Insider Brief
- Quantum Base, a UK company developing quantum-secure authentication tags, plans to list on the AIM market of the London Stock Exchange in April 2025 to raise between £3 million and £5 million for product development and expansion.
- The company’s Q-ID technology uses atomic-level randomness to create unique, non-replicable security tags that can be authenticated with a smartphone, aiming to combat counterfeiting across industries.
- Quantum Base has secured agreements with security printing firms to integrate Q-IDs into tax stamps and document security, with plans to scale through a licensing model.
Quantum Base, a UK company developing quantum-secure authentication tags, plans to list on the AIM market of the London Stock Exchange in April 2025. The firm aims to raise between £3 million and £5 million to fund product development and expand its commercial team, according to information posted on the London Stock Exchange website.
Founded in 2013 as a spin-out from Lancaster University, Quantum Base specializes in Q-IDs—security tags that use quantum mechanics to create unique, unreplicable identifiers. These tags can be applied to a range of products, from tax stamps to pharmaceuticals, and authenticated using a smartphone. The company claims its technology provides a stronger defense against counterfeiting, a problem that costs businesses and governments at least $2.8 trillion annually.
“This is a very exciting time for Quantum Base,” said CEO Tom Taylor, in the statement. “For over a decade, we have been developing our patented Q-ID solution – a quantum-secure tag that is virtually impossible to replicate or clone. As the first innovation of its kind to be easily integrated with the most common printing methods and quickly authenticated with a smartphone, it has been vital for us to maintain independence and credibility so that we can grow our solution in a sustainable manner. We believe that floating on AIM will provide us with this independence, whilst also enabling us to leverage access to a world-leading market and potential investor base.”
How the Technology Works
Quantum Base’s Q-ID system relies on the randomness of atomic-scale structures, according to the statement. Traditional security features, such as holograms or special inks, can often be copied or counterfeited using sophisticated techniques. In contrast, Q-IDs leverage unique quantum properties that cannot be reproduced, even with the most advanced fabrication methods.
Each tag is printed using standard commercial techniques with small chemical modifications that create unpredictable variations at the molecular level. These variations serve as a fingerprint that can be read using Quantum Base’s software and a regular smartphone camera. Unlike other anti-counterfeit solutions, Q-IDs do not require special scanning equipment, making them accessible to businesses and consumers.
The technology has been independently tested by security printers and published in peer-reviewed scientific journals. According to the company, a single manufacturing line can produce and register up to 1,000 Q-IDs per second, making them scalable for high-volume industries.
Testing
Quantum Base’s Q-ID technology has undergone extensive testing by security printing partners and potential clients to ensure its reliability against counterfeiting threats, the team writes in the statement. The technology is based on research led by Professor Robert Young, which has been peer-reviewed and published in scientific journals.
To protect its intellectual property, the company has built a broad patent portfolio and employs multiple legal safeguards, including patents, copyrights, and trademarks.
Commercial Partnerships and Market Potential
Quantum Base has signed agreements with two security printing firms to integrate Q-IDs into their products. One is a major security printer that plans to apply the technology to tax stamps used by government agencies. The other, Madrid-based Signe, specializes in document security and is assessing Q-ID’s application in its operations.
The company sees tax stamps as an ideal entry point due to their widespread use and strict security requirements. However, the technology could also be applied to high-value goods, including luxury items, banknotes, pharmaceuticals, and aerospace parts.
Quantum Base operates on a “design and license” business model, meaning it does not manufacture the tags itself but provides the technology to printing partners. The firm argues this approach allows for rapid scaling while keeping costs low.
Why Go Public?
Listing on AIM, the London Stock Exchange’s market for smaller growth companies, will provide Quantum Base with capital to accelerate commercialization. The company also expects the listing to improve its credibility with global customers and give it access to a wider pool of investors.
Taylor said the move would help Quantum Base “establish a new global standard in authentication.” He added that going public would enable the company to maintain independence and continue its research-driven approach.
Beyond funding, the company sees other benefits in being publicly traded, such as attracting top talent and reinforcing corporate governance standards.
If its IPO succeeds, Quantum Base plans to expand its commercial team, refine its technology, and pursue new industry partnerships. The company sees its listing as a step toward making Q-IDs a global standard for product authentication.