Quantum computing has moved beyond the question of access. Today, the more pressing challenge for enterprises is determining how to build meaningful business value around the technology.

According to the newly released State of Quantum 2026 report, enterprise engagement with quantum computing has become nearly universal, yet large-scale production deployment remains uncommon. The study, published by IQM Quantum Computers and independently researched and authored by The Quantum Insider (a Resonance company), reveals that 89% of surveyed organizations report hands-on quantum computing activity. However, only 10% report limited production use, while just 3% have achieved deployment at scale.

The findings highlight a growing gap between experimentation and operational capability—a gap that may ultimately determine which organizations emerge as leaders in the quantum era.

Measuring Quantum Readiness

Drawing on transaction data from 2021 through the first quarter of 2026, a survey of 107 senior quantum practitioners across the Americas, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and Asia-Pacific regions, and interviews with leaders from organizations including Airbus, BMW, Moderna, Deutsche Bahn, Argonne National Laboratory, and the Oxford Quantum Institute, the report offers one of the industry's most comprehensive assessments to date.

A central feature of this year's study is the introduction of the Quantum Readiness Index, a framework designed to measure organizational preparedness across four dimensions: Workforce, Innovation, Investment, and Adoption.

The global average score of 58 out of 100 places the market in a "Developing" stage—beyond awareness and early experimentation, but still short of readiness for widespread deployment.

The data reveals a notable imbalance. Organizations have made significant progress in hiring, funding initiatives, and launching pilot projects, yet remain behind in developing proprietary intellectual property and achieving scaled implementation. Only 9% of respondents report operating a dedicated, resourced intellectual property program focused on quantum technologies.

"Markets mature when their questions do," said Alex Challans, CEO of The Quantum Insider. "A year ago, people were still asking whether quantum investment had peaked. This year's report closes that debate. Capital is arriving at scale, and it is going to the companies with demonstrated results behind their roadmaps. The question now is not whether there is money in quantum. It is whether your organization is building the capability to be ready when that investment turns into a commercial product."

From Access to Capability

For much of its commercial history, the quantum computing sector has measured progress through access to hardware. The report suggests that enterprise priorities are now evolving.

Approximately 46% of respondents expect on-premises quantum infrastructure—either standalone or as part of a hybrid deployment model—to play a role in their access strategy within the next three years. By comparison, only 24% anticipate relying exclusively on public cloud-based access.

The shift reflects a broader change in procurement priorities. Rather than focusing solely on qubit counts, organizations are increasingly evaluating system transparency, calibration access, integration capabilities, and the ability to retain and expand internal expertise.

According to the report, these factors are becoming more important because competitive advantage in quantum computing is unlikely to emerge from hardware acquisition alone. Instead, it will be built through workforce development, application-specific algorithms, operational experience, and integration with existing enterprise environments.

With many leading quantum hardware roadmaps converging on a projected fault-tolerant computing window between 2029 and 2031, the years leading up to that milestone are increasingly viewed as a critical period for capability building.

"The quantum future is closer than it looks," wrote Jan Goetz, Co-Founder and CEO of IQM Quantum Computers, in the report's foreword. "The work of being ready for it starts now. The organizations holding out for a clear signal tend to find the signal and the deadline show up on the same morning."

Skills Remain the Primary Constraint

Despite continued advances in hardware performance, the report identifies workforce development as the industry's most significant challenge.

More than two-thirds of large enterprises, universities, and government organizations surveyed cited skills shortages as a major barrier to adoption. Algorithm development and application design ranked ahead of hardware limitations as key concerns.

The report notes that building quantum expertise typically requires two to five years of training and experience, underscoring the need for organizations to begin developing talent well before fault-tolerant systems become commercially available.

Investment Shifts Toward Demonstrated Execution

The report also documents a significant evolution in investor behavior.

Quantum computing companies attracted approximately $8.3 billion in investment during 2025—nearly five times the amount recorded in the previous year. According to the report, the increase reflects growing confidence in companies demonstrating measurable technical and commercial progress rather than relying solely on long-term technology roadmaps.

Investment growth was driven primarily by larger deal sizes rather than a higher number of transactions. The study also highlights the sector's increasing presence in public markets, with seven quantum computing companies completing SPAC mergers since 2021 and additional public listings occurring through 2025 and into 2026.

At the same time, enterprise procurement criteria are evolving. Buyers increasingly prioritize platform openness, calibration visibility, and opportunities for co-development. Organizations seeking to build internal expertise are showing less interest in black-box systems and more interest in platforms that support knowledge transfer and long-term capability development.

Regional factors are also shaping purchasing decisions. In Europe and Gulf markets, data sovereignty requirements and local control of critical infrastructure are becoming formal procurement considerations, influencing both deployment models and vendor selection.

Building for the Quantum Decade

The report concludes that while commercial quantum computing remains in its early stages, the competitive landscape is already taking shape.

Organizations that invest now in workforce development, integration experience, application discovery, and proprietary knowledge may be positioned to benefit most as the technology matures. Those that delay engagement until fault-tolerant systems become widely available could face significant disadvantages in talent, expertise, and operational readiness.

For technology leaders, the findings suggest that the strategic question is no longer whether quantum computing will become commercially relevant, but how quickly organizations can prepare themselves to take advantage of it when it does.

State of Quantum 2026 was authored by The Quantum Insider (Resonance), published by IQM Quantum Computers, and supported by OpenOcean. The report includes the full Quantum Readiness Index methodology, regional analyses, and recommendations for enterprise leaders, policymakers, HPC centers, investors, and academic institutions.

Stay Connected with ISE Magazine 

Subscribe to our newsletters and magazine for the latest telecom insights, explore the current issue for in-depth features and strategies, and register for upcoming webinars to learn directly from industry leaders.