Qube Research & Technologies (QRT) has launched a new AI-focused research initiative aimed at attracting early-career quantitative talent, joining a growing number of hedge funds investing in research programmes to compete with technology firms for top recruits.

QRT Labs will support around 70 PhD students and postdoctoral researchers through partnerships with the Universities of Oxford, Cambridge and Imperial College London. The programme will fund academic research in areas including artificial intelligence, decision-making and complex systems, while also hosting seminars and an annual research conference.

The initiative reflects a broader trend among multi-strategy hedge funds seeking to strengthen their appeal to elite quantitative researchers. Firms are increasingly competing with major AI companies for talent by investing in research environments alongside traditional compensation packages.

The programme is understood to be led by Daniel Giamouridis, Quantitative Research Director at QRT and former Head of Systematic Strategies at Bank of America. It follows reports that Millennium Management is also establishing an AI-focused research lab, although its initiative is expected to operate as an internal research platform rather than through university partnerships.

The launch comes as QRT continues to expand its global quantitative research capabilities, having recruited portfolio managers and researchers across Europe and Asia while increasing its focus on university hiring.