(HeraldScotland) The universities of Edinburgh, Glasgow and Strathclyde have collaborated to form a new national centre that brings together internationally-recognised experts in hardware, software and application development for quantum computing – a sector predicted to be worth $65 billion by 2030.
The new Scottish Centre for Innovation in Quantum Computing and Simulation has received funding from the Scottish Government to explore inward investment opportunities.
Scottish universities are major beneficiaries of the UK government’s £1 billion UK National Quantum Technologies Programme, a 10-year drive to put the UK at the forefront of quantum technology research and commercialisation.
Edinburgh University already hosts the UK’s £79m national supercomputer and is one of the partners in a £10m project to develop the UK’s first commercial quantum computer.
Strathclyde University’s quantum computing research includes a £10m industry-led project addressing technology barriers to scaling quantum hardware. And Glasgow University’s projects include being part of a £7m UK consortium aimed at commercialising quantum technologies.
The Scottish Government funding will finance a feasibility study into inward investment opportunities in quantum computing. These might include partnerships with major technology companies, institutions or countries who already have their own quantum computing programmes.
Ivan McKee, Scottish trade, investment and innovation minister, said: “This joint project between the universities of Edinburgh, Glasgow and Strathclyde seeks to position Scotland as the go-to location for quantum computing and has the potential to attract significant international research funding and create jobs.