UCL, Google Begin Quantum Computing Partnership

University College London (UCL) is joining forces with Google to launch a £5.5 million ($7.2 million) Prosperity Partnership, which aims to harness the revolutionary power of quantum computers for applications in modeling and simulation.

The initiative, funded by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC), is a collaboration between the UCL Quantum Science and Technology Institute, Google Quantum AI Lab, and the University of Bristol Quantum Information Institute. It also includes U.K. startup companies GTN and PhaseCraft.

The partnership will study and develop quantum software for modeling and simulation, and its work will help develop the foundation of a quantum software industry in the U.K. Quantum simulation will help scientists understand and predict the behavior of materials and chemical reactions. The quantum mechanical effects in these systems make them very hard to accurately model using current supercomputers.

Scientists hope the new partnership will lead to the discovery of new materials, chemicals, and drugs, leading to the design of new products such as high-density batteries and more efficient solar panels. The partners will develop the algorithms, verification tools, and benchmarks needed to realize the power of quantum simulation.

The partnership will officially start in January and run for five years, bringing together world-class expertise in quantum algorithm development and the exploitation of software applications with cutting-edge developments in quantum processor hardware. The program will also contribute to the U.K. government’s goal of investing 2.4 percent of GDP into R&D within the next 10 years, with a long-term goal of 3 percent.