£20 million investment in Quantum Software Lab

A £20 million government investment will support a major new four-year programme – Quantum Advantage TurboCHarger (QATCH) – led by the Quantum Software Lab (QSL) in collaboration with the National Quantum Computing Centre. 

The QSL programme is a cross-college initiative within the University, bringing together researchers from multiple Schools across the College of Science and Engineering, including Informatics, Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry and EPCC.

Through a full-stack feedback loop that links researchers, academic institutions and industry, QATCH will be instrumental in conducting fundamental research in algorithms and software. This will help make future quantum computers useful, reliable and deployable across real-world applications. 

Professor Chris Dent, Chair of Industrial Mathematics, says, "I am very pleased to be leading the energy activity within the QATCH project, bringing together the authority of the Quantum Software Laboratory on quantum algorithms and the School of Mathematics’ expertise in energy system applications. 

We have already worked with QSL on an industry innovation project analysing quantum computing threats to cyber security in the energy networks sector, and I look forward to expanding this collaboration to a wider range of applications.”

This investment will support the recruitment of several key positions from early-career researchers through to senior tenure-track positions.

This will be alongside new joint fellowships with industry partners to strengthen collaboration and support the next generation of quantum talent.

The £20 million funding forms part of a £2 billion support package from the UK Government to establish the UK as a world leader in quantum computing research which will support the development of applications in healthcare, energy, finance and cybersecurity, supporting economic growth.

Learn more:

Quantum computing research turbocharged by funding boost | University of Edinburgh

About | Quantum Software Lab

UK’s "Quantum leap"  to help beat disease, deliver high-paid jobs, and strengthen national security, as first country in the world to roll out Quantum computers at scale  | GOV.UK