Tag: Department for Science Innovation and Technology

The press release issued by the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology on 1 August 2024.

Eleven semiconductor start-ups working on chips that make AI more efficient and create new lifesaving healthcare tech have joined a government-backed support service to help turn their research into business realities.

Eleven semiconductor start-ups working on chips that make AI more efficient and create new lifesaving healthcare tech have joined a government-backed support service to help turn their research into business realities.

Semiconductor chips are fundamental to the technology that we interact with daily, underpinning everything from smartphones to AI and advanced medical devices.

The companies will be the second group to go through ChipStart, an incubator programme launched in October 2023 with £1.3 million of backing to nurture a new generation of chip designers and crowd in investment totalling nearly £20 million in commitments from private investment and grants to help drive economic growth.

POM Health is among the companies joining the second round of the programme. It is pioneering the use of semiconductors to create a wearable patch for continuous hormone monitoring. This technology could transform healthcare by enhancing fertility treatments, offering women precise, real-time insights into their hormonal health.

HeronIC, another new joiner to the programme, has developed a software design tool that quickly creates custom chips for AI applications, boosting their energy efficiency and increasing performance for complex tasks.

Minister for Science, Patrick Vallance said:

Innovation in semiconductors can underpin technological advancements in every field, from AI to consumer devices and healthtech. British researchers across the country are leading in R&D in this essential field and the support we are delivering through ChipStart is helping their ideas become reality.

As well as the commercial success of the first cohort, the innovations ChipStart is supporting could help to change lives, from helping to develop new fertility treatments to optimising AI and extending the battery life of devices we use every day. We are making sure British science leadership converts to help address critical global challenges and drive economic growth.

Following a first round that saw participants close over £10 million of funding from private investors and grants, with a total of nearly £20 million in commitments being finalised, ChipStart will continue to provide these early-stage semiconductor companies with:

• access to commercial design capability: Including the full Silicon Catalyst ecosystem, design tools, IP, and prototyping capability
• commercial expertise and mentorship: Startups receive guidance from experienced semiconductor industry executives and connections to Silicon Catalyst’s global network
• exposure to private capital: Access to over 270 Silicon Catalyst advisors, Strategic Partners, and an extensive network of investment groups

On completion, the pilot will provide the UK’s semiconductor industry with a pipeline of new startups that have an innovative product, route to market, and are a foundation for future growth, including routes to future seed funding.

Sean Redmond, Managing Partner, Silicon Catalyst UK said:

ChipStart UK is leveraging the UK’s position as a global centre of semiconductor research to transform academic innovations into market-ready technologies.

Nine of the eleven firms in the next group come from UK universities and are set to build on the success of the first cohort, which secured a strong position in the international semiconductor supply chain through private funding and global partnerships. After nine months of rigorous training, ChipStart has created over thirty new UK semiconductor executives, ready to scale their businesses towards global success.

Dorian Haci, CEO and Co-Founder, MintNeuro said:

The ChipStart UK programme, along with the Silicon Catalyst ecosystem, has equipped MintNeuro with essential design and manufacturing tools and a network of semiconductor-focused mentors and advisors, crucial for our go-to-market strategy.

Since joining the programme, we have secured additional funding and formed key partnerships. These developments accelerate the commercialisation of our pioneering neural implant technologies, aimed at improving the lives of millions suffering from neurological conditions.

After receiving this support over the last year, Vaire Computing raised $4.5 million to develop their revolutionary chips that use nearly no power at all. This innovation in energy efficiency has the potential to significantly extend smartphone batter life. With Vaire’s semiconductors, smartphones could soon only need charging once a month.

Another cohort member, Wave Photonics, closed an early funding round at £4.5 million for their tool which simplifies the design of highly complex photonic chips, chips that use light instead of electricity, meaning they operate at much faster speeds and use much less power. This technology could transform a wide range of industries by enabling faster, more energy-efficient communications, improving diagnostic capabilities in healthcare, and enhancing data processing in everything from data centres to autonomous vehicles.

Rodolfo Rosini, cofounder and CEO, Vaire Computing said:

As any founder will tell you, building a company in one of the most dynamic technology industries requires a tremendous amount of grit, ingenuity and support.

The networking opportunities provided by the Silicon Catalyst.UK ChipStart programme enabled us to execute on our vision and helped to set our company on a trajectory for long-term success. I strongly believe that expanding the program’s role in the near term would be extremely beneficial for the UK chip industry.

James Lee, CEO, Wave Photonics said:

Having raised funding during the programme, Wave Photonics is now deploying its technology to enable an explosion of integrated photonics applications beyond datacoms, including biosensing and quantum computing.

The ChipStart programme, run by semiconductor industry experts from Silicon Catalyst UK, helped us to learn from the development of the semiconductor industry and apply these lessons to the young, but growing, integrated photonics industry. The individual mentors and in-kind partnerships gave us easy access to expertise and tooling that would be difficult to find elsewhere.

Notes to editors

Companies that were members of the first cohort include:

• Blueshift Memory
• Finchetto
• HIDRA Vision
• HyperCIM
• Literal Labs
• MintNeuro
• RED Semiconductor
• SECQAI
• Singular Photonics
• Vaire Computing
• Wave Photonics

Companies that have joined the second cohort include:

• Apitronix Semiconductor
• Chevin Technology
• HeronIC
• KuasaSemi
• Metahelios
• Nanomation
• PhovIR Technologies
• POM Health
• Qontrol
• Rigpa
• Visionchip

The press release issued by the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology on 26 July 2024.

UK Science Secretary Peter Kyle has commissioned an Action Plan to identify how AI can drive economic growth.

New UK Science Secretary, Peter Kyle, has put AI at the heart of the government’s agenda to deliver change, sustained economic growth and improved public services.

The Secretary of State has today (26 July), appointed Tech entrepreneur and Chair of Advanced Research And Invention Agency (ARIA), Matt Clifford, to kickstart this work. He will deliver a new AI Opportunities Action Plan to identify ways to accelerate the use of AI to improve people’s lives by making services better and developing new products.

As well as exploring how to build a UK AI sector that can scale and compete on the global stage, the plan will also set out how to boost take up of the technology across all parts of the economy, and consider the necessary infrastructure, talent, and data access required to drive adoption by the public and private sectors.

The Action Plan will play a vital role in driving up productivity and kickstarting economic growth. Estimates from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) show that while the exact economic impact hinges on the wider development and adoption of AI, and realisation could be gradual, the UK could ultimately see productivity gains of up to 1.5 percent annually.

Matt Clifford will deliver a set of recommendations to the Science Secretary in September. Alongside this, Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) – acting as the digital centre of government – will also establish an AI Opportunities Unit to bring together the knowledge and expertise to take full advantage of AI and implement recommendations from the Action Plan.

Science Secretary Peter Kyle said:

We’re putting AI at the heart of the government’s agenda to boost growth and improve our public services.

