Lancaster University spinout company Quinas Technology, a pioneer in next-generation memory innovation, has announced the launch of a £500,000 feasibility project to apply its proprietary ULTRARAM™ technology.
Supported by Innovate UK and working with leading research and industry partners worldwide, Quinas is advancing ULTRARAM™ computer memory for AI, in-memory computing and secure low-power applications, positioning the UK at the forefront of future memory technology.
This latest project focuses on neuromorphic computing with £300,000 funding support from Innovate UK's 'Developing Semiconductor Hardware for Critical Technologies' programme to work directly with Lancaster University Physics researchers and IQE, which is a global leader in the design and manufacture of advanced semiconductor materials.
ULTRARAM™, based on compound-semiconductors and quantum mechanics, uniquely combines the speed and endurance of DRAM, the non-volatility of flash and ultra-low energy operation into a single device. The new initiative aims to demonstrate how ULTRARAM™ can serve as a transformative memory solution for neuromorphic computing, an emerging class of AI hardware inspired by the architecture and efficiency of the human brain.
Dr Peter Hodgson, Co-Founder and Chief Technology Officer of Quinas Technology, said:" This grant will enable us to demonstrate ULTRARAM™ as a neuromorphic memory. Neuromorphic computing demands a memory technology that's not only fast and persistent but also extremely energy-efficient - especially for edge-AI systems. ULTRARAM™ offers a compelling set of properties that make it a strong candidate to meet that challenge."
A fundamental aspect of neuromorphic systems is compute-in-memory (CIM), where calculations are performed directly within memory itself, eliminating the need to shuttle data back and forth to processing units. Existing technologies such as Flash, DRAM and SRAM fall short on key metrics including, endurance, retention, scalability and power consumption. ULTRARAM™ overcomes these limitations through the use of quantum resonant tunnelling, enabling robust data storage with zero standby power.
As part of this new phase, Quinas will expand its collaboration with Lancaster University and IQE plc, the world's leading supplier of compound semiconductor wafers. IQE's expertise in epitaxial wafer engineering has been instrumental in scaling ULTRARAM™ towards commercial viability. This expanded partnership will focus on optimising the epitaxy process in readiness for pilot-scale chip fabrication trials.
James Ashforth-Pook, Co-Founder and CEO of Quinas Technology, said: "This grant is a huge endorsement of our ambition to reimagine memory from the device level up.
"ULTRARAM™ is more than just a new memory - it's the foundation for a new era of secure, energy-efficient, and sustainable AI. By unifying speed, non-volatility, and ultra-low power, we're challenging legacy assumptions across logic, storage, and inference. This project marks a critical step in our roadmap to bring next-generation memory to market, and it opens the door to new collaborations with investors, customers, and system integrators shaping the future of intelligent, sustainable compute."
The company has received global recognition for its IP and innovation, including honours from the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) in Geneva, the ICTGC Innovation Awards in Taiwan, and the Future of Memory & Storage (FMS) Conference in Silicon Valley.
