July 2025

Quantum networking specialists Welinq join the Integrated Quantum Networks Hub

29 July, 2025

The UK’s Integrated Quantum Networks (IQN) Hub is delighted to announce today that it will be partnering with the quantum networking innovators Welinq. As part of the new partnership, Welinq will be welcomed into a £20m+ R&D initiative which connects academia, government and industry to advance new quantum networking and communications technologies. Joining a collaboration of 15 leading British Universities and National Laboratories, plus nearly 50 other companies from across the telecommunications, quantum technology, cybersecurity, digital services and space sectors, Welinq will contribute its world-leading expertise in quantum memories and networking solutions to the Hub’s research programme.

The new partnership will deepen collaboration between Welinq and the UK’s leading quantum networking researchers on building and demonstrating the technologies required to enable both scalable quantum computing and long-distance secure quantum communications. New fundamental developments in quantum memory technologies, optical quantum interconnects, and entanglement routing will be critical on the path to both fault-tolerant, distributed quantum computing – unlocking the monumental untapped power of quantum processing to solve problems classical supercomputers simply cannot – and the widespread implementation of a global quantum communications infrastructure, i.e. a new “quantum internet”.

The Integrated Quantum Networks Hub is one of five flagship quantum technology Hubs announced under the National Quantum Technologies Programme (NQTP), a £2.5 billion investment over the next 10 years aiming to position the UK as a world-leading quantum-enabled economy by 2035.

Prof. Gerald Buller, IQN Hub Director said “We are thrilled to welcome Welinq as a new partner in the Integrated Quantum Networks Hub. Working closely with pioneering industrial partners like Welinq is essential to support the growth of a robust quantum ecosystem and ensure that the Hub delivers on its ambitious research goals. Developing high-performance quantum memories and embedding them into quantum information networks at all scales, ranging from individual datacentres to international communication infrastructure, is a huge part of our mission. Welinq’s expertise in this area brings huge strengths to our programme and we are very excited to see what we can deliver together through this new partnership.”

Dr. Tom Darras, Welinq CEO said “We’re excited to join the IQN Hub and contribute to a strong European effort advancing quantum networking. Our world-record quantum networking products will support the development of quantum-augmented data centers and the scalable infrastructure needed for distributed quantum computing, and we’re proud to bring them to this outstanding community.”

About Welinq

Welinq is a Paris-based pioneering quantum networking company developing hardware and software solutions for scalable quantum computing. A spin-out from Sorbonne Université, CNRS, and PSL-University, Welinq was founded in 2022 by Tom Darras, Julien Laurat, and Eleni Diamanti. Learn more about Welinq at www.welinq.eu

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Colt joins the Integrated Quantum Networks Hub fold!

11 July, 2025

The UK’s Integrated Quantum Networks (IQN) Hub announces today that it will be partnering with Colt Technology Services (Colt), the global digital infrastructure company. The IQN Hub is a £20m+ R&D initiative which connects academia, government and industry to advance quantum-secure communications technologies. Joining a collaboration of 15 leading British Universities and National Laboratories, plus nearly 50 other companies from across the telecommunications, quantum technology, cybersecurity, digital services and space sectors, Colt will contribute its leading expertise in global digital infrastructure and connectivity services to the Hub’s research programme.

The new partnership will deepen collaboration between Colt and the UK’s leading quantum communications researchers on addressing the security and networking challenges posed by a post-quantum future. The fast-approaching realisation of a functional, fault-tolerant quantum computer will dramatically alter the global cybersecurity landscape, essentially rendering classical cryptographic security methods obsolete. This partnership will focus on building and demonstrating new and cutting-edge quantum-secure communications methods which can be deployed, at scale, throughout existing networks. This will support the ‘defence-in-depth’ strategy adopted by Colt as part of their journey towards providing fully quantum-safe data services across their global network.

The Integrated Quantum Networks Hub is one of five flagship quantum technology Hubs announced under the National Quantum Technologies Programme (NQTP), a £2.5 billion investment over the next 10 years aiming to position the UK as a world-leading quantum-enabled economy by 2035.

