Innovate UK, as part of UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), is launching a competition with a funding pool of up to £13 million. This initiative is aimed at UK-registered businesses to support the development of quantum computing software applications. The program seeks to fund projects that demonstrate clear value and high-impact potential on near-term quantum computing systems, with the goal of realizing the commercial and broader social value of this emerging technology.
Program Aim and Scope
The competition aims to develop and implement high-impact quantum software applications to unlock the value of near-term quantum computers. Projects are required to focus on real-world problems of industrial, economic, public sector, or societal relevance where quantum computing can offer practical advantages over classical methods. Proposals are particularly encouraged in sectors where quantum computing could be a significant disruptor and align with national priorities.
Your project must:
• Identify a clearly defined industrial or public sector problem where quantum computing will have a major impact.
• Develop and implement quantum computing software to address the identified problem.
• Present a solution based on knowledge of the full stack of the quantum computing system.
• Demonstrate execution, benchmarking, and validation on near-term quantum computing systems, including cloud-based platforms, or simulate such execution.
• Aim to show that quantum approaches offer potential advantages over classical methods, either now or in the near term.
• Detail end-user, industrial, or public sector engagement to define requirements and assess utility, commercial value, and broader impact.
• Present a credible plan for adoption, exploitation, and future scaling in the UK within the context of the organization’s technology or strategy roadmap.
Focus Areas and Exclusions
Projects must concentrate on one or more of the following application areas:
• Healthcare and drug discovery
• Finance
• Optimisation for transport and infrastructure
• Design and simulation of new materials
• Quantum machine learning
Projects that will not be funded are those that:
• Do not focus on solving a particular problem.
• Do not deliver quantum software as their main output.
• Do not intend to assess the commercial value and broader impact of the developed solution.
• Develop exclusively classical software, including quantum-inspired algorithms.
• Would directly duplicate the scope and costs of other UK Government or international initiatives.
• Do not include the delivery of significant and critical activities within the UK.
Funding and Project Requirements
• Grant Funding Request: Between £300,000 and £4 million.
• Project Duration: Between 24 and 36 months.
• Project Timeline: Must start by 1 January 2027 and end by 31 December 2029.
• Location of Work: The majority of project work must be carried out in the UK, with an intention to exploit the results from or in the UK.
• Cost Distribution: No single grant-claiming organization can account for more than 70% of the total eligible project costs.
Eligibility Criteria
• Lead Organisation: To lead a collaborative project, your organization must be a UK-registered business of any size.
• Collaborating Organisations: To collaborate with the lead, your organization must be a UK-registered business, academic institution, charity, not-for-profit, public sector organisation, or research and technology organisation (RTO).
• Application Limits: An eligible organization may lead on only one application. An organization leading an application can be a collaborator in up to two other applications. An organization not leading an application can collaborate in any number of applications.
Briefing and Support
• Briefing Event: An online briefing will be held at 11am on Wednesday, 12 August. Registration is required to attend.
• Partnering Support: For assistance in finding a collaboration partner, interested parties can contact the Innovate UK Business Connect’s Quantum team.
This competition represents a significant opportunity for businesses to pioneer solutions in the quantum computing space, addressing critical national priorities and unlocking new commercial pathways. Based on experience from similar competitions, applicants may anticipate a success rate of approximately 30% for high-quality proposals.