Matt Clifford brings a wealth of experience and shares my ambition when it comes to realising the opportunities of AI, using it to drive growth and improve people’s lives.

Together we will use AI to drive productivity and economic growth in every part of the country so we can make everyone better off.

Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves said:

Growing our economy and rebuilding Britain to make everyone better off is our number one mission – and artificial intelligence has the potential to raise productivity and help us do that.

Our AI Opportunities Unit will unlock its full potential to grow a more productive economy, create good jobs across the country and deliver the excellent public services that people deserve whilst saving taxpayers money”.

Matt Clifford said:

AI presents us with so many opportunities to grow the economy and improve people’s lives. The UK is leading the way in many areas, but we can do even better.

I’m excited to start work and develop an ambitious road map to identify the biggest opportunities and support the new government as it makes important choices about where to focus its efforts.

The action plan starts today and will engage key figures across industry and civil society to help in its development.

The Action Plan will also consider key enablers such as the UK’s compute and broader infrastructure requirements by 2030, how this infrastructure is made available for start-ups and scale-ups and how to develop and attract top AI talent in the public and private sector.

The announcement follows the Science Secretary making his first visit since being appointed to the role, where he recently met staff at the Government Digital Service (GDS) and Central Digital and Data Office (CDDO), who have newly become part of the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology.

The press release issued by the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology on 26 July 2024.

Five new quantum research hubs backed by over £100 million of government funding will deliver breakthroughs in healthcare, cybersecurity and transport.

Faster medical scanners, secure communication networks, and next-generation navigation systems are set to be realised through quantum technology, thanks to £100 million in government funding for five new research hubs.

Announced by the Science Secretary Peter Kyle today (Friday 26 July), the hubs will bring researchers and businesses together to use their scientific expertise and talent alongside the commercial know-how and resources to develop groundbreaking quantum technologies that will directly impact people’s lives in areas like healthcare, security, and clean energy.

The new innovations in quantum will not only help deliver the government’s first mission to kickstart economic growth by creating new technologies in hubs that can be sold and exported to drive up GDP, but by innovating in the science and technology industry, it will support the delivery of the government’s missions to rebuild Britain, with quantum technology helping to build a more efficient NHS that is fit for the future and future-proofing cyber security to keep our streets safe.

The Science Secretary made the announcement on a visit to the University of Glasgow, who will lead one of the hubs aiming to develop quantum technologies for resilient position, navigation and timing systems in national security and critical national infrastructure. This technology can offer enhanced accuracy and reliability in sectors including aerospace, autonomous vehicles, finance, maritime, and agriculture. The hub will also develop smaller, lighter devices that use quantum technology. These devices could be used in transportation systems like roads, railways, and underground networks by replacing GPS and improving systems that help vehicles find their way.

These new hubs will be centres for advancements in areas like quantum-enhanced blood tests, faster MRI scanners, and new surgical interventions and treatments. This could mean faster detection of diseases like cancer, allowing for earlier medical interventions and potentially saving lives. Ultimately, these breakthroughs could translate to better patient outcomes and easing pressure on our hardworking NHS.

They will also explore technologies crucial for national security. This could see aircraft operating with improved positioning systems that are resistant to GPS jamming, or submarines able to operate for extended periods without relying on satellites. Additionally, research into a ‘quantum internet’ could create secure and future-proof communication networks, safeguarding sensitive data and communications infrastructure – helping protect citizens and the economy.

Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, Peter Kyle, said:

We want to see a future where cutting-edge science improves everyday lives. That is the vision behind our investment in these new quantum technology hubs, by supporting the deployment of technology that will mean faster diagnoses for diseases, critical infrastructure safe from hostile threats and cleaner energy for us all.

This isn’t just about research; it’s about putting that research to work. These hubs will bridge the gap between brilliant ideas and practical solutions. They will not only transform sectors like healthcare and security, but also create a culture of accelerated innovation that helps to grow our economy.

The University of Birmingham will develop advanced sensing technologies with the ability to ‘see the invisible’. This could mean detecting gas leaks before they become a danger, or pinpointing hidden objects that pose safety risks. These advancements will significantly improve public safety and infrastructure maintenance.

These five new hubs will be led by leading universities across the UK and will work closely with industry partners. This collaboration ensures that research translates into real-world applications that benefit the public. The Quantum Technology Hubs are:

• The UK Quantum Biomedical Sensing Research Hub (University College London and University of Cambridge): Explores quantum sensors for ultra-sensitive disease diagnosis, including rapid blood tests, and biomedical scanners to facilitate earlier diagnosis and treatment of diseases such as cancer and Alzheimer’s disease.
• UK Quantum Technology Hub in Sensing, Imaging and Timing (University of Birmingham): Focuses on the development of quantum sensing for practical applications – brain scanners for dementia, cancer diagnostics, and advanced security and infrastructure monitoring.
• Integrated Quantum Networks Quantum Technology Hub (Heriot-Watt University): Aims to deliver the technologies for a future UK-wide ‘quantum internet’, enabling future-proof cybersecurity and powerful distributed quantum computing.
• Hub for Quantum Computing via Integrated and Interconnected Implementations (University of Oxford): Develops technologies for building quantum computers, advancing UK capabilities across hardware and software and targeting applications in a wide range of industry sectors.
• The UK Hub for Quantum Enabled Position, Navigation and Timing (University of Glasgow): Creates quantum-based positioning and navigation systems for critical infrastructure, autonomous vehicles, and improved indoor and underwater navigation.

The hubs will be delivered by the UKRI Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC), with a £106 million investment from EPSRC, the UKRI Biotechnology and Biological Research Council, UKRI Medical Research Council, and the National Institute for Health and Care Research.

EPSRC Executive Chair Professor Charlotte Deane said:

Technologies harnessing quantum properties will provide unparalleled power and capacity for analysis at a molecular level, with truly revolutionary possibilities across everything from healthcare to infrastructure and computing.

The five Quantum Technology Hubs announced today will harness the UK’s expertise to foster innovation, support growth and ensure that we capitalise on the profound opportunities of this transformative technology.

The government’s investment in these quantum hubs signifies a commitment to developing technologies that directly improve people’s lives. From revolutionising healthcare to bolstering national security, these hubs have the potential to shape a safer, healthier, and more secure future for all.

Notes to editors

Supportive quotes from the quantum hubs:

Professor Gerald Buller, Director of the IQN Hub, said:

The Integrated Quantum Networks Hub will provide the underpinning research required towards the establishment of a UK-wide quantum network. Harnessing excellent research from a wide range of partners, it will delivering quantum networks at different scales, from local data centres to inter-city links and up to global satellite connections. Establishing a widescale quantum internet could have impact across all sectors, predominantly allowing future-proof security for data communications, as well as linking up quantum computers and sensors with benefits ranging from healthcare to materials research, artificial intelligence and many others.

