Oxford Instruments Partners with Consortium to Speed Quantum Computing

Oxford Instruments NanoScience announced that it will partner with a £10 million consortium to accelerate the commercialization of quantum computing in the United Kingdom, led by Rigetti Computing. The three-year program aims to build and operate the first quantum computer in the U.K., to make it available over the cloud, and to pursue practical applications in machine learning, materials simulation, and finance. The consortium includes the University of Edinburgh, quantum software startup Phasecraft, and Standard Chartered Bank.

Rigetti will be building the superconducting quantum computer in a Proteox dilution refrigerator provided by Oxford Instruments. The University of Edinburgh will develop new ways of testing quantum hardware and verifying the performance of quantum programs, and will work with Standard Chartered Bank to advance machine learning applications for finance. Phasecraft will work to harness the hardware for near-term applications in materials design, energy, and pharmaceuticals.

The consortium is backed by a £10 million government and industry investment, including funding from the Quantum Technologies Challenge, led by UK Research & Innovation.