The National Quantum Computing Centre (NQCC) and the Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC) are delighted to announce the winners of the 2026 STFC Cross Cluster Proof of Concept: SparQ Quantum Computing call, delivered in partnership with the NQCC’s SparQ programme, with funding awarded to 13 projects exploring how quantum computing can address real-world challenges across the UK’s public, private and charitable sectors.

What is NQCC’s SparQ POC call?

The NQCC’s SparQ Proof of Concept (POC) call supports industry-led, collaborative R&D projects that bring together end-user organisations and quantum technology providers to explore, develop and demonstrate practical applications of quantum computing. Through NQCC-funded grants, supported by industry match funding, the call enables organisations to investigate relevant use cases, undertake application discovery and assess the potential value of quantum computing in addressing real-world challenges.

Delivered through the NQCC’s SparQ programme, projects can access support including Quantum Computing as a Service (QCaaS) and specialist application engineering expertise, where requested, to help develop and test applications, build organisational capability and progress towards a quantum-ready environment.

By combining targeted funding, industry collaboration and access to quantum computing resources and application engineering expertise, the POC call aims to accelerate early adoption, inform business planning and position UK organisations to realise the future economic and societal benefits of quantum computing.

SparQ POC and POC+ calls

For 2026, we introduced two tracks:

POC (standard three-month programme) and POC+ (new six-month option, designed to build on early-stage Proof-of-Concept projects). The SparQ POC+ projects have evolved to better accommodate applicants’ growing ambition to explore the possibilities of quantum computing in greater depth.  The POC+ projects will allow participants to take a deeper dive – exploring scalability, tailoring previous solutions using real-world data and gaining a better understanding of practical applications alongside end-users.