ColdQuanta secures $3.5M in U.K. grants

BOULDER and OXFORD, England — Quantum atomics company ColdQuanta Inc. has secured three grants totaling $3.5 million to provide cold-atom quantum technology to three research projects in the United Kingdom.

Cold Quanta’s technology will be used to develop a quantum gyroscope that will be demonstrated in flight and to enable continuous operation of quantum sensors. The company also will work with partners on an updated system to integrate lasers into quantum atomic systems.

The grants were awarded to ColdQuanta UK, a subsidiary of ColdQuanta Inc. founded in 2014 to provide cold atom components, systems and expertise to the U.K.’s quantum technology sector.

“These contract awards demonstrate how ColdQuanta’s cold atom technology can be the basis of a broad range of new quantum applications,” Dr. Tim Ballance, lead scientist at ColdQuanta UK, said in a prepared statement. “Our team is excited to have been chosen for these projects, all of which will advance the commercialization of our cold atom quantum technologies.”

ColdQuanta cools atoms to near absolute zero, and then uses lasers to control atoms with extreme precision. The technology has applications for quantum computing, timekeeping, navigation, radio-frequency sensors and quantum communications.

The projects are partially funded by the U.K. government through the National Quantum Technologies Programme and are intended  to accelerate commercialization of quantum technologies. The projects include:

• High-BIAS2 — The High-BIAS2 project will develop a gyroscope with the stability to allow vehicle navigation without a Global Positioning System or Global Navigation Satellite System signal.
• QT-Assemble — ColdQuanta will work with Fraunhofer’s Centre for Applied Photonics to make quantum technology easier to adopt by addressing the challenges of size, weight, power, and reliability of systems. ColdQuanta will deliver technology to provide continuous production of ultracold atoms for sensing and other quantum applications.
• PICAS2 — ColdQuanta will work with partners to develop a commercial cold atom source system with low size and cost.

“The UK government is making significant investments in quantum R&D through industry and academia and driving towards the commercialization of a range of quantum systems,” said Bo Ewald, CEO of ColdQuanta. “Our ColdQuanta UK team includes experts in the application of cold atom technology to quantum sensing, and these awards are an acknowledgment of their expertise and ability to contribute to important quantum innovation. The UK government has shown great vision in driving the industry forward and we are very pleased to be able to contribute to these programs and grow our business and presence in the UK.”

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