Insider Brief
- Britain’s £30 million quantum computing testbed program helped seven suppliers deploy prototype systems across five computing approaches, gaining experience in installation, operation and customer support.
- The initiative supported hardware development, new supplier partnerships and expanded UK operations, with collaborative projects securing £4.6 million in follow-on funding.
- Six testbeds entered independent technical evaluation, with the main testing program due to conclude in the second quarter of 2027 to assess performance and explore potential applications.
Britain’s £30 million quantum computing testbed program helped seven hardware suppliers develop systems for use outside their own laboratories, offering lessons in installation, reliability and customer support as the country begins a broader evaluation of the machines, according to a new report.
The National Quantum Computing Centre’s Phase 1 report, released recently, identifies its role as an early customer as a central benefit of the initiative. Suppliers received funding and technical support, but also faced the practical demands of delivering working equipment, documenting its operation and preparing it for outside scrutiny.
The program established seven prototype systems across five approaches to quantum computing at the Harwell Campus in Oxfordshire. Its next phase, conducted with the University of Edinburgh’s Quantum Software Lab, is evaluating performance and exploring which systems may suit particular computational problems.
“The delivery of the seven testbeds represents a significant milestone for quantum computing in the UK, which has been enabled through considerable effort of the project teams alongside dedicated project oversight and facilities provision by the NQCC,” Michael Cuthbert, director of NQCC writes.
The report provides an account of hardware deployment and supplier experience, with independent performance evaluation still underway. Six testbeds had been accepted into the technical evaluation phase, while one remained in pre-evaluation status.
Learning to Deliver
For many participants, the initiative provided their first experience of supplying a fully operational system to a remote customer site, according to the report.
That required work beyond improving individual quantum components. Suppliers had to integrate hardware and software, establish installation procedures and build systems that outside users could operate.
Quantum Motion, which delivered its QM One silicon-spin system, said the project moved its development effort from individual components toward engineering a complete computer. Preparing the machine for external users also drove the development of software for running quantum circuits.
Aegiq also described the NQCC as the first customer for its photonic quantum computing technology. Its Artemis system was designed for installation in standard data-centre racks, providing experience in manufacturing, delivery, testing and acceptance.
The NQCC said its customer role combined technical challenge with support for resolving problems. Suppliers could demonstrate their equipment to prospective buyers, while subsequent independent validation could strengthen those discussions.
An independent University of Cambridge pilot study, summarized in the report, found that suppliers valued this arrangement. With no established commercial market for quantum computers, the program offered an opportunity to deploy systems in a customer-like setting while continuing technical development.
Seven Systems, Five Approaches
The program awarded contracts to Aegiq, Infleqtion, ORCA Computing, Oxford Ionics, Quantum Motion, QuEra and Rigetti. Their systems span photonics, neutral atoms, trapped ions, silicon-spin qubits and superconducting circuits.
That range gives the NQCC an opportunity to investigate different engineering approaches and their suitability for particular tasks. It also gives a real-world look at the complexity of implementing quantum solutions.
Six suppliers installed their systems in NQCC-operated facilities. QuEra established its own facility on the same campus, using development work in Boston to support a more advanced neutral-atom testbed in Britain.
The projects also supported work on technologies needed for larger, more reliable quantum computers. Rigetti reported upgrading its testbed from 24 to 36 qubits and integrating Riverlane’s Deltaflow system for real-time quantum error-correction experiments.
The report identifies wider benefits, including new supplier relationships, expanded UK operations and follow-on research. Several providers secured Quantum Mission Pilot grants, with collaborative projects receiving a total of £4.6 million in follow-on funding.
However, the NQCC said it remains too early to assess the program’s full impact. Much of the evidence presented concerns delivery milestones and feedback from participating companies.
The Cambridge study also identified continuing obstacles. Some suppliers reported difficulty accessing supporting technologies and services, including packaging, electronics testing and cloud provision.
Performance Tests Still Ahead
Delivery took longer than originally targeted for some projects.
The program only partially met its goal of having two-thirds of testbeds delivered and functional against target performance criteria by March 31, 2025. Some contracts were extended, although all seven delivery contracts were completed during 2025, the report said. The initiative exceeded its targets for hardware diversity and retention into the second phase, with five computing approaches represented and six systems accepted for evaluation.
The main Phase 2 program is due to conclude in the second quarter of 2027. Researchers are developing testing frameworks, checking system specifications, examining errors and running algorithms to explore potential applications.
The program has also helped unify the UK’s efforts to strengthen the quantum ecosystem by pulling together the diverse technologies, industries and workers that make up the community.
“Thanks to the delivery of operational testbeds integrated into NQCC facilities, Phase 2 is already well underway — with the important preparatory work to design the test regimes in train before the end of the first phase — to establish a performance evaluation framework. The main programme of work on Phase 2 is
due to complete in Q2 2027,” writes Simon Plant, NQCC Deputy Director for Innovation and QCTI Programme Sponsor. “What is striking to me is the shared sense of endeavour this programme has engendered. Not only is it a story of technology development, it is also one of investment, job creation and growth, helping to seed a core capability in quantum computing for the UK.”
More applied projects will investigate simulation, optimisation and machine learning, initially including simplified problems that help researchers understand each architecture’s capabilities.
The aim is to identify credible paths toward verifiable quantum advantage—demonstrating that a quantum computer can outperform classical approaches on a defined task.
“While it is still early to assess the broader impacts of the programme, the delivery of the testbeds has already generated positive effects for the UK’s quantum ecosystem,” Cuthbert writes. “It has provided direct support to UKbased quantum computing providers, enabling them to advance their technology roadmaps.”
You can read the entire report here.