IQN Hub benefits from major new government investment to accelerate UK quantum technologies

A significant package worth £2 billion in UK government funding was announced today (17 March 2026) to drive research and innovation in quantum technologies. The investment aims to propel the nation’s “quantum leap”, helping to tackle disease, create highly skilled jobs, and bolster national security in line with the UK’s National Quantum Strategy.

As part of the announcement, funding has been awarded to our Integrated Quantum Networks (IQN) Hub via EPSRC through a flexible funding mechanism, the “Quantum Technologies Hubs Accelerating Capability Fund”. This Fund provides additional financial support to help bring new partners into our core work programme with a view to advancing fundamental research with the potential for substantial impact; strengthening critical new testbed capabilities to enhance UK-wide access to facilities; and enabling early pathways to commercialisation of key technologies contributing to a sovereign UK quantum ecosystem.

Overall, the government investment will support delivery of the National Quantum Strategy Missions and – in the case of our IQN Hub – specifically the UK’s objective to deploy the world’s most advanced quantum network at scale by 2035, pioneering the future quantum internet.

As part of the Government announcement, Hub Director, Professor Gerald Buller commented:

“This exciting new support will ensure that the UK enhances its position as a leader in the development of quantum-secured communications and the future “quantum internet”. Today’s announcement will allow researchers in the EPSRC Integrated Quantum Networks Hub, together with our industry and governmental partners, to continue to lay the foundations for our future national security needs and supercharge the impact of new quantum computing and quantum sensing technologies.”

The announcement also outlines dedicated funding towards key quantum initiatives in quantum computing, fresh support for the Quantum Software Lab and an extra £13.8 million injected into the UK’s 5 National Quantum Research Hubs. More broadly, the announcement of a further £125m in dedicated funding for quantum networking, in addition to £90m to support quantum infrastructure and a further £20m towards skills and training programmes represents a major boost to investment in the UK’s quantum communications and networking ecosystem.

Through the partnership of the IQN Hub and our collaborators in industry, research and government, this funding will help to grow the UK talent pipeline, encourage the next wave of leading UK businesses, and secure long-term UK leadership in quantum technologies.

More information about the funding can be found here.

Information on how to work with the IQN Hub can be found here.