Quantum Advantage TurboCHarger
Advancing quantum software for useful and trustworthy quantum computing
Launched in April 2026
The Quantum Advantage TurboCHarger (QATCH) is a four-year, £20 million research programme (2026–2030), led by the Quantum Software Lab, at the University of Edinburgh in close collaboration with the National Quantum Computing Centre (NQCC).
Building on the Quantum Advantage Pathfinder (QAP) programme, QATCH brings together fundamental research, quantum software–hardware co-design and application-driven innovation to accelerate progress towards practical quantum computing.
Supporting the UK's National Quantum Mission
The UK's first National Quantum Mission aims to deliver quantum computers capable of performing one trillion quantum operations by 2035, enabling applications that offer substantial benefits beyond classical supercomputing.
Achieving this ambition requires more than advances in quantum hardware. It also depends on algorithms that solve meaningful problems, software that integrates quantum and classical computing, and rigorous methods for verifying results and assessing performance.
QATCH addresses these challenges as part of a coordinated national effort, developing the software capabilities needed to make quantum computing useful, reliable and accessible.
From Pathfinder to TurboCHarger
The Quantum Advantage Pathfinder established QSL's approach to quantum software and hardware co-design, connecting theoretical research with emerging hardware and real-world problems. QATCH builds on these foundations, moving from pathfinding towards coordinated research and delivery at national scale.
The Quantum Advantage Pathfinder established QSL's approach to quantum software and hardware co-design, connecting theoretical research with emerging hardware and real-world problems. QATCH builds on these foundations, moving from pathfinding towards coordinated research and delivery at national scale.
At the heart of the programme is a continuous feedback process: application challenges inform research, new algorithms and software are evaluated on quantum hardware and classical computing platforms, and the results guide further development. This approach connects scientific exploration with practical needs while ensuring that progress is supported by measurable evidence.
Core Research Programme
QATCH brings together nine interconnected work packages organised into three research pillars:
Pillar 1 — Quantum Advantage Engine
Developing quantum algorithms, quantum machine learning and quantum simulation methods to identify and realise computational advantages over classical approaches.
Pillar 2 — HPC & Fault-Tolerant Architecture
Developing the programming tools, hybrid quantum-classical computing systems and networked architectures needed to integrate quantum processors with high-performance computing and support future fault-tolerant machines.
Pillar 3 — Performance Evaluation
Advancing verification, benchmarking, quantum error correction, compilation and resource estimation to establish confidence in quantum computations and assess their performance and scalability.Together, these pillars connect methods, systems and evaluation tools across the quantum software stack.
Application-Driven Research and Innovation
QATCH connects its three research pillars with six application sectors, creating a continuous exchange between fundamental research and real-world challenges. The sectors help shape research priorities, identify opportunities for application-relevant quantum advantage, and provide environments in which emerging methods can be evaluated and advanced towards practical use.
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The programme focuses on six Application Sectors:
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Healthcare & Life Sciences
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Materials & Manufacturing
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Cybersecurity
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Finance
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Energy
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AI & Data Science
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Co-led by experts in their respective fields, the application sectors work closely with QSL's quantum software researchers, the NQCC, and academic and industry partners to identify practical challenges that inform the development, testing and evaluation of quantum methods.
Working alongside these sectors, QATCH's Innovation Labs initiative brings together academic researchers, dedicated Innovation Fellows and industry partners through focused, collaborative projects to develop software prototypes and proofs of concept. The initiative also supports promising ideas emerging from fundamental research beyond the six application sectors, helping to advance research towards practical validation and tangible outcomes aligned with National Quantum Mission 1.
Cross-College Research and Global Collaboration
QATCH builds on QSL's established collaborations with the NQCC, national quantum research hubs including QCI3 and IQN, and high-performance computing centres such as EPCC and the Hartree Centre. It also works with a wider network of academic collaborators and more than 35 industry partners in the UK and internationally.
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The programme brings together researchers from across the University of Edinburgh's College of Science and Engineering, connecting quantum computing with expertise in mathematics, physics, chemistry, engineering and data science.
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Through these collaborations, QATCH aims to strengthen the UK's quantum software capability, support the next generation of quantum researchers and innovators, and contribute to the delivery of National Quantum Mission 1.
Programme Lead
Petros Wallden, Quantum Algorithms
Mina Doosti, Quantum Machine Learning
Steven Thomson, Quantum Simulation
Oliver Brown, HPC and QC integration
Myrto Arapinis, Quantum Networks
Chris Heunen, Quantum Programming
Elham Kashefi, Verification and Benchmarking
Joschka Roffe, Quantum Error Correction
Raul Garcia-Patron, FT compilation and Resources
Julien Michel, Materials and Manufacturing
Ava Khamesh, Healthcare and Life Sciences
Alex Cojocaru, Cybersecurity
Lukasz Szpruch, Finance
Chris Dent, Energy
Vaishak Belle, AI and Data Science