A raft of funding amounting to £2 billion aims to make the UK the first country to commit to making and deploying quantum computers at scale by the early 2030s.

As part of the Modern Industrial Strategy, the UK government has launched a programme to ensure the country stays at the forefront of quantum innovation.

Quantum is technology’s next great generational leap and will rival AI as the defining technology of the future, the UK government claims.

While a traditional computer solves problems using a one-by one approach, a Quantum system explores thousands of potential answers at once -slashing the time it takes to reach a solution.

“I am determined this country grasps the benefits will Quantum computing will bring. It is only by keeping pace with technological progress that we can deliver the high-paid jobs, cutting-edge public services, and innovations which change lives,” technology secretar Liz Kendall said.

“Today’s announcements are an investment in our future - unlocking better health, wealth, and more opportunities for communities across the country.

“This government is ushering in a Quantum leap – making the choice today to back UK scientists, companies, and innovators so we can deliver a future that works for all.”

This procurement programme, ”ProQure:Scaling UK Quantum Computing” will launch next week, where companies will be invited to table proposals to partner with us to deliver state of the art prototypes for evaluation.

Prototypes will then be assessed, with the most promising companies invited to deliver larger scale machines for use by scientists, researchers, the public sector, and businesses.

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This will also accelerate growth of the UK’s quantum industry-supporting homegrown firms as they scale-up and grow while building an environment which encourages private backers from around the world to pour money into the sector, capturing everything from hardware, processors and manufacturing through to sustained investment in UK supply chains.

Estimates show Quantum could boost productivity by 7% in the next 2 decades, creating more than 100,000 jobs in the process, equating to £212 billion worth of economic impact.

The technology is already being put to work across the country, with Q-BIOMED researchers at the University College London exploring wearable brain scanners to support people suffering from epilepsy.

The government’s flagship TechFirst programme will launch new partnerships with companies in the sector – offering up to 100 fully funded internships. This will give people the tools they need to embark on future, high-paying careers in the field.