QTEC - Quantum Technologies From Lab Bench To Business

INNOVATIONS

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ELEVATOR PITCH

QTEC is a world-leading incubator for the commercialisation of quantum and quantum-inspired technologies. Set up in 2016 at the University of Bristol, England and backed by a grant from the UK’s Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC), QTEC is part of the £270 million government invested UK National Quantum Technologies Programme (NQTP) (uknqt.epsrc.ac.uk). Open to quantum scientists from all over the world QTEC offers a twelve-month fellowship that provides them with skills and support to start their own quantum-inspired start-up businesses. To date, QTEC has supported the creation of 17 new companies that have raised a total of £11.52 million in equity, contract and grant funding.

Jane Garrett, Deputy Director Enterprise at QTEC

Alexander Greenwood, 2018/19 QTEC Fellow

OUR STORY

Quantum technology is an emerging area of science, which promises technological advancement that will have a global impact. The NQTP has established 4 hubs in areas such as computing, sensing, cryptography, simulation, metrology and imaging to accelerate the translation of quantum technologies into the marketplace and bring ‘quantum’ into everyday lives.

QTEC was established to support the commercialisation of research coming from the national programme. As an example, the first four academics to join the QTEC programme in 2016, have all started successful quantum-based companies:

KETS Quantum (kets-quantum.com), developing the world’s first integrated quantum secured encryption technologies.
Based on quantum optics and glycan chemistry, FluoretiQ (fluoretiq.com) is developing technology to enable identification of harmful bacteria in minutes rather than days.
Using Quantum Optical Gas Sensors QLM Technology (qlmtec.com) is developing compact, high-sensitivity, low-power Tuneable Diode Lidar gas detection and imaging systems for the detection of low-concentration gas leak identification.
Raycal designed a unique correlated photon source for use in quantum photonic research, now being commercialised by an American optical equipment company.

Neciah Dorh, FluoretiQ accepting his People’s Choice Award at Launch GW 2019

QTEC executive team and alumni

All Bristol-based companies; FluoretiQ and QLM Technology are based in the highly successful Unit DX incubator (unitdx.com) and KETS-Quantum at the emerging Quantum Technology Innovation Centre (QTIC) at the University of Bristol.

Following on from its highly successful first year, QTEC has created 13 other businesses, including SeeQC who recently closed a large investment round with overseas investors and is developing a full-stack quantum computing service, with a software stack and core applications served through a quantum cloud infrastructure.

Now recruiting for its fourth programme, starting in November 2019, QTEC is committed to providing the resources for scientists to commercialise quantum-science, to help the UK government build a quantum industry and assist the development of the deep-science entrepreneurial eco-system that is developing around Bristol, UK.