The UK and Germany plan to integrate their science sectors to accelerate the commercialisation of quantum supercomputing technology.
Announced on the final day of the German president’s state visit, these joint commitments target the gap between R&D and enterprise application in computing, sensing, and timing. The partnership involves specific funding to fast-track product development and establish shared operating standards.
Quantum technology currently sits on the horizon for most roadmaps, yet economic modelling suggests a contribution of £11 billion to UK GDP by 2045, supporting over 100,000 jobs.
To catalyse this, a £6 million joint R&D funding call launches in early 2026, with Innovate UK and VDI contributing £3 million each. This capital aims to help businesses bring new products to market rather than funding purely academic study.
Supply chain maturity remains a hurdle. An £8 million investment in the Fraunhofer Centre for Applied Photonics in Glasgow addresses this by bolstering the development of applied photonics; a necessary component for commercial quantum sensing.
Addressing hurdles in the UK, Germany, and beyond to commercialise quantum supercomputing
Regulatory fragmentation often stalls adoption. A new Memorandum of Understanding between the UK’s National Physical Laboratory (NPL) and Germany’s Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt (PTB) aims to harmonise measurement standards. This agreement complements the NMI-Q initiative, a global effort to develop shared norms.
UK Science Minister Lord Vallance said: “Quantum technology will revolutionise fields such as cybersecurity, drug discovery, medical imaging, and much more. International collaboration is crucial to unlocking these benefits.”
In practical terms, these advances allow pharmaceutical firms to identify new medicines faster. Similarly, next-generation sensors promise medical scanners that are more affordable, portable, and accurate than current iterations.
The partnership also extends to high-performance computing (HPC). The UK’s National Supercomputing Centre at the University of Edinburgh was selected by the EuroHPC Joint Undertaking to host the UK’s AI Factory Antenna, partnering with the HammerHAI AI Factory in Stuttgart.
To support HPC integration prior to the commercialisation of quantum supercomputing technology, the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) is allocating up to £3.9 million to match fund UK participation in three open EuroHPC calls. This funding assists teams developing exascale and AI-ready software.
In the aerospace sector, the two nations recently committed joint funding of over €6 billion to the European Space Agency. This includes €1 billion for launch programmes and €10 million for Rocket Factory Augsburg, which plans to launch from Scotland in 2026.
German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier concluded his visit at Siemens Healthineers in Oxford. The site produces superconducting magnets for MRI scanners, an existing example of how bilateral science ties support high-skilled manufacturing and health outcomes.
As this bilateral cooperation deepens, the integrated approach between the UK and Germany toward supercomputing and quantum infrastructure aims to offer enterprises a powerful foundation for scaling high-performance workloads across Europe.
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