UK's "Quantum leap" to help beat disease, deliver high-paid jobs and strengthen national security as first country in the world to roll out Quantum computers at scale

The United Kingdom announced up to 2 billion pounds in government support to position the country as a leader in quantum technology. The investment covers skills development, research, and procurement programs. The UK plans to become the first country to commit to building and deploying large-scale quantum computers on its shores by the early 2030s. The effort forms part of a single program that combines research and development, manufacturing, software, hardware, and procurement. Technology Secretary Liz Kendall said the move is intended to deliver high-paid jobs, cutting-edge public services, and innovations that change lives. The new procurement initiative, called ProQure: Scaling UK Quantum Computing, will launch next week and invite companies to submit proposals for state-of-the-art prototypes. The announcement adds to more than 1 billion pounds already committed since 2014 through the National Quantum Technologies programme. Additional funding includes over 500 million pounds for quantum computing, 400 million pounds for sensing and navigation, and 125 million pounds for quantum networking. The government also said it will launch up to 100 fully funded internships through the TechFirst programme. Several companies announced related technical milestones and investment commitments in the UK on the same day.