The UK and Germany plan to work even more closely together to unlock the vast potential of quantum technology. This was part of a suite of joint science and tech announcements made on the final day, today, of the German President’s State Visit to the UK.
Quantum is a technology with huge commercial potential. By 2045 it could contribute £11 billion to UK GDP and over 100,000 jobs in the UK alone.
Quantum computers could help discover new medicines in a fraction of the time it takes today, while quantum sensors could be used in new medical scanners that are more affordable, portable and accurate than those used currently.
The UK and Germany are the closest of strategic partners, and the UK is already Germany’s biggest research partner in Europe. The announcements included £6 million of joint funding for quantum R&D, £8 million investment in Fraunhofer UK’s world-leading applied photonics centre in Glasgow, and a new agreement on quantum research standards.
“Quantum technology will revolutionise fields such as cybersecurity, drug discovery, medical imaging, and much more. International collaboration is crucial to unlocking these benefits,” said UK Science Minister Lord Vallance.
Also, the UK’s National Physical Laboratory (NPL) and Germany’s Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt (PTB) sign a memorandum of understanding, which complements the NMI-Q initiative — a global effort to develop shared quantum standards
All of this builds on recent progress to broaden and deepen the UK-Germany relationship on science and tech still further.
Just last week, UK Minister for Space Baroness Lloyd concluded European Space Agency budget negotiations, where the UK and Germany jointly funded over €6 billion of activity, of a total ESA budget of over €22 billion.
This included €1 billion joint funding for launch programmes, and a €192 million shared commitment to the VIGIL severe space weather mission, as well as other UK-Germany investments in programmes driving growth and security.
Elsewhere, both countries are investing in space launch capabilities, including €10 million for German company Rocket Factory Augsburg planning launches from Scotland in 2026.
