Glasgow innovators awarded UKRI Future Leaders Fellowships to advance quantum technologies

Two Glasgow based innovators have been awarded UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) Future Leaders Fellowships, supporting the development of quantum technologies with potential applications in computing and healthcare.

Dr Stavroula Kapoulea, co-founder and Chief Operating Officer at University of Glasgow spinout Kelvin Quantum, and Dr Carolyn O’Dwyer, Senior Researcher at Fraunhofer UK are among 28 business and non-academic fellows selected in the latest round of the programme.

The fellowships provide long-term funding and support to help researchers and innovators develop ambitious technologies, build collaborations and strengthen their leadership capabilities.

At Kelvin Quantum, Dr Kapoulea has been awarded £1.65 million to lead the four-year CONQRETE project, developing ultra-cold semiconductor electronics to address one of the key challenges in quantum computing: scalability. Working with research and industry partners, the project aims to bring control and readout electronics into the ultra-cold environment where quantum processors operate, supporting the development of more scalable quantum computing systems.

At Fraunhofer UK, Dr O’Dwyer will spend the next four years developing a new generation of quantum magnetic sensors for brain imaging. Bringing together expertise in quantum technologies and medical technology, the research aims to advance magnetic sensing capabilities with the potential to improve brain imaging and neurological diagnosis.

Both projects demonstrate Scotland’s contribution to advances in quantum technologies and their wider applications, with clear connections to the quantum, semiconductor, and sensing & connectivity capabilities within Scotland’s Critical Technologies Supercluster.

Read more:

Kelvin Quantum announcement

Innovate UK Business Connect announcement