Europe’s Quantum Future: Turning Innovation into Industrial Value 

The Quantum Europe Strategy lays out the EU’s blueprint to become a global leader in quantum technologies. Building on world-class research and a strong startup base, the Strategy outlines five strategic areas with clear actions to move from fragmented innovation to coordinated deployment. And yet, for all its promise, it may fall short of its historic potential if one crucial piece remains missing: industrial demand. Europe’s vision to lead in this domain is commendable. But without mechanisms to ensure real-world adoption, especially in key economic sectors, the continent risks building cathedrals of research—beautiful and advanced, but ultimately wasted. 

 

The supply-heavy foundation: strength, but also a risk 

The Quantum Europe Strategy rightly focuses on the fundamentals: funding, infrastructure, talent, and coordination. It proposes a three-phase lifecycle—Discover, Lab to Fab, and Apply and Use—to structure innovation from theory to deployment. It also includes key actions such as: 

• Developing 100-error-corrected qubit systems by 2030; 

• Launching quantum-secured satellite networks (Eagle-1, IRIS²); 

• Establishing chip pilot lines and pilot facility for quantum internet; 

• Launching a Quantum Skills Academy by 2026; 

• Publishing roadmaps for each quantum technologies: computing, sensing and communications in 2026. 

These are strong and necessary moves. But nearly all are supply-side focused. They create capabilities, but not necessarily customers. 

This isn’t a theoretical concern. Europe has seen it before – in microelectronics, photovoltaics, and even AI – where home-grown technologies struggled to scale commercially despite billions in research funding. The lesson? Demand is strategy. 

 

The missing engine: industrial demand 

For quantum to scale meaningfully, there must be clear pathways to adoption in sectors such as pharmaceuticals, energy, finance, automotive, logistics, and agriculture. This doesn’t just mean theoretical applications. It means pilot projects, procurement contracts, standards, incentives, and industry engagement that start now, not after the technology matures. 

The Strategy acknowledges potential applications – materials design, climate simulation, medical imaging – but lacks: 

• Industry champions to anchor quantum pilots; 

• Quantified business cases or ROI models for early adoption; 

• Fiscal or regulatory incentives to de-risk commercial experimentation; 

• Concrete sector-specific roadmaps tied to EU industrial priorities. 

Without these, even the best infrastructure risks remaining underused and then bought off by external markets. The reality is that Europe only attracts 5% of the global private quantum funding, compared to over 50% captured by the U.S. and 40% by China. This funding gap brings the risk that EU startups could be acquired by non-European investors, with potential losses in IP, critical technologies, technological sovereignty and talent. Meanwhile, the U.S. and China are already embedding quantum into public procurement, industry consortia, and defence-industrial ecosystems.

 

The Quantum Act: a chance to shift the balance 

This is where the Quantum Act, expected in 2026, could be transformative. More than a governance tool, the Act could serve as a market-shaping instrument. Done right, it could legislate Europe’s commitment not just to quantum excellence, but to quantum deployment.  

Here’s how the Quantum Act can move the needle: 

1. Mandate quantum in public procurement

Government is often the first buyer of complex technologies. By requiring that a percentage of public IT, infrastructure, and security contracts explore or include quantum solutions, the EU can jump-start early markets. As the Strategy mentions, positioning Member States as first institutional buyers would create a strong signal to the market. 

2. Create demand-side incentives

The Act could call for tax credits, R&D write-offs, or grants for firms that adopt or co-develop quantum applications – especially in strategic sectors like health, energy, and finance. 

3. Set adoption targets and sectoral roadmaps

Just as the EU sets targets for renewable energy or digital infrastructure, it could establish quantum adoption milestones. These targets should be supported by sector-specific roadmaps developed with industry vertical representatives and regulators. 

4. Enable shared IP and data commons

One invisible barrier to adoption is IP uncertainty and the cost of developing proprietary models. The Act could mandate shared testbeds, as the Strategy proposes, but also IP pooling, or federated data platforms to support experimentation without prohibitive entry costs. 

5. Launch industrial challenge programs

Public-private consortia could compete for “Quantum Challenge” funding – solving industrial problems like drug molecule optimization, financial risk modeling, or forecasting energy usage. This can also be an incentive for big companies, as future users, to work with quantum start-ups and invest in promising solutions. The Strategy touches upon this idea but should extend its scope and consider supporting it financially. 

 

From Vision to Value 

Europe has a rare opportunity to turn its leadership in quantum science into meaningful industrial and strategic impact. The Quantum Europe Strategy lays the groundwork for this transformation, but success will depend on more than infrastructure and investment; it will require real adoption across sectors, from manufacturing and finance to healthcare and defence. Crucially, this also includes aligning cybersecurity priorities. The recent EU Roadmap for Post-Quantum Cryptography (PQC), published in June 2025, received little attention in the Strategy, raising the question of whether quantum security will be fully integrated into the forthcoming Quantum Act, or left to fragmented national efforts. For the EU to lead in quantum innovation and resilience, post-quantum security must not be an afterthought, it should be embedded in the broader legislative and strategic framework. 

Another key piece of the puzzle will be revealed in the upcoming Multiannual Financial Framework (MFF) proposal, which is expected to include the new European Competitiveness Fund. This financial blueprint will determine the scale of EU-level support for quantum technologies.  

As the Quantum Act takes shape, it will serve as a litmus test of Europe’s ability to move from ambition to implementation. Let’s see in 2026 whether Europe seizes this moment, not just to develop quantum technologies, but to make them work for its economy, its security, and its sovereignty.