Toshiba opens Quantum Technology Centre

The new facility, located in the Cambridge Science Park, is a commercial offshoot from the Toshiba Cambridge Research Laboratory and represents a £20 million investment from Toshiba into the development of quantum-secure networking solutions and will initially create over 30 new jobs in high-technology industry.

Originally opened in 1991 as Toshiba’s first overseas R&D site, the Cambridge Research Laboratory has been dedicated to fostering innovation through basic and applied research in physics, engineering and computer science. Since then, Toshiba has invested more than £240 million in UK R&D, with around £100 million funding pioneering work in the development and commercialisation of quantum-based technologies, including Toshiba’s industry-leading quantum-secure networking solutions.

Toshiba started research into quantum cryptography at the Cambridge Research Laboratory in 1999, and has delivered several research breakthroughs, including the first example of quantum key distribution over 100km of fibre in 2003. As the growing power of quantum computers has started posing a threat to traditional methods of cryptography, the quantum cryptography market is expected to become worth more than $3 billion by 2028. Toshiba has continued to strategically invest in further developing its quantum cryptography capabilities in commercialising its technology for real-world use by organisations in order to underpin the new quantum-safe economy of the future.

The new Quantum Technology Centre is a fully commercialised business operating under Toshiba Digital Solutions Corporation, and will not only work to commercialise Toshiba’s innovative quantum-secure networking technologies, but also manufacture initial products such as its Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) system. The investment will also initially create over 30 new roles across a broad range of disciplines, ranging from business development to production.

“Following more than 30 years of groundbreaking work in the UK, we are delighted to be opening the Quantum Technology Centre in Cambridge as our next step in further developing and commercialising quantum-secure communications technologies,” said Shunsuke Okada, Executive Officer and Corporate Senior Vice President and Chief Digital Officer, Toshiba Corporation President and CEO, Toshiba Digital Solutions Corporation. “This investment reflects the strategic importance of these technologies, not only to Toshiba, but in delivering a quantum-secure economy for the wider world, and we look forward to working with more customers and partners to enable this economy.”

Toshiba’s quantum technology research has delivered cutting-edge technologies that are already being applied in real world, commercial situations. The world’s first quantum-secure metro network trial, operated in London by Toshiba and BT, uses Toshiba’s QKD technology that was primarily developed in Cambridge, with HSBC becoming the first bank to join the pioneering network.

Alongside supporting the commercial adoption of existing technologies such as QKD, the Quantum Technology Centre will also support the further development of other quantum-based technologies. This includes chip-based QKD, which will be instrumental in supporting the mass-market adoption of QKD, and twin-field QKD, which could facilitate quantum-secure links spanning over 500km.

Lord Dominic Johnson, Minister of Investment in the Department for Business and Trade for the UK Government says “We have a clear mission to cement the UK’s status as a Science and Technology ‘Superpower’ by 2030, and last year the UK became just the third country in the world to have a tech sector valued at $1 trillion, with UK investment in Quantum startups accounting for over 14% of total global investments in the past 10 years.

“Toshiba’s new Quantum Technology Centre will play a key part of the wider quantum technology ecosystem operating in the UK, and is testament to the thriving tech sector we have here in the UK and the ever increasing investment flowing into technologies like quantum which will play such a crucial role in our future.”