Professor Rachel McKendry, Co-Director of the Q-BIOMED Hub, said:

Q-BIOMED is the first UK Quantum Research Hub dedicated to health and positions the UK at the forefront of this exciting new field globally. We are bringing together an outstanding team of researchers from academia, the NHS, charities, government, regulators and industry to help accelerate advances in quantum for human health and societal good. The ultimate beneficiaries of earlier diagnosis will be patients through faster access to life- saving treatment, and the NHS though more cost-effective models of care. We also hope to grow an innovation ecosystem working with industry and international networks of excellence with leading researchers worldwide.

Professor Douglas Paul, Project Lead for the QEPNT Hub, said:

Much of the UK’s critical infrastructure relies on the accurate measurements of time, direction and speed which enable us to stay in constant contact with communications satellites. Currently, those connections are vulnerable to disruption through technical problems or deliberate malicious actions like signal-jamming.

If those connections are lost for any reason, it would have a huge impact on key industries like energy, finance, communications and transport, causing an estimated economic loss of a billion pounds a day until service is restored.

This new hub will support the development of new and improved forms of atomic clocks, quantum gyroscopes and quantum accelerometers. Those technologies, integrated into portable and affordable future devices, will help reduce our reliance on satellites by providing new ways to locally measure position, navigation and timing.

Unlike current technologies, they will work indoors, underground and in all weathers, helping to bolster the UK’s national security and offering new applications for industry.

Professor Michael Holynski, Director of QuSIT, said:

We are delighted to form a new Quantum Technology Hub in sensing. Our aim is to accelerate the commercial development of quantum sensing, imaging and timing devices, which will result in real societal and economic benefits.

We look forward to working closely with our partners, the other new QT Hubs, our funders EPSRC, and the wider academic and industry communities to ensure quantum technologies deliver their best for society.

Professor Dominic O’Brien, Director of the QCI3 Hub, said:

The QCI3 Hub brings together industry, academia and government partners to deliver new applications, ideas and innovations that will advance the field of quantum computing, impacting areas such as materials science, chemistry, finance and logistics. The Hub will train a new generation of scientists and engineers, providing the critical skills for a UK quantum economy, whilst also developing the commercial skills needed for those looking to play key roles in the UK’s growing quantum industry. Our rich partner network will ensure that our research is grounded around real-world problems and that we are able to transfer technology out of the lab to make meaningful impact.

The press release issued by the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology on 25 July 2024.

Amazon Web Services (AWS) will provide around £8 million worth of cloud computing storage access to support UK Biobank, the world’s leading biomedical database.

• Cloud computing company Amazon Web Services (AWS) will provide around £8 million worth of cloud computing storage access to support UK Biobank, the world’s leading biomedical database
• contribution unlocks a further £8 million in match-funding from government
• backing supports research that is being used to develop new diagnostics, treatments and cures for devastating diseases like Parkinson’s, dementia and cancer

Research being used to develop new ways to prevent, diagnose and treat diseases like dementia, Parkinson’s, diabetes and cancer will benefit from a £16 million boost to upgrade how UK Biobank uses and stores its growing wealth of health data.

Announced by the Science and Technology Secretary Peter Kyle today (Thursday 25 July), Amazon Web Services (AWS) will provide $10 million (around £8 million) worth of cloud computing credits to help ensure UK Biobank has the cloud infrastructure it needs to securely store and handle its unrivalled wealth of health data. This contribution will give UK Biobank circa £8 million in AWS credits, providing access to data storage as well as other AWS services, such as AI and machine learning.

This will be matched by a further £8 million in government investment, and forms part of the public, private and philanthropic group set up to keep the world-leading facility at the forefront of medical research.

In October last year, a public-philanthropic consortium was set up to ensure UK Biobank’s long-term future, with initial funding donated by Eric Schmidt and Ken Griffin, and matched by government to a total of £32 million. Today’s further contribution means almost £50 million backing has now been achieved for UK Biobank – putting fundraising efforts in touching distance of the ultimate goal for funding which was set out when that initial funding was announced.

UK Biobank is the world’s most advanced source of data for health research, helping the life sciences sector to transform healthcare for people across the UK and worldwide. It is a database of in-depth genetic, health and lifestyle information from half a million UK volunteers. Researchers worldwide can apply to access to an unparalleled volume of de-identified and secure data, and are using it to enable medical breakthroughs, from detecting cardiac disease earlier, to developing tests for Alzheimer’s. De-identified UK Biobank data is already accessible, securely and worldwide, for approved researchers on the UK Biobank Research Analysis platform, which is hosted on AWS and enabled by DNAnexus.

Visiting UK Biobank today, Science Secretary Peter Kyle said:

UK Biobank is helping researchers around the world tackle some of the biggest health problems facing humanity – from dementia to heart disease – by putting an unprecedented scale of information at their fingertips.

This research is helping us develop the treatments that will improve and hopefully prolong all our lives.

This contribution from Amazon Web Services – matched by government – will mean that UK Biobank has the cloud infrastructure it needs, to underpin such a vast undertaking. This is just the start of our plan to work hand-in-hand with industry and academia, to harness the power of life sciences to grow our economy and boost healthcare.

Minister for Science Lord Vallance said:

While the UK is an enviable destination for life sciences research, tackling the profound challenges that diseases like dementia and cancer pose to society, and the economy, is simply too vast a task for any one country to face alone. By giving approved researchers the world over, access to an unrivalled volume of health data, UK Biobank exemplifies how a collaborative approach to science can make both the UK and the world healthier and more prosperous.

Advances in science and health succeed best when we work together – and that applies to close partnership with the private sector, as well. Amazon Web Services’ contribution – recognising the unique value of UK Biobank’s work – shows the value these partnerships can unlock, and precisely why we want to build even closer relationships to tackle healthcare challenges and unlock growth.

John Davies, Director, UK Public Sector at Amazon Web Services, said:

We are delighted that UK Biobank is extending its use of the AWS Cloud to give approved researchers around the world access to the vital data that will support medical breakthroughs. UK Biobank has the largest dataset of whole genome sequences in the world, with data from an aging cohort that is almost 20 years old.

In using AWS, UK Biobank is able to store this vast amount of health data securely, and scale up the data platform quickly and easily, as more data is added in the future. Using cloud infrastructure to store and access data will also help UK Biobank unlock the benefits of more advanced digital capabilities such as machine learning and artificial intelligence, which will further speed-up research advancements in healthcare.

Professor Sir Rory Collins, Chief Executive Officer and Principal Investigator of UK Biobank, said:

This contribution will make our participants very happy, as it means the data they have provided can be used by even more researchers around the world. We are truly grateful for this contribution from Amazon Web Services and the UK government. This means vital data can be accessed by researchers from less wealthy countries, or who are starting out in research, as well as those at large universities, charities and companies. By bringing together so many researchers, with different viewpoints and questions, to investigate the data, we have a much better chance of helping improve the lives of everyone, everywhere.

Mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham, said:

UK Biobank isn’t just a major asset for Greater Manchester’s health and life sciences sector – it’s one of the most important health research facilities in the world. Its database plays a vital role in enabling new discoveries that improve public health, and the work done there shows what can be achieved when academia, the public and private sectors come together and use their strengths to address some of our biggest healthcare challenges.

It was a privilege to welcome the Secretary of State and Science Minister to Greater Manchester to show them some of the groundbreaking innovation and commercialisation happening here. We have an opportunity to be a global leader in health innovation and life sciences – growing our regional and national economy while leading work that transforms the health of the population.

UK Biobank is supporting ground-breaking advancements in healthcare, such as the development of genetic tests to detect people who have an increased risk of coronary heart disease (note 1), only made possible via analysis of UK Biobank’s genomic data. During the pandemic, UK Biobank data helped researchers deepen their understanding of how lifestyle and inherited factors impacted how patients were affected by COVID-19.

The consortium supporting UK Biobank will deliver a transformative investment into its future research capacity. This builds on UK Research and Innovation’s 2023 £127.6 million investment in UK Biobank’s new headquarters at Bruntwood SciTech’s Manchester Science Park, set to open in 2026.

UK Biobank’s database is regularly augmented with new data, such as a recent addition of the largest-ever set of whole genome sequencing data, the largest ever proteomic dataset, and the on-going results of the world’s largest imaging study of whole-body scanning. All of this data will enable researchers to open up new ways to investigate disease mechanisms, particularly for common diseases of older and middle-age, from depression and anxiety to coronary heart disease, cancer and osteoporosis.

Greater Manchester has the largest concentration of biomedical health research in the UK outside the South East of England and is located at the heart of a dynamic life sciences cluster in the North West. The city-region has particular strengths in diagnostics, genomics, precision medicine and digital health, and its health R&D assets are integrated with its devolved health and social care system to accelerate research into practice.

References

1. Genome-wide polygenic scores for common diseases identify individuals with risk equivalent to monogenic mutations, Khera & Kathiresan et al, Nature Genetics, August 2018.

Notes to editors

We are building a consortium of philanthropic and industry partners to draw in donations to UK Biobank over a 5-year period. The UK government has made an in-principle commitment of up to £25 million over 5 years, provided that this matched by philanthropic donations to the consortium.

Philanthropic supporters are backing UK Biobank because it is the most comprehensive health research study in the world, putting it in pole position to help the scientific community better understand a range of common and life-threatening diseases.

Contributions are entirely philanthropic and do not entail any control over UK Biobank or its operations.

UK Biobank is a large-scale biomedical database and research resource containing de-identified genetic, lifestyle and health information and biological samples from half a million UK participants. It is the most comprehensive and widely-used dataset of its kind, and is globally accessible to approved researchers who are undertaking health-related research that is in the public interest, whether they are from academic, commercial, government or charitable settings.

UK Biobank is helping to advance modern medicine and enable better understanding of the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of a wide range of serious and life-threatening illnesses – including cancer, heart disease and stroke. Over 30,000 researchers from more than 90 countries are registered to use UK Biobank and more than 10,000 peer-reviewed papers have been published as a result. UK Biobank is supported by Wellcome and the Medical Research Council, as well as the British Heart Foundation, Cancer Research UK, the UK government’s National Institute for Health and Care Research and Department of Science, Innovation and Technology, Griffin Catalyst and Schmidt Futures.

The press release issued by the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology on 11 July 2024.

Science Minister declares UK science and technology “open for business” as he was meets counterparts at the G7 Science and Technology Ministerial in Italy.

Science Minister Vallance declared UK science and technology “open for business” as he was warmly welcomed by counterparts in his first week as the UK’s new Science Minister at the G7 Science and Technology Ministerial in Bologna.

The UK has joined international partners in a commitment to boost research security and collaboration on large research infrastructure, biotechnology and key technologies such as AI supported by supercomputing. The Ministerial underpinned the government’s mission to accelerate innovation, investment and productivity through world-class science and research across the economy.

Representatives from the world’s leading economies also reiterated their unwavering support to Ukraine’s scientists, in the face of Russia’s illegal invasion, as well as a shared commitment to work with African countries on R&D to support their economic development.

This joint undertaking is part of the government’s plan to strengthen ties with international partners and rebuild the UK’s reputation as a strong, reliable partner, while harnessing the power of science and technology for global benefit.

The commitments made in Bologna will further allow us to collaborate with international partners and accelerate investments in cutting-edge technologies, creating the jobs of the future.

Science Minister Vallance, said:

Science is fundamentally international, and to succeed it depends on trust, collaboration and openness. But in an increasingly volatile world – and particularly in light of Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine – that trust and collaboration is under threat.

That is why the commitments we’ve made at the G7 are so important. Science can help deliver a safer, more prosperous world, but only when we take steps to keep research secure. When we work together to ensure data is open and accessible, when we pool our resources to develop cutting-edge long term research infrastructure and above all, stand in solidarity and support researchers who are under threat.

During the meetings with his counterparts, Minister Vallance recognised the incredible work of international research infrastructures such as CERN and the Square Kilometre Array Observatory (SKAO). He further suggested that the UK will continue to review the possibility to host a new international research facility as part of the global effort to drive innovation through international collaboration in science and technology.

The Science Minister offered the UK’s support on the FAIR data accelerator pilot, which aims to help researchers make data more findable, accessible, interoperable and reusable.

The Ministerial also focused on biotechnology; a recognition of its importance to the future of the world economy, particularly as AI becomes more widespread, which is rapidly reshaping what is possible in the field. The G7 Ministers committed to promote responsible innovation of biotechnology, including its convergence with AI.

The UK is also working closely with other G7 members on computing capacity, such as through the UK’s recent access to world-class European supercomputing resources through the EuroHPC Joint Undertaking.

The G7’s focus on research security is an incredibly important step. R&D is the engine that powers sustained economic growth, which ultimately improves prosperity and living standards for all working people. But the world is growing more volatile and insecure, with the threats to the research community growing too. The risks posed by theft, misuse and exploitation of sensitive research are evolving – which is precisely why like-minded allies like the G7 need to set the agenda, globally, on proportionally managing this issue.

The UK’s deep and rich science and tech links with this year’s G7 hosts, Italy, exemplify the sort of longstanding international connections the government wants to reinvigorate, and harness to unlock a decade of national renewal. UK and Italian scientists already work together through the European Space Agency, Horizon Europe and the Square Kilometre Array space telescope project. This year, the UK’s Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC) and Italy’s Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (CNR) celebrate the 40th anniversary of their partnership in pioneering neutron research.

Taken together, the seven G7 member states spent over $1.2 trillion on R&D in 2022 – and even more when the EU is accounted for.

The press release issued by the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology on 21 May 2024.

