Insider Brief
- Universal Quantum CEO Dr. Sebastian Weidt told Parliament’s Science, Innovation and Technology Committee that the UK risks losing its global lead in quantum computing without faster government investment, procurement, and manufacturing support.
- Weidt outlined a five-step plan calling for quicker capital deployment, domestic infrastructure for building quantum computers, and government procurement to anchor sovereign capability.
- He urged coordination between defense, industry, and international partners to demonstrate the UK’s commitment to leading in quantum technology and prevent its expertise from moving overseas.
- Photo by James Giddins on Unsplash
The United Kingdom could forfeit its lead in quantum computing unless the government accelerates funding decisions, strengthens domestic procurement, and anchors large-scale manufacturing on British soil, Dr. Sebastian Weidt, co-founder and CEO of Universal Quantum, told Parliament’s Science, Innovation and Technology Committee this week.
Weidt — whose company spun out from the University of Sussex — urged MPs to view quantum computing as a strategic technology comparable to early naval shipbuilding in its potential to shape national power and industry.
“The UK has a genuine opportunity to lead the quantum era,” he told the committee.
“We have the science, the talent and entrepreneurial drive, but make no mistake, this is a global race,” Weidt added. “The UK has an unfair advantage with homegrown talent, but risks losing it if decisive actions aren’t taking a pace. It requires investment, purposeful procurement and a commitment to anchoring core capabilities here on our shores.”
However, he pointed to uneven government backing across nations as evidence that the UK’s slow pace could cost it this advantage.
While Universal Quantum had secured contracts worth more than €70 million from the German government to build modular quantum systems, it had yet to receive comparable support at home, according to Weidt.
“And yet here in the UK, despite this being a British company employing British engineers and scientists, we have not received that level of government support,” he said. “That contrast is really stark.”
The Case for Sovereign Capability
Weidt argued that true sovereign quantum capability can only be achieved through creation and procurement of full-scale quantum computers made in Britain. Without decisive action, he cautioned that key quantum computing capabilities might be lost to foreign players.
He described the company’s modular trapped-ion architecture — which does not require extreme cooling and scales through interlinked silicon chips — as a platform designed to move beyond laboratory prototypes toward utility-scale quantum computers that solve some of the most impactful real-world problems.
Universal Quantum’s approach, he said, aims to reach the millions of qubits needed for applications across energy, finance, logistics, defense, and pharmaceuticals—fields that today’s prototypes cannot meaningfully serve.
Five Steps for Government and Industry
Weidt outlined a clear five-point plan for the UK to retain its edge:
Investment Speed — Funding through institutions such as the British Business Bank and the National Wealth Fund is often slow and risk-averse, he said. In a field moving with urgency, the pace of deployment is as critical as the amount invested. Acting as fast-moving lead investors would unlock significant follow-on private capital, Weidt told the committee.
Infrastructure and Manufacturing — The UK must build facilities capable of both housing and producing utility-scale quantum computers for global export. Universal Quantum could serve as an anchor for such a site, spurring regional growth and cementing Britain’s position on the global stage.
Anchor Customers — Weidt contrasted Germany’s direct procurement of quantum systems with the UK’s absence of comparable contracts. Procurement commitments would not only provide validation for domestic technology but also signal to investors that the UK intends to scale.
Defense and Security Integration — Universal Quantum has already performed unfunded work for the Global Combat Air Program. A joint quantum plan between defense agencies could accelerate adoption, with the Ministry of Defence acting as an anchor customer to strengthen both national capability and NATO partnerships.
International Support and Coordination — Foreign governments often inquire about UK government backing when negotiating major export deals, Weidt said. More visible coordination between commercial and diplomatic efforts would significantly enhance Great Britain’s ability to export innovation.
“None of these are theoretical asks,” said Weidt. “They are practical steps that would help us ensure the UK retains a sovereign capability in quantum computing. They would show investors international partners that Britain is serious about leading in this field.”
A Call for Strategic Urgency
Weidt’s testimony framed quantum computing not as a speculative bet but as a strategic industrial domain where early commitments can shape decades of technological leadership. Weidt stressed that while the UK’s scientific base remains rich in talent, other nations are rapidly institutionalizing their quantum programs with clearer funding pipelines and procurement commitments.
Weidt concluded with a historical analogy that underscored the stakes: “In the age of Empire, Britain didn’t give its shipyards away,” Weidt told the committee. “It built the world’s most advanced fleets at home and exported what those ships discovered. You can’t be sure to capture the value of exploration if you don’t own the ships. Britain understood that back in the 1600s. Quantum computing is our generation’s ship-building revolution. Let’s keep the hardware development, the tools, the knowledge and the talent on our shores, and export the discoveries that follow. At Universal Quantum, we are ready. We are building machines designed to solve humanity’s most complex problems. It’s in our tagline: ‘Solve scale, change worlds.’ If we succeed, the societal economic impact will be immense. New drugs discovered, new energy sources unlocked, new national capabilities strengthened and new industries created.”
Dame Chi Onwurah, chair of the committee, told Weidt the message was clear: “I think even you can see from the reaction of the entire committee that you’ve inspired us both with the possibilities and the opportunities and the UK’s leadership and your company’s leadership, but also with the challenges, which we have repeatedly heard from and encountered from and you can be assured that this committee is committed to holding the government to scrutiny on this particular issue of quantum computing, as well as more generally, on the diffusion the commercialization and diffusion of technology.”
