Quantum platform and foundry operator IonQ (NYSE: IONQ) and the University of Cambridge have officially opened the IonQ Quantum Innovation Centre at the Ray Dolby Centre, the new home of Cambridge’s Cavendish Laboratory.
The facility establishes a physical hub for the university’s largest corporate research partnership. As part of the site’s technical infrastructure, IonQ plans to deploy a 256-qubit Superion quantum computer and an on-campus entanglement-distribution quantum network comprising two Quantum Networking Data Centres and three Quantum Networking Nodes. Additionally, Innovate UK will provide allocation access and computing time on the hardware for the National Quantum Computing Centre (NQCC) over a three-year period.
| [ Inaugural Research Portfolio & Technical Scope ] | ||
|---|---|---|
| Research Category | Academic & Industry Partners | Project Focus & Technical Deliverables |
| • Hardware & Photonics | • Cavendish Laboratory & Dept. of Engineering | • Development of microscopic collection mirrors for trapped-ion optical interconnects, quantum memory chips, and frequency-conversion nodes. |
| • Life Sciences & Medicine | • Milner Therapeutics Institute | • Analysis of complex biological networks to identify target mechanisms for novel cancer therapies. |
| • Finance & Engineering | • Cambridge Judge Business School & Computer Science | • Quantum algorithmic modeling for risk-adjusted portfolio construction and structural mechanical force simulations. |
| • Network Infrastructure | • IonQ & NQCC (via Innovate UK) | • Expansion and strengthening of the regional Cambridge-to-Bristol quantum communication network. |
The Joint Steering Committee has selected nine inaugural research projects spanning hardware engineering, quantum networking, chemistry, and drug discovery. The initiative aligns with the UK National Quantum Strategy, supporting new academic posts, postdoctoral fellowships, and PhD positions to expand the regional quantum workforce.
The launch builds upon the initial March 2026 agreement between IonQ and the University of Cambridge, as well as IonQ’s deployment of its sixth-generation Superion QPU architecture.
Review the official partnership announcement on the IonQ Newsroom here.
October 15, 2026