Dr Sebastian Weidt, CEO and Co-Founder of Universal Quantum, shares insights on the UK’s promising quantum future

Quantum computing is expected to be one of the defining technologies of the 21st century. It promises to transform everything from pharmaceuticals to finance, energy to logistics, defence to climate modelling. The UK remains well-positioned, with a research base, entrepreneurial talent, and early industrial leadership, to be a global contender in this space.

However, across the UK’s deep-tech landscape, a pattern is emerging: promising early-stage companies and platforms are being acquired or absorbed by overseas players before they can scale domestically.

These are not isolated transactions. They reflect a larger challenge: the UK has excelled in research and start-up creation, but not always in building long-term, sovereign-capable industrial platforms.

Without decisive action, we risk losing more than market share – we risk losing strategic sovereignty. Quantum computing matters for sovereignty more than most emerging technologies because it is a general-purpose capability, expected to underpin breakthroughs across various sectors, including national security, drug development, and energy systems. If the UK does not develop and deploy these capabilities at home, we will become dependent consumers of others’ machines and technologies rather than creators of them.

Currently, the UK lacks a coherent strategy for how quantum computing will be built, scaled, and deployed. As quantum moves from lab experiments to real-world deployment, we must confront the question: will the UK retain sovereign capability over the most consequential technology of our time, or will we continue our historic pattern of developing breakthrough technologies, only to see them scaled and owned elsewhere?

Five steps to anchor quantum sovereignty

To change course, the UK must adopt a more deliberate, industrial approach to quantum – one rooted in long-term capability building rather than short-term experiments.

The following five actions would be a strong starting point:

1. Move faster on investment

Funding mechanisms in the UK remain cautious and slow, even where ambition is high. Public investment vehicles, such as the British Business Bank and the National Wealth Fund, have not yet adapted to the urgency and risk profile of frontier technologies like quantum.

By contrast, other countries are moving at pace, unlocking private capital by acting early and decisively. Enabling UK institutions to operate in this way wouldn’t just benefit quantum, it would send a wider signal: that the UK backs its most promising technologies with speed as well as substance.

2. Build infrastructure at home

Quantum computing should be treated as critical national infrastructure. Like roads, fibre networks or energy systems, it will underpin growth across multiple sectors, from defence and advanced manufacturing to finance, health and logistics.

That requires more than R&D investment. It means building the physical facilities to house and manufacture large-scale quantum systems here in the UK, securing supply chains, anchoring talent, and creating an export platform. The long-term value of this infrastructure will extend well beyond any individual company or use case.

3. Become a customer, not just a cheerleader

Other governments are not just funding research; they’re already buying and building systems. Germany has already procured quantum machines. The U.S. is coordinating multi-agency deployment through its National Quantum Initiative. China is embedding quantum across its industrial and defence planning.

The UK, by contrast, has yet to make significant domestic procurement commitments. Without customers, even the most promising firms struggle to scale. The government doesn’t need to fund everything, but by signalling serious intent, and investing in British-built systems, it can unlock private investment and set a clear national direction.

4. Put quantum on the defence agenda

Quantum technologies are highly relevant to the future of national defence, whether in secure communications, materials modelling, or navigation systems that don’t rely on GPS. Some exploratory work has already begun, but it remains piecemeal.

Integrating quantum into mainstream defence planning, for example, through a coordinated effort between DSIT, the MoD and others, would accelerate real-world adoption, strengthen NATO interoperability, and provide a domestic testbed for sovereign capability.

5. Back UK firms in global markets

British companies at the forefront of quantum often face the same question when negotiating international deals: Does the UK government support this?

Too often, the answer is vague or fragmented. A more joined-up approach between commercial diplomacy, trade policy and innovation strategy would significantly strengthen the UK’s position abroad.

Ensuring a quantum future: From early lead to lasting advantage

The global race to build scalable quantum systems is no longer theoretical; it is well underway. Other nations are not waiting to see what the UK does next. If we delay, we don’t just fall behind technologically; we begin to forfeit our ability to shape the future economy on our own terms.

The window to lead is still open, but it won’t remain so for long. In previous eras, Britain invested in shipyards, railways and energy systems not because they were headline-grabbing, but because they were foundational. A sovereign quantum capability should be seen in the same light: a long-term platform for resilience, growth and strategic autonomy. The UK must act now to retain control over the technologies that will shape its future.