The UK government has signed partnerships with a number of foreign governments to collaborate on the development of quantum technologies.

This includes the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the UK’s National Quantum Computing Centre (NQCC) and Japan’s National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology to support UK-Japan collaboration in quantum computing research, in addition to facilitating a talent exchange.

Opened in October 2024, the NQCC, located in Harwell, UK, is the UK's national lab for quantum computing, jointly delivered by two research councils within UK Research and Innovation – the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council and the Science and Technology Facilities Council.

The center works with partners across industry, government, and the research community, with its core funding provided by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council, the main funding body for engineering and physical sciences research in the UK.

Alongside the signing of the MoU, the NQCC said it had successfully deployed all seven quantum computing testbeds at the center this year. Described as operationally-ready pieces of quantum-computing hardware, the testbeds have received £30 million ($39m) in support through Innovate UK.

In a statement, the government also announced the launch of the National Metrology Institute – Quantum (NMI-Q) at the UK’s National Physical Laboratory, in partnership with the G7 and Australia for quantum R&D; a joint UK-Canada funding call to support quantum communication technology over land or in space; and the forthcoming launch of the UK-Singapore quantum satellite SpeQtre, set to take off 10 November.

The collaborations were unveiled as part of a wider announcement to mark the National Quantum Technologies Showcase, taking place in London this week.

Additionally, a new Quantum Centre for Nuclear Defence and Security had been launched in partnership with the Atomic Weapons Establishment (AWE) research facility and the University of Strathclyde, with the government saying it also invested £300,000 ($394,092) to relaunch the Scotland-California quantum and photonics partnership (SU2P).

The photonics project brings together quantum researchers from the universities of Strathclyde, St Andrews, Heriot-Watt, and Glasgow with colleagues from Stanford University and Caltech, the government said, with the aim of unlocking opportunities for investment, and bringing quantum breakthroughs to market sooner.

Fourteen projects have also been awarded a share of a £14 million ($18m) fund, facilitated by Innovate UK’s Quantum Sensing Mission Primer awards, to support the development of next-generation sensors that could be used in healthcare, transport, and defense.

“Quantum technologies are changing the world – from ultra-sensitive sensors to help diagnose diseases through to the potential of a new type of computer that can do things in seconds that would take today’s computers decades to compute,” said Science Minister Lord Vallance.

“The UK already has considerable strengths, and lots of exciting new companies have sprung up in the UK. The funding and agreements being announced today aim to support this exciting and important growth area right across the country.“