Mid Sussex MP joins District Council and Universal Quantum on tour of University of Sussex research facilities

Universal Quantum, a Haywards Heath based quantum computing company, originated from the university’s strategic research programmes.

Now the organisation is building quantum computers to tackle complex, real-world problems in everything from climate change to drug discovery.

“Quantum computers will tackle problems that would take today’s most powerful supercomputers billions of years to solve,” said Dr Sebastian Weidt, CEO and co-founder of Universal Quantum.

He said that to ‘unlock the full potential’ of quantum computing and change the world, the copmpany needs millions of quantum bits (qubits).

“We’ve been focused on creating a million-qubit quantum computer from day one,” he said.

Professor Winfried Hensinger, chief scientist at Universal Quantum added: “The world is entering a new quantum era with quantum computing predicted to create $850 billion of value in the next 15 to 30 years.”

“With the right support our region could play a leading role in this new industry sector,” he said.

Mid Sussex MP Mims Davies said: “I was delighted to visit the University of Sussex to see and understand the tremendous capabilities these computers have and the vital jobs and opportunities they will bring to our area.”

She said the impact and advances these computers could make would be ‘phenomenal’.

“We are incredibly lucky in Mid Sussex to have this technology being built on our doorstep,” said Ms Davies.

Mid Sussex District Council leader Jonathan Ash-Edwards said: “We have worked hard in Mid Sussex to attract and establish centres of excellence and we are proud to now be able to say that we have clusters of specialists in everything from digital and creative industries through life sciences and fintech to Quantum computing.”

He added: “As an authority MSDC stands ready to support further investment through £1.1 billion worth of opportunity sites, which will shortly also include the region’s first science and technology park.”

MSDC’s inwards investment programme, Opportunity Mid Sussex (opportunitymidsussex.co.uk), aims to attract more scientists, engineers, and entrepreneurs to join Universal Quantum and others already based in the area.

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