Ten teams from across the country have been chosen as finalists of the inaugural Manchester Prize.

Ten teams across the country have been chosen as finalists of the inaugural Manchester Prize, a prestigious challenge prize rewarding breakthroughs in AI for public good.

Announced by the Prime Minister as the AI Seoul Summit gets underway today (Tuesday 21 May), the finalists will each receive a share of £1 million to develop their solutions over the next eight months.

Focusing on energy, environment, and infrastructure in its inaugural year, teams in the running for the final £1 million prize are working on breakthroughs in artificial intelligence which could help address food security, improve how solar energy flows into the electricity grid, and revolutionise battery manufacturing.

Chancellor of the Exchequer Jeremy Hunt said:

With over 50,000 people already employed in the sector and billions expected to be generated for the UK economy over the next few years, the potential of AI innovation to help power our growth is huge.

That’s why this funding is one of the best investments we can make.

Viscount Camrose, Minister for AI and Intellectual Property said:

This prize puts brilliant British AI innovation at the heart of addressing some of our biggest shared challenges. A decade-long commitment by the government, we are supporting our peerless AI talent with an annual £1 million grand prize to bring through the next wave of game-changing technological solutions.

I look forward to seeing our finalists develop their solutions further over the coming months, as we look to harness the incredible potential of AI to bring about transformative change in the fields of energy, the environment, and infrastructure.

Among the finalists of the Manchester Prize are:

• Quartz Solar AI Nowcasting by Open Climate Fix: Leveraging AI to forecast cloud formation, enhancing the integration of solar energy into the electricity grid.
• CRE.AI.TIVE by Phytoform Labs: Addressing food security challenges through AI-driven discovery of crop traits resilient to climate change.
• Greyparrot Insight by Greyparrot.ai: Employing AI waste analytics to map global waste flows, driving improvements in recycling and packaging design.
• Polaron by Polaron: Revolutionizing battery manufacturing through AI-driven analysis of advanced materials.

In its inaugural year, the Manchester Prize called upon the ingenuity of innovators, academics, entrepreneurs, and disruptors to submit their solutions utilising AI for public benefit. The prize garnered nearly 300 entries from UK-led teams, showcasing a diverse array of groundbreaking ideas.

The finalists will each receive prizes of £100,000 to further develop their projects over the next eight months. Additionally, they will benefit from comprehensive support packages, including funding for computing resources, investor readiness support, and access to a network of experts, positioning them for success in the pursuit of the £1 million grand prize in spring 2025.

The potential of AI-powered innovation to fuel economic growth is immense, with estimates suggesting it could generate £400 billion for the UK economy by 2030. Already, over 50,000 individuals are employed in the AI sector, and with projected market growth exceeding 15% in the next six years, there are vast opportunities for new businesses to thrive and contribute to the nation’s prosperity.

The UK is already seeing the results of how AI can drive investment in its economy, with the recent announcement that British AI company Wayve has received a $1.05 billion investment to develop the next generation of AI-powered self-driving vehicles.

Dr Hayaatun Sillem CBE, CEO of the Royal Academy of Engineering and Manchester Prize judge said:

British innovators have been pivotal to the advancement of computer and information technology that has transformed the world we live in. AI has the potential to support productivity, improve delivery of public services, make our national infrastructure work better, and accelerate the transition to a net zero economy. Choosing only ten finalists from such a diverse field of applications was tough; picking a winner will be even harder. I’m looking forward to seeing how the ideas develop in the next few months.

With AI already starting to unlock enormous opportunities in tackling climate change, transforming healthcare, and beyond, the Manchester Prize looks to spark more cutting-edge innovations in using AI for good, which will deliver real change for people across the country.

The UK is committed to fostering innovation and harnessing the transformative power of AI for the betterment of society. As these projects continue to evolve and make strides towards tangible impacts, they serve as testament to the UK’s position at the forefront of AI innovation on the global stage.

To find out more about the Manchester Prize and follow the progress of all ten finalists, visit manchesterprize.org.

Notes to editors

Full list of Manchester Prize finalists

Aiolus (by the University of Warwick)

The UK aims to have 50GW of wind energy capacity by 2030 – however digital and control technologies have not kept pace to maximise the operational efficiency of wind farms. Aiolus leverages AI and creates digital twins to enhance wind farm operations and predict maintenance needs, boosting energy capacity, lowering the average cost of electricity for people and accelerating the UK towards its Net Zero target. Aiolus projects a 10-20% increase in power production, and a 3-5% rise in annual energy output.

AssetScan

Using AI to find and track defects in infrastructure and large buildings (by CC Informatics) – AssetScan by CC Informatics is an AI system which aims to identify defects in buildings and infrastructure assets from large photographic datasets, such as those collected by uncrewed aerial vehicles (drones), using an image-to-image processing technique. Manual review of these large datasets would be expensive and time consuming. AssetScan automatically detects changes in structure condition to target effective maintenance at the earliest opportunity.

CRE.AI.TIVE (by Phytoform Labs)

With the impacts of climate change threatening global food security, Phytoform Labs uses its proprietary CRE.AI.TIVE platform to discover drought tolerant, disease resistant and yield boosting traits for a diverse variety of crops. CRE.AI.TIVE is a ‘foundational genomics model’, that learns about the genome of plants and accelerates the search for useful mutations to increase the resilience of crops.

EvoPhase Explore (by Evophase)

EvoPhase Explore, is an innovative AI-driven solution designed to optimise the design and operation of industrial equipment. It leverages evolutionary algorithms to reduce energy consumption, minimise waste, and enhance overall efficiency in manufacturing processes. HARPPP (Highly-Automated Rapid Prototyping for Particulate Processing) is the proprietary AI technology behind EvoPhase Explore, employing evolutionary algorithms and four-dimensional modelling to optimise equipment designs and processing conditions. Allowing for scalability through new equipment design and retrofitting existing equipment for enhanced performance.

gAIn Water (by UKCRIC)

gAIn Water leverages advanced predictive AI technologies to integrate real-time sensor data from the UK’s water network with environmental and demographic inputs, including weather, soil conditions, pipe integrity, and population trends. This facilitates precise water demand forecasts, timely alerts for system failures, and identification of potential supply shortages. The system dynamically optimises water flow and maintenance schedules to significantly reduce leaks and lower energy consumption, offering measurable benefits to water utilities, governing bodies, and communities across the UK.

Greyparrot Insight (by Greyparrot.ai)

The Greyparrot AI waste analytics system “sees’’ and tracks every piece of waste entering a sorting or recycling plant via monitoring units positioned over conveyor belts. The AI identifies seven layers of detail about each waste item – including the material type, brand and carbon footprint based on its end of life – and does this faster, more accurately, and around 250 times cheaper than manual alternatives. It aims to create a complete digital map of the world’s waste flows to track what happens when waste is discarded and support the value chain to improve packaging design, policy making and recycling rates.

