Quantum Base Secures £700,000 UKRI Research Fellowship

Insider Brief

• Quantum Base has secured a £700,000 UKRI Future Leaders Fellowship Grant to fund a four-year research programme led by its Head of Materials Science, Dr William Thom.
• The Q-MAT programme will focus on developing quantum materials for the company’s Q-ID authentication technology, with research covering glass, metals and polymers.
• The funding is expected to cover approximately 70% of the cost of a dedicated research team, while any intellectual property generated through the programme will belong to Quantum Base.

PRESS RELEASE — Quantum Base (AIM: QUBE), the quantum science company focused on creating a new global standard in authentication, is pleased to announce that it has been awarded a UK Research and Innovation (“UKRI”) Future Leaders Fellowship Grant (the “Grant”), with Dr William Thom, Head of Materials Science at Quantum Base, receiving the Fellowship.

The Grant provides £0.7 million of non-dilutive funding to support a four-year research programme, led by Dr Thom, during the period 1 November 2026 to 31 October 2030, with the potential to be extended for a further three years.

Highlights

• £0.7 million of non-dilutive funding awarded through the highly competitive UKRI Future Leaders Fellowship, supporting a four-year research programme titled ‘Next-Generation Quantum Materials for Intrinsic Authentication (Q-MAT)’ with the option for a further three-year extension.
• Funding is expected to recover approximately 70% of the cost of a dedicated research team already included within the Group’s cost base, reducing net operating costs while increasing investment into innovation.
• The research programme will focus on developing the next generation of quantum materials underpinning Q-ID®, extending the technology across new substrates including glass, metals and polymers.
• Successful development could broaden the addressable market for Q-ID®, supporting entry into new applications including high-tech manufacturing, aerospace components, polymer banknotes and more.
• The research will be led by Dr Thom at Quantum Base’s Lancaster facility, with all intellectual property generated through the programme to be owned by the Company.
• Future Leaders Fellowships are awarded to outstanding researchers and innovators with the potential to become leaders in their field, representing a significant endorsement of Dr Thom, Quantum Base’s scientific platform and its research team.