The UK and Germany have unveiled a major step forward in scientific collaboration, announcing £14m in joint initiatives designed to unlock the vast potential of quantum technology.
The package of agreements was revealed during the final day of German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier’s State Visit to the UK, marking a significant intensification of cross-border research ties.
Commenting on the landmark deal, UK Science Minister Lord Vallance said: “Quantum technology will revolutionise fields such as cybersecurity, drug discovery, medical imaging, and much more. International collaboration is crucial to unlocking these benefits.
“With its deep R&D expertise, top-tier skills and world-leading institutions, Germany is a natural partner to the UK in these efforts.
“This is work that will not only advance the bounds of knowledge, but will support stronger economies, better jobs and healthy, secure societies, in both our countries.”
A new era for quantum collaboration
Quantum technology is rapidly emerging as one of the world’s most transformative scientific frontiers.
Industry forecasts suggest it could add £11bn to the UK economy and support more than 100,000 domestic jobs by 2045.
From ultra-precise medical scanners to drug discovery simulations completed in seconds rather than years, the technology promises breakthroughs impacting health, security and industry.
Against this backdrop, the two nations – already Europe’s closest research partners – announced a £6m joint R&D funding call.
Set to launch in early 2026, the initiative will see Innovate UK and Germany’s VDI contribute £3m each to accelerate collaborative quantum research and innovation.
Investment in applied photonics
A further £8m will be directed to Glasgow’s Fraunhofer Centre for Applied Photonics, bolstering its globally recognised work in applied photonics and quantum innovation.
The investment aims to help fast-growing UK companies transform cutting-edge research into commercial, market-ready quantum products.
In parallel, the UK’s National Physical Laboratory and Germany’s Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt have signed a new Memorandum of Understanding.
The agreement aligns their work with the international NMI-Q initiative, which is developing globally recognised quantum measurement standards – a vital step for scaling future quantum industries.
Science ties strengthened across sectors
President Steinmeier’s visit also included a tour of Siemens Healthineers in Oxford, where German-UK collaboration underpins the production of superconducting magnets for MRI scanners – an example of how joint research translates directly into high-skilled jobs and medical innovation.
The quantum announcements build on a series of recent bilateral achievements. During European Space Agency budget negotiations, the UK and Germany jointly backed more than €6bn of programmes.
This included launch services, the VIGIL space-weather mission, and shared support for companies such as Rocket Factory Augsburg, which plans to begin Scottish launches in 2026.
Expanding partnership into AI and supercomputing
Co-operation is also accelerating in advanced computing. Edinburgh’s National Supercomputing Centre was recently chosen to host the UK’s AI Factory Antenna, operating in partnership with Stuttgart’s HammerHAI AI Factory.
To reinforce this alliance, the UK Department for Science, Innovation and Technology will provide up to £3.9m to support UK participation in EuroHPC projects developing exascale-ready and AI-driven tools.
These initiatives underscore the momentum behind the Strategic Science and Technology Partnership signed earlier this year, signalling a deepening commitment from both nations to harness the promise of quantum technology and other pioneering fields.
