NQS Mission 2: Components, systems and architectures

Open UKRI funding opportunity · Grant. Closes 2026-11-24. Total fund £10.75 million. Opportunity page: https://www.ukri.org/opportunity/nqs-mission-2-components-systems-and-architectures/

Apply for funding to advance the research capabilities required to deliver the UK National Quantum Strategy Mission 2, strengthening the UK’s leadership in quantum networking and communications and accelerating progress towards the deployment of the world’s most advanced quantum network and the future quantum internet.

You must be based at a UK research organisation eligible for Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) funding.

The full economic cost (FEC) of your application can be up to £2.56 million. EPSRC will fund 80% of the FEC.

Projects must be no more than 33 months in duration with the latest start date of 31 May 2027.

What we're looking for Aim

EPSRC is delivering this funding opportunity as part of the UKRI Quantum Technologies Priority Programme.

This funding opportunity supports the aims of the UK National Quantum Strategy Mission 2 (QM2), which seeks to establish the UK as a world leader in quantum networking and communications by developing secure, scalable quantum networks and laying the foundations for a future quantum internet. By 2035, QM2 aims for the UK to have deployed advanced quantum networks at scale and to be pioneering the technologies and capabilities needed to realise the quantum internet.

Successful applications will undertake ambitious research that addresses key scientific and technological challenges underpinning future quantum networks and communications systems. Projects should demonstrate how the proposed research will contribute to the development of quantum networking capabilities, strengthen the UK research and innovation ecosystem, and support progress towards the long-term objectives of Mission 2. Projects should also consider how the knowledge, evidence, capabilities and partnerships generated through the…