Queensland to lead the adoption of quantum and advanced technologies

• The Miles Government has committed $53 million in funding to ignite a new era of quantum and advanced technologies development and application in Queensland.
• Quantum technology could revolutionise environmental sustainability and materials science, sports technology and medicine.
• Queensland is the first Australian state to deliver a comprehensive quantum strategy.

The Miles Government has committed $53 million in funding across five grants programs to develop quantum and advanced technologies, with applications including Quantum computing, novel materials and biomedicine, under its nation-leading Queensland Quantum and Advanced Technologies Strategy.

Quantum science explores the behaviour of particles and energy at the atomic and sub-atomic scale, with the potential to transform industry.

The five grant programs spanned diverse goals including tackling decarbonisation and quantum-based innovations in sportstech ahead of the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games. 

The largest share of funding has been directed to the Quantum and Advanced Technologies Commercialisation Infrastructure Program ($28.1 million) to support the establishment of six new state-of-the-art facilities.

This critical infrastructure will enable the development and manufacturing of semiconductor devices, cryogenics-based quantum sensing and computing components, and advanced photonics.

Another significant investment ($10 million) was awarded to University of Queensland to establish the Queensland Quantum Decarbonisation Alliance. This alliance will bring together 27 partner organisations, leveraging Queensland’s investment in pioneering quantum computing company, PsiQuantum, to accelerate the development and application of quantum technologies to address pressing decarbonisation challenges.

The grant programs are part of an $89.7 million investment over five years for the Queensland Quantum and Advanced Technologies Strategy and the Queensland Quantum Academy.

The Queensland Quantum and Advanced Technologies Strategy looks to build on more than 30 years of Queensland quantum expertise to turn world-class science into practical applications across diverse industries.

A key priority of the Strategy is to increase the participation of women and other underrepresented groups, ensuring a more inclusive and diverse future for the industry.

The Miles Government also committed $6 million in the 2024-25 State Budget for the Queensland Quantum Academy.

The Academy initiatives are showcased through a virtual Quantum Academy web portal, designed to ensure that Queensland school, TAFE and university students have access to information and opportunity, helping to ensure that everyone can be part of quantum.

Quotes attributable to the Minister for Science and Innovation Leanne Linard:

“The Miles Government is committed to propelling quantum and advanced technologies forward, positioning Queensland as a major hub for quantum technology development and implementation in Australia and the Asia Pacific, and industry leaders on a global scale.

“Queensland is pioneering the quantum economy, reaffirmed by the $53 million provided through these five grant programs, to continue delivering deep technology solutions for global opportunities and challenges, from sportstech to decarbonisation.

“Quantum science and technology is predicted to bring billions of dollars in economic opportunity for Queensland, in the form of economic returns and high-paying jobs.

“The opportunity for Queensland to be a leader in the emerging quantum economy was seeded in the early 2000s under the Smart State Strategy, when the-then Beattie Government supported the establishment of the very first quantum centres of excellence whilst also fostering the nanotechnology capabilities needed to bring quantum out of the lab and into the real world.

“The collaboration behind developing quantum-driven solutions to accelerate Queensland's move towards decarbonisation is both exhilarating and important. I'm also excited to see how new quantum sensing technologies will enhance the health and performance coaching of athletes as we approach the year 2032."

Quotes attributable to Queensland Chief Scientist Professor Kerrie Wilson:

“I am excited to see the successful recipients under the five programs striving to make waves in the quantum and advanced technologies space. This investment from the Government underpins the importance of quantum technology for all Queenslanders, laying the foundation for a resilient and innovative economy ready for the future. 

“Queensland is home to some of the world’s most distinguished and innovative quantum scientists. By affirming our position as ‘The Quantum State’, with our proactive measures such as the Queensland Quantum and Advanced Technologies Strategy, we strengthen our role as industry leaders in the quantum age, ready to adapt, thrive and pave the way forward.

“We will continue to build on our world-leading research and innovation in related areas such as compound semiconductors and photonics, exploring more collaboration, research, development and implementation of quantum and advanced technologies for a better, stronger Queensland.”

Further information:

On 13 June 2024, five programs under the Queensland Quantum and Advanced Technologies Strategy were launched:

• Quantum and Advanced Technologies Commercialisation Infrastructure Program
• Quantum and Advanced Technologies Co-Investment Program
• Quantum Decarbonisation Mission
• Quantum 2032 Challenge
• Quantum and Advanced Technologies Talent Building Program

The Quantum and Advanced Technologies Co-Investment Program is an ongoing program and remains open. The other programs closed in July 2024.

