Key Features
Organisations can apply for a share of up to £10 million, inclusive of VAT, to develop enabling components and systems for quantum network technologies.
Programme: Innovate UK
Award: Share of up to £10 million
Opens: 19th Jun 2023
Closes: 31st Jul 2023
This is a Small Business Research Initiative (SBRI) competition funded by Innovate UK.
The aim of this competition is to accelerate the development of enabling components and systems for quantum network technologies and to build UK leadership in the emerging global market.
Our communications networks are increasing in capacity and complexity as our economy becomes increasingly underpinned by data. Quantum network technologies will transform the way we secure, handle and process our information to meet these challenges, to build resilient communications and to make quantum computers scalable and usable.
In this competition you must:
Your project must use second generation quantum technologies which are defined as those involving the generation and coherent control of quantum states, resulting in phenomena such as superposition or entanglement. We consider technologies involving single photon generation and detection to be in scope.
This competition is not suitable for feasibility studies.
Innovate UK encourage projects that:
Contracts will be given to successful applicants.
You must demonstrate a credible and practical route to market, so your application must include a plan to commercialise your results.
Portfolio approach
Innovate UK want to fund a variety of projects across different technologies, organisations, themes and markets.
Your project can focus on one or more of the following:
Prototype development and evaluation
This can include prototyping, demonstrating, piloting, testing and validation of new or improved products, processes or services in environments representative of real-life operating conditions. The primary objective is to make further technical improvements on products, processes or services that are not substantially set.
Text update 16/06/2023: We have updated the ‘projects must’ section to include the location of where work is to be carried out and where the results must be exploited.
Your project
Projects must:
Applicant
To lead a project, you can:
This competition will not fund any procurement, commercial, business development or supply chain activity with any Russian or Belarusian entity as lead or subcontractor. This includes any goods or services originating from a Russian or Belarusian source.
If you have not requested approval or your application has not been approved by us, you will be made ineligible. Your application will then not be sent for assessment.
Contracts will be awarded to a single legal entity only. However, if you can justify subcontracting components of the work, you can engage specialists or advisers. This work will still be the responsibility of the main contractor.
Innovate UK will not fund projects that:
A total of up to £10 million, inclusive of VAT, is allocated to this competition.
The total funding available for the competition can change. The funders have the right to:
The contract is completed at the end of the competition, and the successful organisation is expected to pursue commercialisation of their solution.
Value Added Tax (VAT)
You must select whether you are VAT registered before entering your project costs.
VAT is the responsibility of the invoicing business. We will not provide any further advice and suggest you seek independent advice from HMRC.
VAT registered
If you select you are VAT registered, you must enter your project costs exclusive of VAT. As part of the application process VAT will be automatically calculated and added to your project cost total. Your total project costs inclusive of VAT must not exceed £2 million.
Not VAT registered
If you select you are not VAT registered, you must enter your project costs exclusive of VAT and no VAT will be added. You will not be able to increase total project costs to cover VAT later should you become VAT registered. Your total project costs must not exceed £2 million.
Research and development
Your application must have at least 50% of the contract value attributed directly and exclusively to R&D services, including solution exploration and design. R&D can also include prototyping and field-testing the product or service. This lets you incorporate the results of your exploration and design and demonstrate that you can produce in quantity to acceptable quality standards.
R&D does not include:
SBRI competitions involve procurement of R&D services at a fair market value and are not subject to subsidy control criteria that typically apply to grant funding.
Book an appointment to speak to one of our advisors to discuss your eligibility to apply for this Grant Funding opportunity.
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