QuSIT is introducing a new grant funding scheme, enabled by funding from the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC), to support the delivery of National Quantum Strategy (NQS) Missions outcomes.
Opportunity details
Opportunity status: Open
Funders: EPSRC via QuSIT
Funding type: Grant
Total fund: £743,000
Award range: £30,000 to £200,000
Application closing date: 29 May 2026, 14:00 (BST)
Project start date: 01 July 2026 onwards
Project end date: Must be completed by 30 March 2027
QuSIT is introducing a new grant funding scheme, enabled by funding from the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC), to accelerate partnerships that support the delivery of National Quantum Strategy (NQS) Missions outcomes.
The full economic cost (FEC) can be up to £200,000 per project, funded at 100% FEC to eligible organisations. Projects must end before 30/03/2027, and no extensions will be allowed.
The QuSIT ACF grant includes funding opportunities in two strands.
Strand A – Mission Technology, Post Field Trial Accelerator
QuSIT ACF Strand A will fund projects which build upon findings from prior out-of-laboratory trials. Each proposed project should drive new and strengthen existing industry partnerships, by pursuing targeted research to address identified barriers to use in applications, adoption and new use case opportunities.
Strand B – New Contributor Mission Technology Accelerator
QuSIT ACF Strand B will fund projects which accelerate new academic partnerships that pursue research critical to technology development supporting Mission outcomes. Example themes include, but are not limited to, relevant underpinning technologies, research to address technical barriers, and new modalities.
Full information on the requirements for proposals to either strand is available in the following sections: Who can apply; What we are looking for; How to apply.
Strand A – Mission Technology, Post Field Trial Accelerator
All researchers eligible for EPSRC funding, and pursuing research relevant to quantum sensing, imaging and timing and their exploitation, are eligible. We expect some projects to be led by Early Career Research staff. Strand A proposals must include in-kind or cash contributions from an end user or exploitation partner.
Strand B – New Contributor Mission Technology Accelerator
All researchers eligible for EPSRC funding, and pursuing research relevant to quantum sensing, imaging and timing and their exploitation, are eligible. We expect some projects to be led by Early Career Research staff. Strand B proposals must include an academic investigator that is not currently a member of the QuSIT consortium.
Each proposal can only be submitted towards a single strand, either Strand A or B.
The UK Quantum Technology Research Hub in Sensing, Imaging and Timing (QuSIT) is focused on building a major inflection point for UK quantum sensing, imaging and timing capability, to enable economic growth and drive a safer, healthier and more productive society.
The QuSIT ACF aims to accelerate partnerships that expedite the capability of quantum sensing, imaging and timing technologies to directly support delivery of National Quantum Strategy (NQS) Missions outcomes. It is designed to bring in new industrial and academic partners, while developing existing partnerships and convening the community and augmenting the hub capability to address Mission goals.
Within this call, we are looking for proposals that pursue targeted research to address barriers that have been identified in field trials (Strand A), or for academic partnerships that pursue research critical to technology development directed towards Mission outcomes (Strand B).
We expect all funded proposals to be aligned with the overall principles of QuSIT, summarised as follows:
QuSIT is committed to leading on equality, diversity and inclusion, trusted research and responsible research and innovation across the portfolio of its activities.
In working for our purpose, we expect all the QuSIT team and ACF awardees will:
- Focus on delivery, impact, economic growth, and positive societal outcomes
- Work together with the UK NQTP and beyond, to benefit the UK and the public
- Support everyone in our team, being respectful, challenging, and kind
- Put quality over quantity in all our activities
- Be honest, trustworthy and responsible in all our relationships and pursuits
Strand A – Mission Technology, Post Field Trial Accelerator (£432k)
The aim of this Strand is to address research barriers to adoption that have already been identified through trials performed in application-relevant environments (field trials), in the context of quantum sensing, imaging and timing. We are seeking proposals that bring together partnerships that will work with QuSIT to address this aim. Proposals should lead to further demonstrations with refinements to the instrument or approach.
Proposals in this strand should clearly articulate the research barrier they are addressing, how it has been identified in practice, and how their proposal will address the barrier and assess to what extent it has been addressed.
Proposals must either create new or strengthen existing industry partnerships and can include new academic partners.
Only activities with a meaningful contribution from end users or exploitation partners will be considered for funding, leveraging investment and driving the exploitation pathway. Support from end users may include test facilities access, dedicated staff time, and financial support for HEI teams through staff or equipment costs.
