A consortium led by 4colors Research, with Airbus, IAG Cargo, ORCA Computing and NVIDIA, is selected for the Proof of Concept+ track of the 2026 STFC SparQ Quantum Computing call, delivered by STFC with the National Quantum Computing Centre.
Routing, consolidation and loading are usually planned separately, though each changes the others. The six-month project, Quantum-Accelerated Integrated Logistics: Routing, Consolidation and Loading, plans them together on real challenges from Airbus and IAG Cargo, and tests where quantum computing can help against tuned classical baselines.
It builds on the 2025 SparQ aircraft-loading project and the Innovate UK Growth Catalyst work on manufacturing and logistics optimization, and will deliver a public benchmark suite and a framework for judging where quantum computing adds value in logistics.
Read the announcement from the NQCC
NQCC SparQ grant for aircraft loadingInnovate UK grant for manufacturing and logistics