Polaron

Accelerating the design of advanced materials with generative AI (by Polaron) – Developing advanced materials is a traditionally slow and inefficient process. Polaron uses AI algorithms to rapidly analyse potential material designs and identify the best manufacturing processes to maximise performance. Applied to battery electrodes, Polaron’s technology can yield a 10% increase in power, while reducing the cost by more than 50%, revolutionising battery manufacturing and unlocking the next-generation of materials.

Quartz Solar AI Nowcasting (by Open Climate Fix)

Due to cloud cover, solar power generation can be unpredictable. This entry uses AI to forecast cloud formation hours ahead of time, allowing solar energy to be more efficiently integrated into the electricity grid through better prediction of periods of intermittent supply. By leveraging satellite imagery and live solar generation data, it helps better manage solar energy resources and balance a renewables heavy grid. This more efficient approach to renewable energy management can help the UK to decarbonise faster.

Sapphire

Improving river and bathing water quality (by HR Wallingford) – Increasing urbanisation and changes to rainfall patterns due to climate change are putting greater pressure on the UK’s wastewater network, impacting water quality in our rivers. Sapphire, created by HR Wallingford, will be an AI tool to help reduce water pollution from storm overflows, agriculture, and urban spaces. It will integrate observed data and computer model outputs into an AI platform, incorporating more sources of pollution, and producing faster results than traditional methods. It aims to enable water companies to better understand the impact of storm overflows and manage flows more effectively, ultimately resulting in better water quality across the nation.

TraffEase (by Transhumanity)

Cities generate vast amounts of transport and urban mobility data, but too often its complexity means little is done with it. TraffEase AI integrates this multi-source data to provide predictive traffic analytics to inform decision making for efficient and green mobility. The platform supports intuitive natural language queries, making it accessible for non-experts. This empowers city authorities to effectively manage transport to enhance the journey experience for the public.

About the Manchester Prize

The Manchester Prize is a multi-million-pound challenge prize from the UK’s Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) that rewards UK-led breakthroughs in artificial intelligence for public good. Every year for a decade, it will reward innovations that will help to transform the lives of the people across the UK and continue to secure the UK’s place as a global leader in cutting edge innovation.

The Manchester Prize delivered by Challenge Works, a global leader in designing and delivering high-impact challenge prizes that incentivise cutting-edge innovation for social good – part of UK innovation foundation Nesta. Visit: manchesterprize.org.

The press release issued by the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology on 13 May 2024.

British researchers, businesses and academics will have enhanced access to future supercomputer research funding from today (Monday 13 May) as the UK joins the European High Performance Computing Joint Undertaking (EuroHPC).

British researchers, businesses and academics will have enhanced access to future supercomputer research funding from today (Monday 13 May) as the UK joins the European High Performance Computing Joint Undertaking (EuroHPC). The move will boost the UK’s already world-leading supercomputing research community, to power the discovery of new drugs, harness the full potential of AI and more.

EuroHPC brings together top-class supercomputing resources from across 35 countries, including Norway, Turkey, and all 27 EU member states, to drive research in the next generation of computing technologies. The UK has secured enhanced access to the Horizon Europe funded portion of the programme, worth over £770 million between 2021 to 2027.

The move will support our scientists to make use of the cutting-edge European supercomputing facilities the UK gained access to through Horizon Europe. Their ability to solve problems and perform calculations with more speed and power than traditional computers are capable of, make these systems vital to the development of exciting discoveries that will benefit us all, from new medical treatments to novel clean energy applications.

The partnership aims to boost world-class leadership in supercomputing, as members pool resources and knowledge to develop scientific excellence in this field. By joining the Joint Undertaking, UK scientists will have the opportunity to bid for vital research support, strengthening the UK’s computer capacity.

In November the UK’s bespoke deal to associate to Horizon Europe secured UK researchers access to future EuroHPC supercomputers. The UK now gains further access to the Horizon Europe-funded portion of EuroHPC, which is worth around £770 million from 2021 to 2027.

With match funding from the government, UK researchers, businesses and scientists can now bid confidently for further EuroHPC grants, ensuring our brightest minds have access to cutting-edge compute facilities.

EuroHPC grants require match-funding from the UK on a case-by-case basis, and more information on how this will be made available, will be provided in due course. Researchers can apply for time on EuroHPC systems and for Horizon funded research and innovation grants on the EuroHPC website.

Science, Innovation and Technology Secretary, Michelle Donelan said:

I have made it my mission to unleash the benefits of AI for the British public and supercomputers are essential tools that our best and brightest researchers need to deliver breakthroughs that will grow the economy and improve all our lives, from healthcare to energy security.

This deal will only strengthen the UK’s science and tech superpower credentials, by giving our scientists and businesses even greater access to a leading network of expertise and powerful computing systems from Finland to Portugal.

I urge researchers to seize this exciting opportunity and bid for EuroHPC support.

This is the latest deal secured by the government to maximise UK researchers’, scientists’ and businesses’ access to R&D funding and opportunities for international collaboration. Following a bespoke deal signed by the Prime Minister last year, the UK has associated to Horizon Europe, the world’s largest programme of research collaboration, worth around £80 billion in total.

With a Horizon grant worth £450,000 on average to a UK business, we have launched a campaign to boost UK participation, with a multichannel PR blitz, ‘pump-priming’ grants to support applicants, and a Roadshow of information events taking place around the UK – the next of which will be in Glasgow, on 12 June.

In March, the UK joined the ‘Chips Joint Undertaking’, providing the UK semiconductor industry with enhanced access to a £1.1 billion pot of funds set aside from Horizon Europe to support research in semiconductor technologies up to 2007.

Supercomputing has incredible potential to transform our scientific understanding and enable breakthroughs in nearly every scientific field. It is already powering the discovery of new drugs and development of targeting medical therapies for the individual needs of patients suffering with diseases such as Alzheimer’s and cancer.

Joining EuroHPC further builds on the government’s £1.5 billion plan to deliver world-leading compute facilities for the nation’s businesses and researchers, including backing for the Isambard-AI supercomputer in Bristol and the Dawn supercomputer in Cambridge, both of which will come online this year, and a new national exascale supercomputing facility, to be hosted in Edinburgh.

Through EuroHPC, UK researchers have access to:

• LUMI, a pre-exascale EuroHPC supercomputer located in Kajaani, Finland
• Leonardo, a pre-exascale EuroHPC supercomputer in the Bologna Technopole, Italy
• MareNostrum 5, a pre-exascale EuroHPC supercomputer =located in Barcelona, Spain.
• MeluXina, a petascale EuroHPC supercomputer located in Bissen, Luxembourg
• Karolina, a petascale EuroHPC supercomputer located in Ostrava, Czech Republic.
• Discoverer, a petascale EuroHPC supercomputer located in Sofia, Bulgaria
• Vega, a petascale EuroHPC supercomputer located in Maribor, Slovenia
• Deucalion, a petascale EuroHPC supercomputer located in Guimarães, Portugal.

