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\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\tTuesday 02 June 2026 4:31 am
\n\t\t\t\t\t\u00a0|\u00a0\u00a0Updated:\u00a0<\/p>\n
\t\t\tMonday 01 June 2026 5:24 pm\n\t<\/p>\n
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Britain\u2019s next tech titan could be a quantum company. That\u2019s not a sentence I\u2019d have said five years ago, writes Carolyn Dawson<\/p>\n
Britain is sitting on a quantum goldmine<\/p>\n
I spend a lot of time in rooms where we talk about tech\u2019s impact. And the progress in quantum is something we should pay much more attention to.<\/p>\n
The last decade has seen the UK build a cluster of world-leading quantum companies. The London and Oxbridge corridor of excellence hasn\u2019t just produced brilliant science \u2013 we\u2019re now seeing it translate into serious commercial momentum. Quantum Motion\u2019s recent $160m raise<\/a>, one of the largest ever secured by a European quantum startup, is a milestone worth noting. This is a moment in quantum that we\u2019ll look back on as transformative, just as AI has been, as businesses race from research into scale and implementation phase.<\/p>\n While this is a time for great potential opportunity, we\u2019ve also got to be clear about what needs fixing. Three quarters of founders have told us they\u2019ve considered moving their headquarters out of the UK because scaling here is too hard. Quantum startups and scaling firms need access to talent, political stability and an investment environment that doesn\u2019t penalise ambition.\u00a0<\/p>\n Governments also need to do more than announce procurement programmes for emerging technologies. They need to become serious, sustained customers for European technology across the board. In the UK, the government is the single biggest buyer in the economy. If it committed to procuring AI and deep tech from British companies at scale, that would do more for the sector than any fund or tax incentive. The same logic applies across Europe.<\/p>\n What I believe will see the UK be successful through this period of quantum acceleration<\/a> is our ability to combine world-class science, world-class founders and the right regulatory environment to act as a petri dish for quantum innovation. From where I\u2019m sitting, Britain\u2019s next tech titan could very well be a quantum company \u2013 and that\u2019s not a sentence I\u2019d have said five years ago.\u00a0<\/p>\n The UK is firmly at the centre of Europe\u2019s AI growth<\/p>\n While quantum is fast emerging, the UK is currently firmly at the centre of Europe\u2019s AI growth.<\/p>\n The forthcoming Tech Nation Report 2026 shows our AI sector expanding three times faster than France\u2019s and twice as fast as Germany\u2019s. We see record investment and a growing AI workforce. The European ecosystem is vibrant and the UK is leading the region.\u00a0<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\tRead more<\/p>\n \t\t\tQuantum Motion Raises $160 Million Series C to Deliver Quantum Computing\u2019s \u201cTransistor Moment\u201d<\/a><\/p>\n What strikes me is that this picture is reflected across Europe. Data released today by London Tech Week, in partnership with Omdia, shows European IT spending on track to hit $1.3 trillion in 2026 \u2013 accelerating at its fastest rate in five years. AI adoption is driving growth. Businesses are moving from experimenting with AI to actually deploying it. This is a fundamental shift.<\/p>\n As a continent, Europe has barrels of ambition. Now we need to convert that ambition into scale \u2013 and do that consistently. As the EU\u2019s Tech Sovereignty package takes shape, the thing I\u2019d caution against is the belief that policy alone gets you there. Founders, investors, corporates, governments and the infrastructure underpinning it all need to move in the same direction. That\u2019s the only way we\u2019ll retain our position at the forefront of the next wave.\u00a0<\/p>\n Backing founders<\/p>\n Last week in Manchester, Tech Nation held the first edition of its NextWave competition, giving early-stage founders access to investment, expertise and networks. What stood out was not just the quality of the companies, but where they came from: 80 per cent of finalists were from outside London, and seven secured investment on the day. It\u2019s thrilling to see founders, regardless of where they are in the UK, given a spotlight, access and backing.<\/p>\n Wonder at London Tech Week<\/p>\n