Quantum Computing Applications for Large Scale Impact: CR&D

Innovate UK, part of UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), has launched a £13 million funding competition to accelerate the development and implementation of quantum computing software with the potential to solve significant industrial, economic, public sector and societal challenges.

The competition is particularly interested in applications where quantum computing could offer a meaningful advantage over existing classical approaches. Successful projects will be expected to move beyond theoretical development by implementing, benchmarking and validating their applications on near-term quantum computing systems, including cloud-based platforms where appropriate.

Projects must also demonstrate a credible pathway towards commercialisation, adoption and exploitation within the UK.

What Projects Should Focus On

Projects must develop quantum computing software as their main output and address a clearly identified industrial or public sector problem.

Applications must demonstrate an understanding of the full quantum computing stack and show how the proposed software could provide advantages over classical approaches, either now or as near-term quantum systems develop.

Projects are particularly encouraged in the following areas:

Healthcare and drug discovery
Finance
Optimisation for transport and infrastructure
Design and simulation of new materials
Quantum machine learning

Innovate UK also highlights wider national priorities including energy systems, infrastructure, transport, financial services, healthcare, climate resilience, security and productivity.

Who Can Apply?

The competition is designed for collaborative projects.

A project must be led by a UK-registered business of any size. Academic institutions cannot lead.

The project team can include UK-registered:

Businesses of any size
Academic institutions
Charities
Not-for-profit organisations
Public sector organisations
Research and Technology Organisations (RTOs)

The lead organisation and at least one other organisation must claim funding. No single grant-claiming organisation can account for more than 70% of total eligible project costs, and an individual organisation cannot request more than £1 million per project.

Project Requirements

Projects must:

Request between £300,000 and £4 million in grant funding
Run for 24 to 36 months
Start by 1 January 2027
End by 31 December 2029
Carry out the majority of project activities in the UK
Intend to exploit the project results from or within the UK

Projects must involve meaningful engagement with end users, industry or the public sector to establish requirements and assess the potential utility, commercial value and broader impact of the proposed quantum application.

Funding Available

Up to £13 million has been allocated across the competition.

For industrial research, businesses can receive funding towards eligible project costs at the following rates:

Micro and small organisations: up to 70%
Medium-sized organisations: up to 60%
Large organisations: up to 50%

Research organisations undertaking non-economic activity can collectively account for up to 30% of total eligible project costs, subject to the competition's funding rules.

Key Dates and Funding

Competition opens: 4 August 2026

Competition closes: 24 September 2026

How Inventya Can Help

Quantum computing applications can be technically complex, but a strong funding application must also make a convincing case for commercial value, market need, adoption and UK impact.

Inventya can support applicants throughout the development of their proposal, helping turn complex technical ideas into a clear and compelling funding case. Our support can include:

Eligibility and scope assessment: reviewing your project against the competition requirements and identifying potential gaps before significant time is invested in the application.
Consortium and partner strategy: helping define the right mix of technical, commercial, research and end-user partners and ensuring each organisation has a clear role.
Application development: structuring and strengthening responses so that the technical innovation, quantum advantage, project plan and expected outcomes are clearly communicated.
Commercialisation and market strategy: developing the evidence around market opportunity, customer need, routes to adoption and future exploitation.
Impact and value proposition: demonstrating why the project matters commercially and strategically, including its potential contribution to UK capability, productivity and wider societal benefits.
Project planning and finances: supporting the development of credible work packages, milestones, risks, resources and project costs that align with the proposed innovation.

For this competition in particular, Inventya can help applicants connect the technical case for quantum computing with the commercial case for investment, ensuring the proposal explains not only what the technology can do, but why it is needed, who will use it and how it can progress towards adoption and scale in the UK.

Quantum Computing Applications for Large Scale Impact: CR&D

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