum sensors and clocks, led by the University of Birmingham. It ran from 2019 to 2024.
Led by University of Birmingham
Funding: £28.6m
Themes: Sensing, Timing and navigation
- Completed Programme · 2018 to 2025
ISCF Commercialising Quantum Technologies Challenge
CQT Challenge
An Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund programme, delivered by Innovate UK, that funded companies to turn quantum research into products.
Led by Innovate UK
Funding: £174m
Themes: Computing, Sensing, Imaging, Communications, Timing and navigation
- Completed Consortium · 2018 to 2021
Pioneer Gravity: Gravity sensors for infrastructure productivity, situational awareness and seeing the invisible
Gravity Pioneer
An RSK-led consortium that built and tested a cold-atom gravity sensor for surveying what lies underground.
Led by RSK
Funding: £6m
Themes: Sensing
Organisations in these projects (83)
Leads, partners and funders of the projects above.
Aegiq
Company · Sheffield
Airbus
Company · Filton
Alter Technology TÜV Nord UK
Company · Livingston
Altran UK
Company · London
-
Aquark Technologies
Company · Southampton
Arqit
Company · London
AstraZeneca
Company · Cambridge
AWE
National lab · Aldermaston
-
BAE Systems Quantum
Company · London
Bay Photonics
Company · Paignton
British Geological Survey
Research organisation · Keyworth
BT Group
Company · London
Caledonian Photonics
Company · Glasgow
Cardiff University
University · Cardiff
-
Cerca Magnetics
Company · Nottingham
Chase Research Cryogenics
Company · Sheffield
Compound Semiconductor Applications Catapult
Research organisation · Newport
Compound Semiconductor Centre
Research organisation · Cardiff
-
Covesion
Company · Southampton
CSconnected
Ecosystem and network · Cardiff
-
Delta g
Company · Birmingham
Department for Science, Innovation and Technology
Government · London
Digital Catapult
Research organisation · London
Dstl
Research organisation · Porton Down
Durham University
University · Durham
-
Element Six
Company · Didcot
Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council
Funder · Swindon
Fraunhofer Centre for Applied Photonics
Research organisation · Glasgow
Geomatrix Earth Science
Company · Leighton Buzzard
Gooch & Housego
Company · Ilminster
Government Communications Headquarters
Government · Cheltenham
Heriot-Watt University
University · Edinburgh
Imperial College London
University · London
INEX Microtechnology
Company · Newcastle upon Tyne
Infleqtion UK (ColdQuanta UK Ltd)
Company · Oxford
Innovate UK
Funder · Swindon
IQE
Company · Cardiff
-
Kelvin Nanotechnology
Company · Glasgow
Loughborough University
University · Loughborough
-
M Squared Lasers
Company · Glasgow
-
Magnetic Shields
Company · Staplehurst
Microchip Technology Caldicot
Company · Caldicot
Ministry of Defence
Government · London
MoniRail
Company · Birmingham
National Institute for Health and Care Research
Funder · London
Newcastle University
University · Newcastle upon Tyne
-
NIQS Tech
Start-up · Leeds
NPL
Research organisation · Teddington
Oxford Instruments
Company · High Wycombe
PA Consulting Quantum Technology
Company · London
Phasecraft
Company · London
-
Photon Force
Company · Edinburgh
PowerPhotonic
Company · Dalgety Bay
Q-CTRL UK
Company · London
-
QinetiQ
Company · Farnborough
-
QLM Technology
Company · Bristol
Quantinuum
Company · Cambridge
Quantum Fabrix
Company · Kidlington
Queen's University Belfast
University · Belfast
RedWave Labs
Company · Didcot
RSK
Company · Helsby
Science and Technology Facilities Council
National lab · Swindon
Silicon Microgravity
Start-up · Cambridge
-
Skylark Lasers
Company · Edinburgh
Teledyne UK
Company · Chelmsford
Toshiba Europe
Company · Cambridge
UK Research and Innovation
Funder · Swindon
University College London
University · London
University of Birmingham
University · Birmingham
University of Bristol
University · Bristol
University of Cambridge
University · Cambridge
University of Edinburgh
University · Edinburgh
University of Exeter
University · Exeter
University of Glasgow
University · Glasgow
University of Nottingham
University · Nottingham
University of Oxford
University · Oxford
University of Sheffield
University · Sheffield
University of Southampton
University · Southampton
University of Strathclyde
University · Glasgow
University of Sussex
University · Brighton
University of Warwick
University · Coventry
Vector Photonics
Start-up · Glasgow
West of England Combined Authority
Government · Bristol
Other organisations in this area (5)
Organisations whose listed specialisms match this theme but which are not yet linked to a project here.
- National Security Strategic Investment Fund Investor · London
- Q-BIOMED Research organisation · London
- QTEC Ecosystem and network · Bristol
- Quantum Business Incubation Centre Ecosystem and network · Harwell
- QuSIT Research organisation · Birmingham