Prof. Gerald Buller, IQN Hub Director said “We are thrilled to welcome Colt as a new partner in the Integrated Quantum Networks Hub. Working closely with industry is essential if the Hub is to achieve its ambitious plans to establish a world-leading quantum network infrastructure here in the UK. Colt’s global infrastructure base, exceptional expertise in optical networks, and commitment to becoming an industry leader in quantum-secure communications all bring huge strengths to our programme. We are very excited to see what we can deliver together through this new partnership.”

Buddy Bayer, Chief Operating Officer, Colt Technology Services said, “Collaboration is critical for the UK is to fulfil its ambition of becoming a quantum-enabled economy in the near future. The IQN Hub is a launchpad for this goal, bringing together industry, government, and academia to share the talent, tools, and insights that will fast-track innovation and secure the UK’s position as a quantum leader on the global stage. We’re excited to be part of the IQN Hub and look forward to working together to accelerate progress”.

About Colt Technology Services

Colt Technology Services (Colt) is a global digital infrastructure company which creates extraordinary connections to help businesses succeed. Powered by amazing people and like-minded partners, Colt is driven by its purpose: to put the power of the digital universe in the hands of its customers, wherever, whenever and however they choose.

Since 1992, Colt has set itself apart through its deep commitment to its customers, growing from its heritage in the City of London to a global business spanning 40+ countries, with over 6,000 employees and more than 80 offices around the world. Colt’s customers benefit from expansive digital infrastructure connecting 32,000 buildings across 230 cities, more than 50 Metropolitan Area Networks and 275+ Points of Presence across Europe, Asia, the Middle East, Africa and North America’s largest business hubs.

Privately owned, Colt is one of the most financially sound companies in the sector. Obsessed with delivering industry-leading customer experience, Colt is guided by its dedication to customer innovation, by its values and its responsibility to its customers, partners, people and the planet.

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For more information, please visit www.colt.net

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NQCC Strategic Advisory Committee appointment for IQN Hub Director Buller

10 July, 2025

Congratulations to Heriot-Watt University’s Professor Gerald Buller, Director of the Integrated Quantum Networks Hub, on his recent appointment to the Strategic Advisory Committee (SAC) of the National Quantum Computing Centre (NQCC).

The NQCC is the UK’s National Laboratory dedicated to accelerating the development of quantum computers and helping to realise their immense potential to realise new advances in healthcare, energy, climate modelling and the development of new materials. Funded through UKRI via the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC), the NQCC works closely with academics, government representatives and industry to support the growth of this emerging sector and help make the UK the world’s first quantum-ready economy.

The Centre’s Strategic Advisory Committee will play a key role in realising this mission, helping shape the NQCC’s future direction and ensure its long-term success.

Professor Buller joins an esteemed panel of experts in this area, including the Committee Chair, fellow IQN investigator, Professor Ian Walmsley, recently confirmed as the lead of Oxford’s Quantum Institute; Dr Michael Cuthbert, Director of the NQCC; Mr Jonathan Legh-Smith, Executive Director for UKQuantum, a membership organisation representing the UK’s quantum industry; Professor Dominic O’Brien, Director of the national technology Hub in quantum computing (QCi3); Professor Julia Sutcliffe from the UK Government’s Department of Business and Trade; Mr Simon Andrews, Executive Director of Fraunhofer UK Reseach; and Dr Angeli Mőller from tech strategy and business innovation company Zühlke.

Professor Buller’s expertise in quantum communications and networking technology is reflected in his leadership of the £22M EPSRC-funded national Hub in integrated quantum networking technologies (IQN Hub), funding for which was announced last summer. The IQN Hub is a major UK-wide collaboration of 13 Universities, 2 national laboratories and over 50 industry partners. It is working to enable a secure quantum networking infrastructure at all distance scales, ranging from localised quantum computing networks through to satellite-based intercontinental communications all the way to establishment of a secure quantum “internet”.

Full details on the newly formed NQCC Strategic Advisory Committee can be found at Strategic Advisory Committee – NQCC