The West of England Combined Authority (WECA) has announced a £20 million investment in a quantum technology innovation centre to support research and businesses.
The funding will be used to extend the scope of the University of Bristol’s Quantum Technology Innovation Centre, aimed at positioning the region as a leader in deep tech innovation.
The facility will be based at the Temple Quarter Enterprise Campus with the aim of bringing together researchers, businesses and communities with students, entrepreneurs and users of the technology.
The work will begin with a pilot programme will be developed over the next six months.
Plans to establish the Quantum Technologies Innovation Centre (QTIC) were first announced in 2017, when the University of Bristol secured £15 million in Local Growth Fund funding from the West of England Local Enterprise Partnership, administered by the WECA.
The additional £20 million will be used to extend the facilities to explore emerging and new applications for quantum and other disruptive technologies.
Revolution
WECA said that experts predict that harnessing the quantum world – the behaviour of matter and energy on the atomic and subatomic level – will revolutionise technology by making it faster, smaller, more secure and, ultimately, more useful for a wide variety of applications.
West of England Mayor Tim Bowles said: “The West of England’s innovation, ingenuity and creativity, alongside a highly skilled workforce, fed by our universities, ensures we are a major force in the global marketplace.
“I am committed to ensuring our region is a driving force for clean growth that benefits all our residents, as set out in our Local Industrial Strategy, and to realise that ambition, we must continue to invest in innovation.”
The Quantum Technology Innovation Centre is forecast to generate £232 million of added economic value over 10 years and create 360 new jobs.
Image: Artist's representation of the Temple Quarter Enterprise Campus, from West of England Combined Authority
