Scottish photonics company Skylark Lasers has been awarded £2.34 million from Innovate UK to accelerate the revolution of ship and rail navigation.
It is the largest single amount awarded for investment in quantum technology in Scotland.
A study by Innovate UK revealed that a global navigation satellite systems failure could cost the UK upwards of £500m per day.
Dr Ben Szutor, CEO at the Edinburgh-based company, said Scotland is at the forefront of worldwide laser innovation and the funding will enable Skylark Lasers to develop as a pioneer in the development of quantum technologies:
“We are excited to continue our development efforts within the fields of quantum technologies,” he said.
“This is a milestone moment for Skylark Lasers as this new funding will enable the full-scale commercialisation of our quantum portfolio.
“These innovations have the potential to revolutionise the ship & rail navigation, civil engineering, and underground resource exploration sectors which will have a significant influence on global supply chain efficiencies.
“This funding will provide the vital push to create production-ready quantum enabled tools and propel the UK’s capabilities on a global level.”
Alastair Moore, senior investment manager at Par Equity, said: “It’s brilliant to see Skylark Lasers recognised as one of the most innovative companies in the UK’s quantum technology ecosystem through the award of this transformational grant.
“This complements the progress that the team has delivered over the past two years in developing and bringing to market its high-power lasers for scientific and industrial applications.
Skylark Laser’s client list includes research institutions and organisations such as world-leading equipment manufacturers and academic institutions, the University of New Mexico, KAUST, Linköping University, and the University of Wisconsin-Madison. At the forefront of its sector, Skylark Lasers has begun exploring applications within the field of quantum sensing.