Digital Catapult and the National Quantum Computing Centre (NQCC) have picked 11 organisations for the third cohort of the Quantum Technology Access Programme (QTAP), pulling banking, healthcare and infrastructure heavyweights into hands-on trials with a real photonic quantum computer.
Finance And Healthcare Enter The Programme
For the first time, QTAP is applying quantum innovation to financial services. NatWest will explore whether quantum optimisation and machine learning can detect fraud and money laundering across large transaction networks, while CTA Fintech Solutions will study cross-system optimisation of legacy-to-cloud transaction flows. In healthcare, Health Innovation North West Coast will evaluate quantum computing for diagnostic and outcome modelling in thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura, a life-threatening blood disorder.
ORCA's PT-2 On The Test Bench
Participants get direct access to ORCA Computing's PT-2, a room-temperature photonic quantum computer deployed on-premises at the NQCC, alongside cloud-based simulators for live hardware benchmarking. The two use-case streams for this cohort are combinatorial optimisation — targeting logistics, resource allocation and scheduling — and quantum machine learning for data analysis and pattern discovery.
Eleven Sectors, One Sovereign Push
The full cohort spans finance, healthcare, transport, defence, logistics and infrastructure. Alongside NatWest, RSSB and Health Innovation North West Coast, participants include CTA Fintech Solutions, TCS Innovations, Bandarlog.dev, Pixon Chemie, Dundi Corp, Archborn, Build Insite and PontePatros. Digital Catapult Director of Technology Strategy Paul Ceely said the programme aims to bridge the gap between quantum experts, technologists and industry leaders, while NQCC Deputy Director for Innovation Simon Plant framed SparQ as central to building the UK's sovereign quantum capability.
Runs Until February 2027
QTAP's third cohort runs through February 2027 in a hybrid format, building on prior participants such as Vodafone, Airbus, Rolls-Royce, the Port of Dover and the UK Atomic Energy Authority. The launch aligns with a broader UK push into practical quantum computing — echoing recent moves covered in our story on Infleqtion's Chicago quantum innovation centre and the Aliro/Cisco entanglement-based QKD deployment.
Reporting based on coverage from Digital Catapult, NQCC, The Quantum Insider and HPCwire.