Oxford Ionics Delivers Quantum Computer At NQCC

This milestone advances the UK’s goal of becoming a global quantum leader and accelerating real-world applications of quantum technology.

The deployment, part of NQCC’s testbed programme and supported by Innovate UK, provides a state-of-the-art platform for research, industry collaboration, and application development. Sectors set to benefit include materials science, logistics, pharmaceuticals and national security.

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The installation marks a pivotal moment for Oxford Ionics. In the past year, the company achieved $20 million in commercial sales, partnered with high-profile firms like Airbus and Germany’s Cyberagentur and was acquired by Nasdaq-listed IonQ in a $1.1 billion deal. This rapid progress underscores the growing commercial potential of quantum technologies.

“This delivery underscores the UK’s commitment to building sovereign capabilities in quantum computing and its readiness to develop commercially valuable applications” said Dr. Chris Ballance, co-founder and CEO of Oxford Ionics.

“Installing Quartet at the NQCC marks a major milestone - not just for our company, but for unlocking a future powered by quantum computing. Quartet represents a significant step forward in making commercially valuable quantum computing a reality, ensuring we are equipped with the compute power to solve some of the world’s most pressing challenges.”

Quartet leverages Oxford Ionics’ proprietary Electronic Qubit Control (EQC) technology, which uses electronics instead of lasers to manipulate qubits. This approach enables easier scaling, higher performance and seamless integration with conventional computing systems. Built with standard semiconductor processes, it aims to transition quantum computing from lab prototypes to scalable commercial platforms.

The system is field-upgradeable: future improvements can be implemented by swapping the credit card-sized Quantum Processor Unit (QPU), eliminating the need to replace surrounding hardware. This allows the NQCC to remain at the forefront of quantum technology without costly infrastructure upgrades.

Dr. Michael Cuthbert Director of the NQCC commented “The successful installation of the QUARTET trapped-ion quantum computer by Oxford Ionics marks a pivotal step forward in the NQCC’s quantum computing testbeds initiative. The proprietary architecture of the system is designed to tackle the scalability challenges of quantum computing. We are really excited to start the testing and validating of the system for the development of algorithms and new applications.”

The NQCC, located at Harwell Campus in Oxfordshire, is the UK’s national quantum computing laboratory, acting as a hub for government, academia, and industry collaboration. Testbed installations like Quartet support its mission to drive innovation and accelerate large-scale commercial adoption.

The deployment also reinforces the UK’s position as a key European contender in the global quantum race. While the US and China have led major developments, initiatives like NQCC and Oxford Ionics’ rapid commercialization highlight Europe’s ambition to develop sovereign next-generation computing capabilities.

Founded in 2019, Oxford Ionics employs around 90 specialists and is set to triple its workforce as it scales. Its quantum systems hold global records in benchmarks such as gate fidelity and state readout accuracy cementing its status as both a scientific and commercial leader in quantum technology.

About Oxford Ionics

Oxford Ionics pioneers trapped-ion quantum computing, delivering powerful, precise, and reliable systems. Harnessing quantum physics, their technology outperforms conventional supercomputers, enabling solutions to previously impossible problems. Committed to scalable, accessible and noiseless quantum systems, Oxford Ionics is shaping the future of computing and driving the next quantum revolution.