Contracts for Innovation: Enabling Commercial Quantum Networking

Key Features

Organisations can apply for a share of £20 million, inclusive of VAT, to develop a deployable prototype of an enabling component or sub-system for commercial quantum networking.

Programme:     Innovate UK

Award:     Share of up to £20 million

Opens: 14th Apr 2026

Closes: 20th May 2026

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Grant Overview

Innovate UK will invest up to £20 million from the UKRI in this Contracts for Innovation competition.

Grant Scope

The aim of this competition is to accelerate the development of enabling components and sub-systems for quantum networks. This is a single-phase competition. Projects must focus on one or more of the following specific themes:

  • enabling long-distance quantum networking, including hybrid quantum, classical communications
  • networking of quantum computers
  • networking of quantum sensors, including for time transfer
  • techniques for securing data in storage and in flight

Eligibility Criteria

When applying for funding, your project must have total costs of between £1.5 million and £3 million. Projects must start by 1st September 2026 and end by 28th February 2027 and last up to 18 months.

Lead: To lead a project, organisations must be a UK organisation of any size or be a business based in the EU, EEA or Internationally. Work alone or with subcontractors and expertise of others from business, research organisations, research and technology organisations or third-party sectors. Contracts will be awarded to single legal entities only with, the majority of the project work being completed by the applicant. Subcontractors can only be used for specialist skills.

Grant Exclusions

The following projects cannot be funded:

  • Projects that are not originally in scope and duplicates someone else’s work
  • Projects that do not use second generation quantum technologies
  • Projects not covered by existing commercial agreements to deliver the product or service
  • Projects that do not generate industrially relevant, deployable prototypes
  • Projects that do not generate system-level designs or roadmaps

Grant Funding

Innovate UK are funding up to £20 million for innovation projects. Funding will be in the form of a contract.

VAT

You must select whether you are VAT registered before entering your eligible project costs. VAT is the responsibility of the invoicing business.

VAT Registered

If you have selected you are VAT registered, eligible project costs must be entered exclusive of VAT and no VAT will be added. Project costs cannot be increased later. Total project costs can not exceed £3 million.

Research & Development

Applications must have at least 50% of the contract value allocated exclusively to R&D services. R&D does not include the following:

  • commercial development activities such as quantity production
  • supply to establish commercial viability or to recover R&D costs
  • integration, customisation or incremental adaptations and improvements to existing products or processes

For further information on this competition, please see full details

Full competition details

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Book an appointment to speak to one of our advisors to discuss your eligibility to apply for this Grant Funding opportunity.