UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) is investing £153 million to commercialise quantum technologies, including quantum-secure solutions, to ensure long-term data security against expected advances in computing that will be capable of compromising today’s public-key infrastructure for encryption.
The investment is part of the UK National Quantum Technologies Programme that is on track to deliver £1 billion investment over its ten-year life.
The quantum-secure solutions will be applied through software and hardware to ensure sensitive, personal and commercial data is secure now and in the future. There is a real need for data security in all networks, from city-scale to global satellite systems. New quantum-secure components are needed to serve government, business, industry and society as a whole.
The Commercialising Quantum Technologies Challenge, part of UKRI’s Industrial Strategy Challenge Fund (ISCF), has so far awarded a total of £90 million across 42 projects to realise the potential of the new generation of quantum technologies.
Among the projects to receive funding is one made up of several UK quantum start-ups led by BT. The project will demonstrate a technique for sharing encryption ‘keys’ between locations using an un-hackable stream of single photons.
Awarded £5.8m by the Commercialising Quantum Technologies Challenge, BT’s project, a world-first, will deliver a secure link between connected 5G towers, mobile devices and connected cars. The three-year project will combine Quantum Key Distribution over fixed-fibre and free-space networks as well as quantum-enhanced security chips in mobile devices.
Roger McKinlay, Challenge Director, Commercialising Quantum Technologies Challenge said, “We are not far from the day when the security systems we all depend on – be they for banking or medical records – will need to be upgraded to protect us from new computing threats. This project shows the UK to be at the forefront of developing the technology and in a strong position to lead the development of international policies and standards in the future.”
“We are looking to fund the best teams of UK companies and research organisations to help them develop their ideas for cybersecurity across the applications of software, algorithms and hardware systems.”
For further information on round 1, visit: Competition overview – Commercialising Quantum Technologies: germinator projects round 1 – Innovation Funding Service (apply-for-innovation-funding.service.gov.uk)
In 2021 the ISCF Commercialising Quantum Technologies challenge is running two funding competitions: Commercialising Quantum Technologies: germinator projects round 1 (open until March 31 2021); Commercialising Quantum Technologies: Large collaborative projects round 2 (open until April 28 2021)
For further information on round 2, visit: Competition overview – Commercialising Quantum Technologies: CRD & Tech round 2 – Innovation Funding Service (apply-for-innovation-funding.service.gov.uk)