Out of Its Infancy! The Quantum Computer Becomes An Economic Factor

A recent report by management consultants McKinsey & Company aims to show that the year 2026 will have a massive impact on the development of quantum computing ...

For those who don't yet know, a quantum computer calculates differently to a conventional computer. Its function is based on completely different rules. Instead of using bits that are either 0 or 1, a quantum computer calculates with qubits that can also take on values between 0 and 1, or both at the same time—this is called superposition. In addition, qubits can be connected to each other, no matter how far apart they are. This is called entanglement. All of this makes a quantum computer particularly fast, which is why it can be used to solve even the most complex tasks in the fields of AI, materials research or cryptography relatively quickly. According to the report, global investment in start-ups for quantum technology has increased more than tenfold within a year! They reached a record volume of 12.6 billion dollars in 2025. At the same time, the global turnover of such companies exceeded the one billion dollar mark for the first time.

State Subsidies for Quantum Computers Are Almost A Thing of the Past

McKinsey & Company's Quantum Technology Monitor 2026 now shows that the topic has already reached the boardrooms of the global economy. "2026 is the year in which quantum computing goes from a mere promise to a strategic management issue," believes Henning Soller, Partner at McKinsey. This means that it is no longer primarily about technical feasibility, but rather about which companies will now develop the skills and partnerships to secure real competitive advantages through the use of quantum computers. The researchers are observing a fundamental shift in the source of funding. While the sector has long been dependent on government funding, private investors and the capital markets have now taken the helm, according to the analysis. And while around a third of investments still came from public sources in 2024, this share shrank to just three percent in 2025. Around 44 percent of this came from capital markets in 2025—for example through IPOs.

The Quantum Computing Train is Slowly Departing for Europeans!

The report also highlights the geopolitical dimension of the technology, as the analysts note. While the USA dominates when it comes to start-up financing, large transactions and the establishment of market leaders (64% of investments flow into US start-ups), Europe is ahead when it comes to the actual adoption of quantum technology by companies. Asia, especially China, is currently catching up on a massive scale rather unnoticed! China, for example, leads the world in terms of publications by research institutions and patent applications in the field of quantum computing. This is due to strong state-led efforts to protect intellectual property, one would have to assume. For the European economy, the message of the study is clear: the window of opportunity to achieve a leading position in the quantum economy is already closing. So anyone who still sees the quantum computer as a distant dream of the future risks missing out on the next big industrial revolution.

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