Notes to editors

UK researchers and businesses will not have access to the grants that are funded by Digital Europe and Connected Facilities Europe as the UK does not contribute to those programmes.

Participation in a limited amount of EuroHPC projects for this year is currently restricted to EU Member States. Where this is the case, any restrictions that apply will be clearly signposted in the eligibility criteria for individual calls.

As agreed when negotiating a bespoke deal to associate with Horizon Europe last year, the EU will reimburse the UK when any restrictions apply to Horizon funds.

The press release issued by the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology on 13 May 2024.

A first-of-its-kind achievement as quantum navigation tech developed in the UK has been successfully tested in flight.

In a first-of-its-kind achievement, the UK has successfully completed commercial flight trials of advanced quantum-based navigation systems that cannot be jammed or spoofed by hostile actors.

While GPS jamming is currently relatively rare and does not directly impact an aircraft’s flight path, new quantum-based Positioning, Navigation, and Timing (PNT) systems could, over time, offer one part of a larger solution to providing highly accurate and resilient navigation that complements current satellite systems – which could help ensure that the thousands of flights that take place around the world daily, proceed without disruption.

Infleqtion, a quantum technology firm, in collaboration with aerospace companies BAE Systems and QinetiQ, completed the trials at MoD Boscombe Down in Wiltshire, with Science Minister Andrew Griffith aboard the final test flight on Thursday 9 May.

These tests are the first time that this sort of ground-breaking technology has been tested in the UK on an aircraft in flight, and the first such flights worldwide that have been publicly acknowledged.

Led by Infleqtion and in collaboration with industry and academic partners, this project has received backing of nearly £8 million from the government. This funding, together with the £2.5 billion National Quantum Strategy and the National Quantum Technologies Programme, aims to cement the UK’s position as a leading quantum-enabled economy.

Science Minister Andrew Griffith said:

From passenger flights to shipping, we all depend on navigation systems that are accurate, safe and secure. The scientific research we are supporting here on quantum technology could well provide the resilience to protect our interests.

The fact that this technology has flown for the first time in British skies, is further proof of the UK as one of the world leaders on quantum.

In a series of test flights, the team led by Infleqtion has demonstrated two ground-breaking quantum technologies: the compact Tiqker optical atomic clock and a tightly confined ultra-cold-atom-based quantum system, both aboard QinetiQ’s RJ100 Airborne Technology Demonstrator, a modified aircraft.

The technology being tested on the flight will form part of a Quantum Inertial Navigation System (Q-INS), which has the potential to revolutionise PNT, with the system offering exceptional accuracy and resilience, independent of traditional satellite navigation using GPS.

PNT helps us know our location, navigate, and keep track of time. The cornerstone of modern PNT technology is precision clocks. These ultra-accurate timekeepers are crucial for various applications, and portable production of ultracold atoms is another key piece of the puzzle.  Ultracold atoms – atoms that have been cooled to temperatures near absolute zero (the coldest possible temperature) – are ideal for building quantum accelerometers and gyroscopes, which form the heart of a Q-INS.

The test is part of a project funded by UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) specifically focusing on creating quantum sensors to address the UK’s heavy reliance on GNSS/GPS for location, navigation and timing data. This dependence creates a vulnerability, as a single point of failure (like jamming or spoofing GPS signals) could disrupt critical economic, defence, and strategic activities.

The consortium working alongside Infleqtion includes Fraunhofer Centre for Applied Photonics, Alter Technology UK, Caledonian Photonics, Redwave Labs, PA Consulting, BAE Systems, and QinetiQ.

Infleqtion UK President, Dr Timothy Ballance, said:

Our recent trials mark a significant step forward in the development of quantum PNT solutions. The work we have done directly addresses the critical need to reduce our reliance on satellite navigation systems, which are vulnerable to various risks.

The successful flight trials demonstrate the potential of quantum technology in overcoming navigation system challenges, which is an exciting development for future applications in the aerospace industry and beyond.

Henry White, Sensing Technology Lead – BAE Systems, said:

These trials are an important step forward in developing quantum technology that could ultimately offer a significant military advantage. Knowing reliably and precisely when and where any asset and sensor system are, feeds into additional options for platform design and capability. This will play a big role in supporting the development of next generation combat air systems. Working closely with wider industry and experts now, at the early stages of the technology development helps us to shape the solution in a way that ensures the technology can be integrated for military applications.

Simon Galt, Managing Director (Air) at QinetiQ said:

We’re proud to be partnering with BAE Systems and Infleqtion to enable the successful trial of this cutting-edge technology, demonstrating our ability to rapidly and effectively collaborate across the defence ecosystem, combining our quantum expertise with our Airborne Technology Demonstrator jet.

Roger McKinlay, Challenge Director Quantum Technologies at Innovate UK, part of UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), said:

Modern infrastructure is increasingly dependent on highly accurate timing and navigation derived from satellite signals. These flight tests mark the culmination of two excellent projects, funded through UKRI, which Infleqtion has had the vision to create and the deftness in leadership to execute with an outstanding team of collaborators.

The completion of these flight trials marks a significant milestone towards Mission 4 of the UK’s National Quantum Strategy. By 2030, this mission aims to deploy quantum navigation systems on aircraft, providing next-generation accuracy and resilience independent of satellite signals. The successful testing of an optical atomic clock, Infleqtion’s Tiqker, and core elements of a quantum inertial sensor aboard QinetiQ’s RJ100 Airborne Technology Demonstrator represents a breakthrough in airborne quantum technology.

The press release issued by the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology on 7 May 2024.

Organisations are now invited to apply to set up a new National Academy focused on Mathematical Sciences.

Organisations have been invited to apply for the chance to set up a new National Academy for Mathematical Sciences to champion the immense value of maths, create future jobs, and turbocharge the UK economy.

An open competition offering grant funding of up to £6 million over the next three years has been launched today and will run from today until 4 June 2024.

As technology evolves faster than ever mathematical sciences are critical to the jobs of the future – like AI, nuclear and compute – that will set the UK on a path to a brighter future that rewards hard work, celebrates ambition, and gives young people the skills they need to get on in life.

Today’s announcement builds on the Prime Minister’s ambition for all young people to study maths up to age 18 via the Advanced British Standard, ensuring they are equipped with the knowledge and skills to thrive in the modern economy.

The new Academy will mark mathematical sciences as a major priority in skills development and seek to emulate the success of the existing UK National Academies, in other scientific fields, such as the Royal Society and the Royal Academy of Engineering which encourage innovation.

