Aquark Technologies, a UK-based company specializing in miniaturized sensing and timing technologies using cold atoms, announced the receipt of a £1.4 million contract from Innovate UK. The agreement supports the deployment of AQlock, a compact, GNSS-independent atomic clock, at a major UK telecommunications site.
AQlock provides a quantum-based, resilient timing solution for positioning, navigation, and timing (PNT) without relying on satellites. The Innovate UK collaboration aims to demonstrate AQlock’s readiness for large-scale use and its potential to enhance national network performance.
The selection followed Aquark’s participation in the Contract for Innovation: Quantum Sensors and PNT Missions Primer. The company has conducted successful trials with the National Physical Laboratory (NPL) and the Royal Navy, in addition to securing prior Innovate UK contracts and a £1.9M Future Leaders’ Fellowship. NPL and Purbrook will act as subcontractors, with deployment planned for March 2026.
Modern critical infrastructure depends on precise timing systems that are compact, transportable, and robust. Current solutions are often costly and complex, increasing vulnerability to GNSS outages that can cause losses exceeding £1 billion per day. The new project contributes to the UK’s National Quantum Strategy, advancing infrastructure resilient to satellite disruptions.
“It is vital that we protect our telecoms – not just for the benefit of daily civilian life, but also for our national security and economy. It’s therefore an honour to work alongside Innovate UK to bring this project to life,” said Alexander Jantzen, COO and Co-Founder of Aquark Technologies. “With AQlock 2, we will reduce the UK’s reliance on satellite signals that are vulnerable to jamming, spoofing, solar storms and more. This will help protect millions from the power outages, emergency services and supply chain disruption our networks are at risk of today, as well as address the huge economic losses that can occur as a result.”
Using vacuum technology, microfabrication, and a patented atom cooling method, AQlock 2 aims to deliver scalable, portable quantum timing systems. The project will reinforce the UK’s telecom resilience and strengthen the nation’s position in quantum sensing innovation.