Tech Mahindra & UCL in AI & quantum research tie-up
Tech Mahindra has agreed a research collaboration with University College London focused on generative artificial intelligence and quantum computing, as consulting firms and universities increase joint work on emerging technologies.
The partnership sets out plans for joint research and solution development, covering world models, domain-specific small language models and industry-focused AI uses. It also includes work on quantum machine learning and quantum security.
Research scope
The partners plan to build "verticalised" large language models and world models for deployment across UK enterprises, with scope to scale internationally. The agreement also outlines a model that could be replicated across Europe.
Tech Mahindra will bring domain experience in large-scale AI model development and enterprise solution engineering, while UCL will contribute academic expertise in artificial intelligence and quantum technologies.
The initial sector focus includes healthcare, telecommunications, advanced manufacturing and business services, where both organisations say they have experience.
How it will run
The work will be led mainly by Tech Mahindra's Makers Lab, its innovation unit. Joint research teams will run the engagement, with UCL academics, research fellows and students working alongside Tech Mahindra subject matter experts.
The organisations are also considering a joint research lab as the partnership develops, positioning it as part of a wider ambition to expand the collaboration model in Europe.
Alongside research, the partnership includes student internships in areas including vertical LLMs, world models and quantum machine learning. The programme is expected to expand over time, with scope for additional interns and research scholars.
Industry context
Large language models and related generative AI systems have moved rapidly from experimentation to commercial projects. Organisations have raised concerns about governance, reliability and the handling of sensitive information. In parallel, quantum technologies continue to attract investment, even though many commercial applications remain at an early stage.
The Tech Mahindra-UCL collaboration brings both areas together in a single programme. It also reflects a growing approach that pairs academic research with industry engineering teams as companies seek to turn AI advances into deployable products and services.
Tech Mahindra said the agreement supports its UK and Europe growth strategy and its approach to working with academic institutions. It also said partners and enterprises will gain access to its global customer ecosystem through the collaboration.
Harshul Asnani, President and Head - Europe Business at Tech Mahindra, linked the partnership to the challenge of building AI systems that meet enterprise requirements.
"As enterprises accelerate their adoption of advanced AI and quantum technologies, building scalable, trustworthy, and industry-specific AI systems remains a significant challenge. Our collaboration with University College London brings together academic excellence and real-world engineering expertise to address the gap. By enabling the co-creation of world models and vertical LLMs, the collaboration will deliver measurable value for enterprises across the UK and globally," said Harshul Asnani, President and Head - Europe Business, Tech Mahindra.
UCL framed the collaboration in terms of international research engagement and UK-India links in technology development.
"As UCL marks its 200th year of discovery and innovation, this new partnership with Tech Mahindra marks a major milestone in our global engagement. By bringing together UCL's strengths in AI and quantum technologies with Tech Mahindra's deep industry expertise, we are creating a powerful platform to accelerate innovation and deliver real-world impact. This collaboration not only strengthens our research ecosystem but also reinforces the vital role of UK India cooperation in shaping the future of transformative technologies," said Professor Geraint Rees, Vice-Provost Research, Innovation & Global Engagement, UCL.
The partners expect to replicate the model across Europe, with joint research teams continuing work on generative AI and quantum computing as the partnership expands.