A total of $53 million has been awarded (subject to recipients entering Grant Agreements with the State):

• $28.1 million (six grant awards) for the Quantum and Advanced Technologies Commercialisation Infrastructure Program:
  • $7.5 million to Griffith University to expand the Queensland Microtechnology Facility’s ability to fabricate power electronics products for industry and kick-start a new compound semiconductor industry in Queensland
  • $6.3 million to the University of Queensland for the National Advanced Photonics Facility, the first Australian commercial capability in manufacturing and processing nanophotonics and optomechanics
  • $4 million to CSIRO to enable the advanced packaging of integrated photonic chips, giving Queensland a unique ‘design to device’ fabrication capability for integrated photonics
  • $5.9 million to the University of Queensland for the National Quantum Computing Testbed Facility to support development of products for the global quantum computing supply chain
  • $3.4 million to the University of Southern Queensland for the National Cryogenic Electronics Measurement Facility, an Australian-first industry-accessible cryogenic facility for development of quantum products
  • $762,825 to the University of Queensland for the Queensland Photon Detector Characterisation Facility, to develop the next generation of visible and near infrared photon detectors for quantum sensing and computing applications, which will be unique in working at room temperature.
• $10 million (one grant award) for the Quantum Decarbonisation Mission:
  • $9,999,748 to the University of Queensland for the Queensland Quantum Decarbonisation Alliance, which combines four key quantum stakeholders (University of Queensland, Griffith University, PsiQuantum and CSIRO) with twenty-two other partner organisations spanning carbon-intensive industry, decarbonisation domain specialists and commercialisation experts to drive groundbreaking quantum decarbonisation solutions and position the State to be leaders in the application of fault tolerant quantum computing.
• $8.5 million (12 grant awards) for the Quantum 2032 Challenge:
  • $999,855 to the University of Queensland to develop quantum-enabled low field magnetic resonance imaging for high-performance sport
  • $594,331to Griffith University to advance quantum sensors for the ultrasensitive measurement of iron
  • $999,808 to the University of Queensland to develop low-cost portable quantum magnetoencephalography (MEG) for immediate concussion diagnosis of athletes on the sports field
  • $832,411 to the University of Southern Queensland to develop hybrid quantum-wearable sensor technology for monitoring and screening youth athletes' movements for injury prevention
  • $911,110 to the University of Queensland to develop a quantum exo-garment for unrivalled measurement of muscle function in sport
  • $498,029 to the University of Queensland to develop novel quantum sensors for the identification and detection of chemical and biochemical warfare agents
  • $461,110 to the Queensland University of Technology to use of quantum computing to develop a world-class real-time traffic management system to address congestion up to, at and as a legacy of Brisbane 2032
  • $999,933 to Central Queensland University to combining AI and quantum technologies for complex group communications in large-scale sport events.
  • $491,000 to the Queensland University of Technology for quantum sensing augmented real-time hydration and thermal regulation monitoring for peak performance and heat-related risk mitigation
  • $492,903 to Griffith University for quantum optimisation of pedestrian movements around stadiums and introducing transport planning agencies to quantum
  • $795,356 to the University of Queensland to apply atomic sensors to the monitoring of cardiac and brain electrical signals in athletes
  • $429,172 to the University of Queensland to pioneer new biochemical assays utilizing quantum sensors for ultra-sensitive anti-doping measures.
• $3.8 million for the Quantum and Advanced Technologies Talent Building Program:
  • A total of 88 scholarships available, including for Honours, Masters, and PhD students.
• $2.5 million for the Quantum and Advanced Technologies Co-Investment Program
  • $1,080,000 co-investing alongside our universities to support the Queensland node of Quantum Australia
  • $1,437,787 to support two Queensland applications to Stage 2 of the Australian Government’s Critical Technologies Challenge Program (to be announced if successful).
• The Quantum Academy web portal will help link Queenslanders to the skills and qualifications needed for the jobs of the future – see https://science.desi.qld.gov.au/industry/quantum/quantum-academy

More details on the specifics of each of the five grant programs is available at https://science.desi.qld.gov.au/industry/funding.

Recently, the Queensland Government also supported The University of Queensland’s successful bid to establish and lead the Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence in Quantum Biotechnology—the world’s first nation-spanning centre in this field.

CSIRO estimates that Australia’s economic return from quantum science could reach $2.2 billion and 8,700 jobs by 2030 and rise to nearly $6 billion and 19,400 jobs by 2045.

The Queensland and Australian Governments recently announced an almost $1 billion investment into the world’s leading quantum computing company, PsiQuantum, to build the world’s first fault tolerant quantum computer in Brisbane, creating up to 400 highly skilled jobs.

ENDS

Media contact: Scott Chandler – (07) 3719 7339