Ambitious requirements for a successful applicant have been drawn up and agreed following weeks of engagement with over 100 key voices in business, academia and beyond. Over the next three years, the incipient National Academy focussed on Mathematical Sciences will be expected to:

• Provide credible, expert and timely advice on maths to government, policy makers and industry, helping to shape the agenda on the subject.
• Increase public support and engagement in mathematical sciences – communicating the importance of the subject in growing jobs and the economy, and in driving discovery in science and technology and how that can make us all healthier and better off.
• Publish a strategy setting out a clear vision for the mathematical sciences sector in the UK – engaging voices from across the maths community and establishing skills gaps in maths.

In the longer term, it is expected to:

• Work to improve and develop mathematical skills across the UK, with particular focus on supporting the UK’s competitiveness in advanced maths skills that support industries that will underpin future growth, such as artificial intelligence and data science and the government’s critical technologies.
• Leverage private and third sector funding – although the successful applicant will be funded by the government to up to £6 million initially, it will not be a government body or agency and should seek complementary sources of private and third-sector funding.
• Collaborate internationally, recognising that the mathematical sciences community stretches oversees and plays an essential role in addressing global challenges.

Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak, said:

This new National Academy for Maths is a big step in transforming our national approach to maths.

It will lead the way in arming our society with the skills and knowledge to lead the globe in jobs of the future – like AI and compute – to discover the Alan Turing of tomorrow.

Part of the plan to prize numeracy for what it is – a key skill every bit as essential as reading.

Science, Innovation and Research Minister, Andrew Griffith, said:

Maths is at the root of so much in our lives, from groundbreaking discoveries that keep us healthy to the engineering we rely on to do our jobs and get us from A to B.

As technology becomes even more central to our modern world, it is a skill that will only become more crucial in jobs of the future, from artificial intelligence to data science and beyond.

The new National Academy focused on Mathematical Sciences will help raise the profile of Maths in the UK and help the sector in making the impassioned case for such an important subject.

The sector has demonstrated strong and broad support for a leading organisation that can support those in maths to speak with a unified voice on key interests and make the case to the public that maths is fundamental to scientific discovery and at the heart of our economy and prosperity.

Notes to editors

The incipient National Academy for Mathematical Science will become the fifth UK national academy. The others are the Academy of Medical Sciences, the British Academy, the Royal Academy of Engineering and the Royal Society.

The press release issued by the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology on 23 April 2024.

A ground-breaking project that could transform ocean monitoring, giving coastal communities vital extra time to prepare for tsunamis is being unveiled today.A ground-breaking project that could transform ocean monitoring, giving coastal communities vital extra time to prepare for tsunamis is being unveiled today.

A ground-breaking project that could transform ocean monitoring, giving coastal communities vital extra time to prepare for tsunamis is being unveiled today (Tuesday 23 April), alongside agreements that will boost the UK’s science and research links with both New Zealand and Denmark.

UK Science Minister Andrew Griffith will announce the agreements as he meets New Zealand Minister of Science, Innovation and Technology Judith Collins, and Danish Minister for Higher Education and Science, Christina Egelund, in Paris as part of a milestone meeting on science between Ministers from many of the world’s most advanced nations, the first of its kind since 2015.

Science and technology ministers from across the world’s leading economies are gathered in the French capital for the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD)’s Committee for Scientific and Technological Policy Ministerial. The Ministerial is a key moment for like-minded nations to discuss opportunities for future partnerships and shape the future of co-operation on science and technology. It is a vital route for conversations on the development of new technologies and their risks.

The £750,000 joint project agreed today will see researchers from the UK and New Zealand build on technology that has been pioneered at the UK’s National Physical Laboratory (NPL) from previous work on quantum systems. The technique uses telecommunication fibre optic cables that are already in place on the seabed, to detect earthquakes and ocean currents. The tech will be trialled in the Pacific Ocean – a region where earthquakes and tsunamis are common – with a view to investigate the use of seafloor cables to give coastal communities earlier warnings when tremors occur, which could potentially save thousands of lives.

The UK is investing £750,000 through the International Science Partnerships Fund, to allow UK researchers to work with New Zealand’s brightest minds and carry out the tests on the floor of the ocean between New Zealand and Australia. This project showcases the enormous potential of quantum that is being further built on with the workplan between the UK and New Zealand. The agreement sets out how the UK will elevate its ties with New Zealand to jointly tackle the most pressing challenges facing humanity, like natural disasters.

Experts from the UK’s National Physical Laboratory (NPL), responsible for developing and maintaining measurement standards in the UK, will work with researchers from the Measurement Standards Laboratory of New Zealand to prove the feasibility of using seafloor cables for earthquake detection – applying a technique called ‘optical interferometry’ that has already been successfully trialled in the Atlantic Ocean, using a fibre optic cable running almost 6,000 kilometres from the UK to Canada.

UK Science Minister Andrew Griffith said:

Global issues require global collaboration, which is why we need to build more and stronger partnerships on science and research with like-minded nations, just like the ones I am delighted to announce with New Zealand and Denmark today. That shared endeavour is precisely what we will focus on with colleagues from across the OECD, to ensure we can all benefit from the improvements to health and wealth that science and innovation promise to deliver.

“Bringing the UK and New Zealand’s brightest minds together, to overhaul how we give crucial advance warning of tsunamis, could save thousands of lives. This work proves the value of breakthrough technologies like quantum, and the international teamwork is crucial to harnessing them. The UK’s plans for closer work together on quantum with Denmark reinforces this, even further.”

Denmark Minister of Higher Education and Science, Christina Egelund said:

The UK is a very attractive partner in the quantum field, with world class research environments and great investments. With the new MoU, we are bringing Denmark’s quantum strategy to a higher international level. Quantum technology holds enormous potential to provide us with solutions in virtually every imaginable area, but it requires large investments and strong collaboration. For a small open economy such as Denmark, it is crucial to cooperate with the world’s leading countries. Both when it comes to talent exchange, research, innovation, commercialization, security and defense. Therefore, I am very pleased that Denmark and the UK will now initiate an even closer collaboration on quantum technology.

The announcement of the research and innovation workplan with New Zealand will be made by the ministers as they attend the OECD Committee for Scientific and Technological Policy Ministerial in Paris. The UK will further expand its international links on quantum research in Paris as it signs a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Denmark. Denmark is an ideal partner to the UK as a key player in the quantum research sector and boosting our partnership will provide researchers in both countries with the best opportunities to work on transformative projects in areas such as transportation and life sciences.

The OECD brings together the world’s leading democratic economies, and the Ministerial is an important opportunity for like-minded countries, including the UK, Denmark, and New Zealand to promote the values-driven and open development of science and technology, cementing relationships and create exciting opportunities for future partnerships with overseas neighbours who share our values.

Today’s event is the first time since 2015 that the OECD’s Committee for Scientific and Technological Policy has met at the ministerial level, which shows the growing importance that all the world’s leading nations are placing on science and technology to boost their economies and deliver a better quality of life for all their citizens. Minister Griffith and other world leaders at the committee meeting will sign a declaration amplifying their shared aim to work together on science and technology for outcomes that will benefit us all.