Key Takeaways
- Digital Catapult and the National Quantum Computing Centre (NQCC) have launched the third cohort of the Quantum Technology Access Programme (QTAP), pairing 11 UK organisations with quantum resources.
- The cohort spans financial services, healthcare, defence, transport, logistics, and infrastructure, reflecting the UK’s Modern Industrial Strategy priority sectors.
- NatWest and CTA Fintech Solutions will test quantum solutions for fraud detection and legacy‑to‑cloud transaction optimisation.
- Health Innovation North West Coast will explore quantum‑enhanced modelling for thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP), a rare blood disorder.
- Other participants will apply quantum machine learning and combinatorial optimisation to rail signalling, aerospace health monitoring, chemical screening, semiconductor process control, resource allocation, building design, and housing retrofit risk prediction.
- Participants receive guided experimentation, access to ORCA Computing’s PT‑2 quantum computer, and expertise in two use‑case streams: combinatorial optimisation and quantum machine learning.
- The programme runs until February 2027, aiming to move quantum concepts from theory to commercial reality while building sovereign UK capability.
- Leadership from Digital Catapult and NQCC stress the importance of real‑world use cases, cross‑sector collaboration, and evidence‑based adoption.
- Previous cohorts included Vodafone, Airbus, Rolls‑Royce, the Port of Dover, and the UK Atomic Energy Authority, establishing a track record of industry‑quantum partnerships.
- Interested readers can follow progress via the Digital Catapult newsletter for updates on outcomes and future opportunities.
Overview of the Quantum Technology Access Programme
Digital Catapult, in partnership with the National Quantum Computing Centre’s (NQCC) SparQ initiative, has announced the third cohort of its Quantum Technology Access Programme (QTAP). The programme is designed to accelerate the practical application of quantum innovation across UK industry by providing selected organisations with guided experimentation, expert mentorship, and direct access to quantum hardware. By linking quantum specialists with experienced technologists and business leaders, QTAP seeks to demystify quantum technologies and translate deep‑tech advances into commercial solutions that support economic growth and the UK’s sovereign capability.
Financial Services Focus
Two financial‑services firms headline the cohort’s exploration of quantum‑driven risk and efficiency improvements. NatWest, a major UK banking group, will investigate how quantum algorithms can enhance fraud and money‑laundering detection across vast transaction networks, aiming to uncover patterns invisible to classical analytics. CTA Fintech Solutions, a specialist in real‑time data infrastructure, will examine cross‑system optimisation of legacy‑to‑cloud financial and industrial transaction flows, targeting reduced latency, lower operational costs, and heightened resilience within highly regulated environments. These use cases underscore the sector’s growing appetite for quantum innovation as a tool for safeguarding integrity and boosting performance.
Healthcare Application: TTP Modelling
Health Innovation North West Coast, the innovation arm of the NHS representing the North West Coast region, will pilot quantum computing to improve diagnostic modelling, treatment pathways, and outcome forecasting for thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP). TTP is a rare, life‑threatening blood disorder that demands rapid, precise intervention. By leveraging quantum machine learning on ORCA Computing’s PT‑2 system, the organisation hopes to develop predictive models that enable earlier detection, personalised therapy selection, and better prognostication, ultimately improving patient outcomes and reducing mortality associated with this medical emergency.
Defence, Transport, Logistics and Infrastructure Trials
The remaining participants address a breadth of industrial challenges. The Rail Safety and Standards Board (RSSB) will apply quantum machine learning to refine classification models for how trains approach signals, aiming to boost safety and efficiency. Bandarlog.dev plans to use quantum‑enhanced anomaly detection for early fault identification in aerospace and transport assets, extending its existing health‑monitoring platform. Archborn will tackle combinatorial optimisation for resource allocation and routing in defence and industrial networks with time‑varying demand and risk. Build Insite intends to explore quantum optimisation for whole‑building performance analysis, evaluating complex design trade‑offs across large solution spaces. PontePatros will assess whether quantum machine learning can improve early prediction of retrofit failure and damp/mould recurrence in social housing using sparse sensor data. Additional deep‑tech firms—TCS‑i (logistics optimisation), Dundi Corp (quantum‑sensor latency reduction), and Pixon Chemie (molecular property screening)—round out the cohort’s diverse portfolio of quantum‑enabled experiments.
Programme Structure and Guidance
QTAP provides a structured pathway from concept to validation. Participants receive access to ORCA Computing’s PT‑2 quantum computer, a photonic‑based system suited for combinatorial optimisation and machine‑learning tasks. The programme centres on two high‑impact use‑case streams: (1) combinatorial optimisation, targeting problems such as logistics routing, resource allocation, and scheduling; and (2) quantum machine learning, focused on next‑generation data analysis, pattern discovery, and predictive modelling. Throughout the roughly three‑year duration (running until February 2027), expert advisors from Digital Catapult and NQCC guide teams through hypothesis formulation, algorithm development, hardware experimentation, and result interpretation, ensuring that insights are both scientifically rigorous and commercially relevant.
Statements from Leadership
Paul Ceely, Director of Technology Strategy at Digital Catapult, emphasised that quantum computing has moved beyond theory to demonstrable industrial value, asserting that maintaining the UK’s world‑leading sovereign quantum capability depends on proving real‑world business cases. He highlighted QTAP’s role in bridging quantum experts, technologists, and industry leaders to drive commercial success. Dr Simon Plant, Deputy Director for Innovation at NQCC, echoed this sentiment, noting that the SparQ programme helps organisations transition from curiosity to practical exploration, building the expertise, evidence, and partnerships essential for responsible quantum adoption and the strengthening of the UK’s quantum ecosystem.
Previous Participants and Programme Evolution
Earlier QTAP cohorts featured prominent names such as Vodafone, Airbus, Rolls‑Royce, the Port of Dover, and the UK Atomic Energy Authority, establishing a track record of cross‑sector quantum experimentation. The third iteration builds on this foundation by expanding the industrial scope to include financial services and healthcare, while deepening the technical support offered through NQCC’s growing national quantum testbeds and ORCA Computing’s hardware. The programme’s maturity reflects the UK’s strategic commitment to nurturing a vibrant quantum‑ready industry base.
Collaboration with NQCC, SparQ, and ORCA Computing
The collaboration between Digital Catapult and NQCC’s SparQ initiative ensures that participants benefit from both national quantum infrastructure and specialised innovation expertise. ORCA Computing’s PT‑2 system provides a accessible, low‑latency photonic quantum platform ideal for the optimisation and machine‑learning workloads under investigation. This tripartite partnership enables deep‑tech companies to scale their solutions across the UK economy, fostering new commercial pathways and reinforcing the UK’s position as a hub for quantum innovation.
Staying Informed and Looking Ahead
Interested stakeholders can follow the cohort’s progress, insights, and upcoming events by subscribing to the Digital Catapult newsletter via the provided link. As the programme advances toward its February 2027 conclusion, the outcomes of these 11 projects are expected to illuminate tangible quantum advantages, inform future investment decisions, and pave the way for broader adoption of quantum technologies throughout UK industry. The initiative exemplifies how targeted, industry‑led experimentation can transform frontier science into practical, economic value.