Building a working quantum computer that can be scaled up has been a tough goal for decades. Now, it’s one of the most ambitious tech projects around. Big tech companies, governments, and startups have put billions into research, all because they want machines that can handle problems that even the best supercomputers can’t touch. In this global competition, a UK startup called Quantum Motion is getting attention for doing something big: making the first quantum computer using regular silicon chips.
Quantum computers don’t process info like regular computers. Instead of bits (0s or 1s), they use qubits. Qubits can be in several states at once because of quantum mechanics. This, along with something called entanglement, lets quantum computers do calculations way faster than regular machines. Building these quantum systems has been really tough, until now.
Quantum Motion’s innovation uses **standard silicon chips**. It’s the usual material and process that the semiconductor industry uses. Before, quantum computing needed weird materials or new ways to build things, which made scaling up tricky. By using silicon, Quantum Motion makes it easier to build quantum hardware using the expertise and tools already in the chip industry.
Quantum Motion, started in 2017 by top professors from UCL and Oxford, has been quietly making progress. Their goal has always been to create workable quantum processors using regular silicon chip production. The founders felt quantum systems should move out of specialized labs and use the mass production of the semiconductor industry.
Now, their first silicon quantum computer is up and running at the UK’s National Quantum Computing Centre. Quantum Motion is showing that their idea can work. The company’s prototype shows that qubits can be made and managed inside normal silicon chips, which sets the stage for making many quantum computers. Quantum Motion’s achievement also comes at a time when nations around the world are fiercely competing to establish themselves as leaders in quantum technology. The United States, China, Germany, and Canada have all announced major investments in quantum research.
The success of Quantum Motion gives the UK a tangible advantage. Rather than merely participating in the race, the UK now has a homegrown success story that could attract more investment, talent, and collaboration. It also signals that Europe, often overshadowed by the US and China in tech, can play a leading role in this critical area.
Even with this success, some problems remain. Quantum computers are fragile. Qubits can easily make mistakes because of outside noise, so we need better ways to fix these errors. Going from a test model to a real system with thousands or millions of qubits is very hard. Also, even though silicon has some good things about it, it still has tech problems like keeping qubits steady and accurate for long periods, which have caused problems for other methods.
Quantum Motion will have to compete with big tech companies such as Google, IBM, and Microsoft, which have tons of money and are already ahead in their quantum projects. Still, the startup’s method of using silicon could help them stand out, mostly if it fits what industries need for cheap and scalable answers.
