Four UCL semiconductor research projects awarded coveted places on national incubator programme, ChipStartUK

Ventures founded by UCL researchers have been awarded four of the 12 places available on the 2026 ChipStart UK programme, the government-backed programme designed to accelerate the UK’s most promising early-stage semiconductor companies.

The selection places UCL at the centre of a growing national effort to strengthen semiconductor capability and showcases the impact of long term translational support for research teams.

Commercial partnership

The ChipStart UK Semiconductor Incubator is a UK government initiative providing technical, commercial and investor support to help the most promising early-stage semiconductor companies develop and scale chip technologies.

Delivered by SiliconCatalyst.UK and funded by the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT), the programme aims to strengthen the UK semiconductor ecosystem by translating advanced research into high-growth businesses.

The four ventures from UCL are seeking to commercialise semiconductor research for applications in space and quantum computing, and originate from the UCL Department of Electronic and Electrical Engineering (UCL EEE) and London Centre for Nanotechnology (LCN):

 

• Abacqus (Professor Neil Curson, Dr. Taylor Stock, Associate Professor Mark Buitelaar from UCL EEE / LCN) is creating building blocks for a quantum computer by precisely placing tiny amounts of impurities into silicon. The aim is to make lots of reliable quantum bits (qubits) in a way that can be manufactured using standard chip-making methods.

• Orbicom (Dr. Yilmaz Gul, Professor Sir Mike Pepper, Dr. Stuart Holmes from UCL EEE / LCN) is developing a new kind of qubit made in semiconductor chips that should hold information for longer and be easier to control. This could help make future quantum processors more stable and practical.

• Altro Photonics (Dr. Farah Comis, Dr. Alfonso Ruocco from UCL EEE) is building mini “light-based” circuits on a chip that can move and process data faster and more efficiently. These chips are designed to be a core technology for the next generation of both today’s and tomorrow’s quantum data centres.

• Nibras Communications (Dr. Amany Kassem, Professor Zhixin Liu (pictured below), Dr Zichuan Liu, Alex Bennett from UCL EEE) is designing extremely “clean” light signals with very little background interference. These signal sources are intended to improve reliability and performance in satellites and other demanding communications systems.

As part of the twelve-month programme, the companies will receive a range of tools and guidance including; hands-on mentorship, tailored training on a range of subjects, reduced-cost access to electronic design automation tools and services, investment and fundraising support and greater public exposure.

UCLB’s impact

UCLB worked with the four ventures founders over two years to protect their IP, secure early-stage Proof of Concept awards, provide mentoring and make introductions to founder and investor networks. All four ventures participated in UCLB’s ‘Ideas to Opportunities’ (I-O) entrepreneur coaching programme.

Marina Santilli, Interim Director (Physical Sciences & Engineering), UCLB, said: “This success is testament to how these academics have added commercial know-how to their research excellence through the support of UCLB business managers in seeking out appropriate external programmes to complement our in-house expertise and our appointment of industry mentors. We will be alongside the teams as they progress through the ChipStartUK programme and move towards becoming the next generation of high-growth spinout businesses leading the UK’s semiconductor industry.”

Professor John Mitchell, Head of UCL EEE, added: “This recognition is a clear signal of UCL’s role in driving innovation at the heart of the UK’s semiconductor ecosystem. These four startups reflect the strength of our applied research and the growing impact of our academic–industry partnerships. From materials and fabrication to scalable systems, UCL EEE is helping deliver the technologies and companies that will power the UK’s future semiconductor capability.”

Dr. Farah Comis (UCL EEE), Co-founder of Altro Photonics, shared: “UCLB has been incredibly supportive along the way, helping to guide our idea and offering valuable resources, such as events that have been essential in shaping our progress.”

Strong UCL pipeline

The four UCL-supported ventures progressed through multiple competitive rounds, drawn from around 40 submissions across the UK. Notably, all of UCL’s entries were accepted, underscoring the strength of the semiconductor research pipeline within UCL.

In addition, two of the selected ventures are led by female founders, reflecting the diversity and breadth of leadership emerging from UCL’s semiconductor research community.