Quantum Computing Investments Surge: UKRI Allocates $1.34 Billion
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UK Research and Innovation, UKRI, has announced a strategic budget allocation exceeding one billion dollars, specifically one point three four billion dollars, for quantum technologies through 2030. This funding is part of the UK's record eighty-six billion dollar public R&D investment for the 2026 to 2030 spending review period.
The allocation is a key component of the UK's Modern Industrial Strategy, identifying quantum as one of eight high-growth sectors essential for national economic resilience and technological sovereignty.
The total allocation for quantum technologies, one point zero one three billion dollars, is divided into two primary strategic buckets. The first is Strategic Government and Societal Priorities, receiving four hundred twenty-six million dollars, which focuses on targeted R&D with clear societal impacts, particularly in defense, emphasizing quantum sensing and secure communications.
The second bucket, Supporting Innovative Companies, receives five hundred eighty-eight million dollars, aimed at helping quantum firms start, scale, and remain in the UK. This includes support for the Catapult Network and efforts to achieve a three to one leverage ratio of private-to-public investment.
The investment will be managed under a new, agile funding model that emphasizes outcome-focused results. While fourteen point five billion dollars is reserved for curiosity-driven research across all disciplines, benefiting the UK's university ecosystem, the quantum-specific funds aim to drive immediate industrial growth.
This commitment coincides with a seven hundred fifty million dollar investment in large-scale national supercomputing at Edinburgh, which will serve as a critical infrastructure partner for quantum-classical hybrid computing workflows.
By establishing these synergies, UKRI aims to ensure that advancements in quantum technology provide maximum value for taxpayers while accelerating breakthroughs in secondary sectors, such as advanced manufacturing and clean energy.
According to the report, the full UKRI budget allocation report can be accessed online.