Strand B – New Contributor Mission Technology Accelerator (£311k)
The aim of this strand is to create new academic research partnerships that accelerate the ability of QuSIT to address Mission outcomes, in the context of quantum sensing, imaging and timing and their exploitation. We are seeking proposals that address this aim through creating partnerships with QuSIT that drive research in areas such as, but not limited to, addressing technical barriers; relevant underpinning technologies; and novel approaches in quantum sensing, imaging and timing.
Proposals can be in the form of early-stage studies, feasibility studies, or targeted research that aligns with an existing work stream of QuSIT or develops a new end-user supported technology area.
Proposals must create a partnership that brings a new academic investigator to QuSIT. Furthermore, projects should pursue industrial support (e.g. leveraging private or other investment) and evidence a pathway to exploitation.
Proposed work must provide a direct contribution to one or more of these six areas:
- An advance in UK quantum science and engineering skills and research output in quantum sensing with relevance to networked quantum sensors, situational awareness and critical infrastructure for transport, telecoms, energy and defence sectors
- Widespread and accelerated adoption of quantum sensing systems with relevance to situational awareness and critical infrastructure for transport, telecoms, energy and defence sectors
- A strengthened UK supply chain for materials, components and sub-systems relevant to networked quantum sensors, situational awareness and critical infrastructure for transport, telecoms, energy and defence sectors
- Grow the UK community and research base around areas of pressing clinical need, through quantum sensing-enabled solutions
- Drive economic growth and supporting new businesses with relevance to NHS Trusts deriving benefit from quantum sensing-enabled solutions
- Deliver benefits to NHS and patients from quantum sensing-enabled solutions
Proposals should complement the scope of QuSIT’s research.
Applications for ACF grants will be submitted via written proposals.
The proposal submission is a two-step process as follows:
- Click the ‘Submit your application’ button at the bottom of this page, which will take you to a QuSIT ACF 2026 Call Microsoft Form. Complete the form by filling in your basic contact information, proposal title and total requested cost.
- Upon submitting the form, you will receive an automated email with instructions on how to submit your proposal as a PDF file.
Your written proposal must include the following sections:
- Statement of alignment with Strand A or B and QuSIT (50 words)
- Vision (1000 words)
- Objectives (list)
- Approach (1000 words)
- Include dated tangible deliverables, at least one of which must be due before 01/10/2026. Include Key Performance Indicators.
- Work Plan (max 1 page figure)
- Team and partners (500 words)
- Resources and costs (250 words)
- Impact and exploitation plan (250 words)
- Proposed arising intellectual property use and ownership arrangements (200 words)
- Responsible Research and Innovation and Ethics (250 words)
- Letter(s) of support, each including an estimation of the financial value of the support.
Word limits are a guided maximum. You may include images, graphs and tables.
The proposal should be saved as a PDF file. If you are including letters of support, these should also be saved as PDF files and submitted simultaneously with the proposal.
Please note: If you wish to apply for both Strand A and Strand B funding, you should submit two separate applications.
Criteria applied to the selection process will include:
- Extent to which the project accelerates partnerships with QuSIT that directly support delivery of the NQS Missions.
- Extent to which the project drives outcomes which achieve the aims of the NQS Missions.
- Alignment to the aims of Strand A or B, and to the sensing Missions, and, in addition, for Strand B direct contribution to one or more of the six stated areas.
- Where applicable, evidence of meaningful contributions by end users and exploitation entities, and the ambition of follow-on plans (technical/commercial), should the project be successful.
- Details of SMART objectives and individual KPIs, and suitability for interim reporting in October 2026. (SMART – Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, Time-bound)
Assessment Process
This competition will be carried out in accordance with the principles of Peer Review upheld by UKRI: Notably, the assessment and decision-making panel will be formed from the independent QuSIT Technology Adoption Panel, including EPSRC representative, and QuSIT and external academic experts. Outcomes will be decided by the QuSIT Management Board, a representative of EPSRC and the independent chair of the Technology Adoption Panel. All individuals and organisations involved in the assessment and decision process are expected to treat in confidence all applications and related data including intellectual property and application documents.
Each funding outcome will be communicated by email to the applicant using the submitted applicant contact details within a reasonable timeframe, once the final funding decision is made. On applicant’s request within a reasonable timeframe, applicants will have an opportunity to see any anonymised reviewer comments gathered. A list of all funded applications will be published on www.qusit.org.
For enquiries, please email [email protected] using the subject line “ACF – questions”
