Guest post by Matthew Martin, Managing Director, Oxford Instruments NanoScience
I recently had the privilege of joining distinguished quantum experts from across the UK ecosystem, spanning government, academia, investment, and industry, for a candid discussion on what it will take for Britain to become a global leader in quantum.
The timely discussion during the UN’s International Year of Quantum focused on a sobering reality: while the UK champions world-class universities, research hubs, and innovation centres, and while some quantum technologies such as PNT and sensing are well on their way to early commercial applications, we run the risk of falling behind in the race to scale quantum technologies for commercial impact if more action is not taken, particularly with quantum computing.
This challenge isn’t uniquely British, however; many nations, particularly across Europe, face similar struggles in bridging the gap between academic excellence and commercial quantum deployment. While no single nation has yet monopolised the market, the lessons from our discussion revealed broader patterns that countries worldwide must address.
Joining me were Sir Peter Knight, Senior Research Investigator in Physics at Imperial College London; Michael Cuthbert, Director of UKRI’s National Quantum Computing Centre (NQCC); Anne Glover, Chief Executive & Co-Founder of Amadeus Capital; Professor Martin Weides, Professor of Quantum Technologies at the University of Glasgow; and Andrei Dragomir, CEO of Aquark Technologies.
The Stakes Are Higher Than Ever
What was clear from the outset of our conversation was the staggering financial opportunity presented by quantum. Globally, it has been suggested that quantum computing will unlock a cumulative $1 trillion of value creation for end users by 2035. In the UK alone, Oxford Economics predicts that quantum technologies could deliver £212 billion in GDP growth over the next two decades.
These aren’t just theoretical projections; while error-free quantum computing is still a few years away, modular development has the potential to create thousands of jobs in the short term as we prepare to scale. Meanwhile, deployable quantum applications in sensing and communications are already delivering real impact.
However, my fellow panellists and I agreed on a critical point: the window for nations to capitalise on quantum could be as short as two years. This means we need to do more to get deployable quantum solutions scaled and bring others to market. Currently, there’s no agreed-upon strategy for communicating complex quantum roadmaps to high-growth investors. But this needs to change if investors are going to see clearer pathways to both technical and commercial milestones.
Speed, Sovereignty and Security
The quantum industry is multi-faceted, and the pace of innovation is inspiring. Beyond computing, we have sensing, timing, imaging, and communications across industries, from healthcare to defence, energy, manufacturing and more. Unless nations move quickly, stimulating financial support with a mixture of government-seeded or signposted key activities to attract market capital, the breakthroughs will happen elsewhere.
Success will hinge on more than having brilliant academic institutions or robust R&D sectors; companies need access to funding at every stage of their growth journey, whether they’re a startup or an existing company with the research teams, talent, and manufacturing capabilities to support quantum applications. Existing companies will need the right incentives, so our visionaries at quantum companies must make both the risk and the opportunity clearer to those who have the resources to provide the domestic capabilities for scale-up.
Like many nations, our industrial manufacturing capabilities are not what they once were, downscaled as a result of widespread outsourcing to lower-cost countries, which over time has eroded the manufacturing base. My own career decisions relating to the semiconductor industry are a clear example of that, where, in reality, we have no manufacturing industry in this critical sector. However, the UK is very good at manufacturing high-quality products on a smaller scale.
Bridging production costs with the need for sovereign supply chains is going to be critical to exploit aspects of quantum technologies, and that requires an ecosystem where different parties work seamlessly together and can access the necessary funding. This requires policy consistency across government departments and regulatory frameworks that support industry development without stifling innovation. Nations need coherent strategies that align quantum initiatives with broader national priorities.
The Skills Challenge: Beyond the Physics
Another crucial point raised in our discussion centred around skills development. The success of the quantum industry doesn’t depend solely on quantum physicists. It requires product management engineers, supply chain specialists, and manufacturing experts, and we need to match skills to roles effectively. Yet, one of my fellow panellists shared that 45 out of 50 applications for a recent lab technician vacancy held PhDs in physics or a related field, indicating we have some way to go in changing current perceptions of the required skill sets for roles in quantum.
We need a workforce with diverse backgrounds to scale quantum from laboratory curiosities to commercial realities. The UK is making progress through initiatives like the Science and Technology Facilities Council’s comprehensive programmes that encompass everything from apprenticeships to advanced training. However, greater industry involvement is needed to mobilise the full spectrum of skills required for quantum commercialisation.
Responsible Development as a Competitive Advantage
As we race to scale quantum capabilities, we must ensure development proceeds responsibly. Establishing frameworks such as the UK’s Responsible Quantum Industry Forum will support nations in building a competitive advantage through proactive governance. This means embedding considerations for safety, reliability, equity, and environmental impact from the outset, while fostering open collaboration between stakeholders. Responsible development isn’t a barrier to innovation – it’s what will differentiate leading quantum nations in the global marketplace.
A Call for Coordinated Action
Government, industry, and academia must coordinate to unlock patient capital sources like pension funds and accelerate decision-making to match quantum ambitions. The conversation needs to move from quantum’s ‘potential’ to actively building the ecosystem that will realise it.
Scaling requires a unified vision, coordinated execution, and the courage to make bold investments when the opportunity arises.
That opportunity is there now, but it won’t be there forever. The quantum market is becoming a reality now. The question for the UK and other nations is simple: will we lead it, or will we watch it happen elsewhere?
