The new £500 million 'Glasgow City Innovation District’ (GCID) launched last week promising to create thousands of jobs for the city region. It will also be home to M Squared's Quantum Centre enabling us to scale the team and accelerate the commercialisation process of applications in quantum timekeeping, sensing and computing.
This government-backed initiative was announced by Derek McKay, Scotland’s Finance Minister at the University of Strathclyde on 01 February 2019. This innovation district is set to transform the way academia, business and industry work together, supporting long-term growth while providing pace and direction for Scotland’s modern economy.
Speaking at the launch, which took place at the University of Strathclyde, Mackay said: “This is an exciting, ambitious project, one that could have a significant economic and social impact for Glasgow, the surrounding areas and Scotland.”
Glasgow’s Innovation District follows in the footsteps of similar projects in Barcelona and Stockholm; hubs of excellence built to encompass researchers, high-growth businesses, along with science, technology and creative start-ups.
In recent years, Glasgow has cemented its position as a globally significant ecosystem pioneering frontier technology, not least within the emerging quantum industry. The Innovation District will now enable this thriving community to scale.
We are delighted to announce that M Squared will be right at the heart of the action, transferring its quantum division into the new, Inovo building. The move will see our quantum physicists, software and hardware engineers, and members of the leadership team set up shop within the new premises.
The Inovo building will lay the foundations for M Squared to accelerate its growth journey at the forefront of the global quantum sector and provide greater access to not only physical space but the talent and knowledge-sharing that progress in quantum demands.
With an existing presence at the Strathclyde University Technology & Innovation Centre (TIC), the move into the Inovo building will facilitate yet more seamless and efficient collaboration with the University of Strathclyde, now our adjacent neighbours.
Having completed his PhD in Diode-Pumped Solid-State Lasers at the University of Strathclyde in 1992, our CEO and founder, Dr Graeme Malcolm OBE has since held positions as Visiting Professor and Entrepreneur in residence at the university. Praising the commitment to Glasgow’s impressive collective of scientists and entrepreneurs, Graeme said:
“The new developments in the area offer the perfect setting for our company to maintain its growth trajectory, particularly in the quantum field.
“The Innovation District represents the heart of high-tech innovation in Glasgow and the UK more broadly. M Squared already holds a presence and working relationship with the University of Strathclyde – and having completed my PhD there – I understand first-hand how invaluable access and proximity to research facilities can be.
“We are an ambitious and high-growth business, and being located in the innovation district gives us an ideal opportunity to scale the company at pace while collaborating with other regional innovators.”
Find out more about the Glasgow City Innovation District
