This long‑term initiative will support more than 70 early‑career researchers across the three universities, including PhD students and postdoctoral fellows, beginning in 2026. QRT’s generous gift establishes a collaborative framework designed to advance research at the frontiers of mathematics, statistics, computer science and engineering. 

At a time of rapid progress in artificial intelligence and large‑scale computational methods, the need for rigorous mathematical and computational foundations has never been greater. QRT Labs responds to this need by supporting university‑led research into both fundamental questions and practical challenges, informed by real‑world insight from QRT’s researchers and technologists. 

Three dedicated QRT Labs are being established, one at each partner institution. At Cambridge, the programme will contribute to research on key issues in areas such as complex systems, data‑driven decision‑making and the mathematical structures underpinning modern AI. The initiative also creates new opportunities for structured scientific exchange, including seminars, shared events and an annual conference across the participating universities and QRT. 

Speaking about the launch, Professor Ivan Smith, Head of the Department of Pure Mathematics and Mathematical Statistics, said: 

"Large complex systems abound in mathematics, in data, and in society more generally. It is essential to understand them from both theoretical viewpoints, from the perspectives of analysis, geometry and probability, and from more practical viewpoints, based on computation, machine learning and statistics.  

“We are extremely grateful to QRT for their support, and for launching this exciting new collaboration which will bring insights from across the mathematical spectrum into problems which are both foundational and of profound importance.” 

QRT Labs will operate as a single, coordinated programme while preserving academic independence within each centre. By fostering collaboration across three world‑leading universities and providing sustained support for early‑career researchers, QRT’s gift will help accelerate long‑term scientific discovery with broad societal impact. 

Reflecting on the opportunities Cambridge x QRT Labs will create, Professor Nick Dorey, Head of the Department of Applied Mathematics and Theoretical Physics, said: 

“This partnership will allow early‑career researchers to engage with problems at the frontier of mathematics, physics and computation. With its focus on the mathematical foundations of AI, the program addresses important scientific questions which are also relevant to society as a whole.  

“By combining academic independence with sustained collaboration across the three universities, QRT Labs will help to shape the mathematical ideas that will define the next decade of scientific and technological progress.” 

Reflecting on the importance of this new collaboration, Laurent Laizet, co‑founder and Chief Investment Officer at Qube Research & Technologies, said:  

“QRT Labs reflects our belief that the most meaningful advances come from collaboration, long‑term partnerships built on trust, intellectual freedom and shared curiosity. Through this initiative, we aim to support outstanding young researchers while contributing to research at the frontiers of science and technology.” 

To find out more about Qube Research & Technologies, visit their website.