Bristol has fast become a global leader in quantum innovation due to its strong links between academia, enterprise and industry. Over a third of the UK’s funded quantum startups have started in the region and one of the first quantum technology unicorns, PsiQuantum was founded by University of Bristol academics. Therefore, it was no surprise that other cities from around the world are turning to Bristol to replicate some of the initiatives that have made the city so successful in building the quantum industry.
During the visit, the delegates spanning government, incubators, investors and the startup ecosystem, heard from their Bristol contemporaries about our findings of creating new quantum programmes to improve the quantum talent pipeline, enabling and upskilling quantum researchers and engineers to develop quantum startups and designing facilities specifically to support the creation of new quantum hardware.
The session kicked off with a talk about the ecosystem by Director of QTIC, Mustafa Rampuri and was followed by a round table discussion with individuals from the University of Bristol, local quantum startups KETS, Phasecraft and Siloton, as well as investors from the Creator Fund and professionals from QTEC and Engine Shed. Key talking points involved the ways to upskill quantum experts with business training, providing quantum skills for non-technical people and the need for early-stage funding to enable individuals to create new quantum businesses.
Further talks from Québec Quantique outlined how the Canadian government has identified quantum as a technology of great importance to the future economy and the team from Québec discussed their plans to build upon their pre-existing world-class infrastructures in materials, optics-photonics, micro-electronics and artificial intelligence to make them accessible to the development and exploitation of quantum technologies.
Kimberley Brook, Programme Manager at QTEC said “It was a fantastic session and allowed us in Bristol to highlight some of our key findings from the past 5+ years of developing quantum industry. It was great to meet so many organisations who showed so much passion for the generation of new quantum technology companies and hopefully we can find ways to forge strategic mutually beneficial partnerships with Québec and their quantum ecosystem in the future.”