Quantum technology is widely regarded as a transformative force shaping the next technological era, with far‑reaching implications for both society and the economy. Accordingly, governments and leading international enterprises have committed substantial resources to research and development in this field. At the same time, strong investor expectations regarding the commercial potential of quantum technology has accelerated the global emergence of quantum start‑ups.
According to McKinsey & Company’s Quantum Technology Monitor 2024, there are currently 367 quantum technology start‑ups worldwide, with cumulative funding reaching USD 8.5 billion. Quantum computing start‑ups account for the largest share, with 261 companies raising a total of USD 6.7 billion. This is followed by quantum communication start‑ups, numbering 96 with USD 1.2 billion in funding, and quantum sensing start-ups, totaling 48 companies with USD 700 million in funding.
Overview of Quantum Start-up Investment and Development in Major Economies
In recent years, global inflationary pressures and heightened geopolitical tensions, together with strong investor interest in generative AI, contributed to a marked decline in both the scale and number of quantum start‑up transactions in 2023. Nevertheless, to accelerate the development of quantum technology ecosystems, many governments have announced substantial additional public investment in quantum technologies and have actively promoted the formation of quantum start‑up clusters.
As shown in Table 2, major countries with public investment in quantum technologies exceeding USD 2 billion, or with more than 20 quantum start-ups, include the United States, China, the United Kingdom, Canada, Japan, France, Germany, and South Korea. Through the promotion of quantum ecosystem alliances and national action plans, these countries have begun to establish quantum start‑up clusters at an early stage, laying the foundations for longer‑term industrial development.
Three Major Models for Promoting Quantum Technology Start-up Clusters Worldwide
At present, emerging quantum technology start-up clusters worldwide can be broadly categorized into three development models. The first model focuses on intensive mentoring to accelerate start-up growth, providing resources such as expert guidance, access to funding channels, and business development training. The second model emphasizes open access to quantum facilities to support start-up research and development, enabling start‑ups to utilize advanced quantum infrastructure for both software and hardware development. The third model centers on the construction of collaborative networks that facilitate cross-sector exchange, operating domestic and international partnership platforms to promote interaction among start‑ups, academia, industry, and research institutions.
Model I: Providing Intensive Support to Accelerate Start-up Growth
• Chicago Quantum Exchange (United States)
The Chicago Quantum Exchange (CQE) is jointly led by the University of Chicago, Argonne National Laboratory, Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory, and the University of Illinois Urbana–Champaign. The Duality program, led by CQE, is the first quantum start‑up accelerator in the United States. It provides quantum start‑ups with USD 50,000 in unrestricted funding, together with entrepreneurship training, business development support, and industry exposure. Through Duality, CQE has supported a range of quantum start-ups, including EeroQ, PsiQuantum, and qBraid in quantum computing; memQ and NuCrypt in quantum communications; and Dirac Labs and QuantCAD in quantum sensing.
•Hefei High-Tech Zone Quantum Industry Cluster (China)
In November 2020, the Hefei Municipal Government in Anhui Province released the Hefei Quantum Information Industry Development Plan (2020–2030), designating the Hefei High-Tech Zone as an experimental hub for quantum innovation and industrial development. Hefei places particular emphasis on financing support for quantum start‑ups, increasing risk tolerance for angel and seed funds to 40 percent and 50 percent, respectively. As a result, the cluster has attracted a range of quantum start‑ups, including Origin Quantum and Unitary Quantum in quantum computing; QuantumCTek and Qasky in quantum communications; and Guoyi Electronics in quantum sensing.
Model II: Opening Quantum Facilities to Support Start-up R&D
• Elevate Quantum (United States)
Elevate Quantum (EQ) is a consortium comprising approximately 120 organizations across Colorado, New Mexico, and Wyoming, focused on advancing quantum technology development. EQ has established the Quantum Commons campus in Arvada, featuring open‑access commercial quantum laboratories that support rapid prototyping and low‑volume manufacturing. Participating start‑ups include Atom Computing, Quantinuum, and Mesa Quantum. Looking ahead, EQ aims to mobilize USD 2 billion in private capital by 2030 to support quantum start‑ups and scale their operations.
• National Quantum Technologies Programme (United Kingdom)
The National Quantum Technologies Programme (NQTP) was launched in 2014 by UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC), and other partner institutions. Under the NQTP framework, the National Quantum Computing Centre (NQCC) was officially opened in 2024 in Harwell, Oxfordshire, providing industry and academia with access to 12 state‑of‑the‑art quantum computers. This has contributed to the gradual formation of the Harwell Quantum Cluster. In parallel, UKRI has organized quantum computing testbed competitions, attracting start‑ups such as ORCA Computing, Oxford Ionics, and Quantum Motion.
Model III: Building Collaborative Networks to Promote Cross-Sector Exchange
• Quantum Strategic Industry Alliance for Revolution, Q-STAR (Japan)
Established in September 2021, Quantum Strategic Industry Alliance for Revolution (Q‑STAR) aims to foster new industries and commercial opportunities based on quantum technologies. Q‑STAR actively engages with international quantum industry alliances, including QUTAC in Germany, Quantum Economic Development Consortium (QED‑C) in the United States, European Quantum Industry Consortium (QuIC), and UKQuantum, to explore collaborative pathways for quantum commercialization. The alliance places strong emphasis on facilitating investment in quantum start‑ups and enhancing their international visibility. Against this backdrop, Tokyo has emerged as a leading global technology hub, attracting quantum start‑ups such as Jij, QunaSys, and Quantinuum.
• Daedeok Quantum Cluster (South Korea)
In April 2023, Daejeon signed a cooperation agreement with ten local quantum research organizations, including the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), to establish the Daedeok Quantum Cluster. In 2024, Daejeon City and KAIST announced partnerships with French quantum start‑ups Pasqal (neutral-atom quantum computing) and Quandela (photonic quantum computing), with the objective of combining international start‑up capabilities with local research and industrial strengths to generate new momentum for domestic quantum innovation. Quandela plans to establish operations in South Korea, apply its quantum computing technologies to industrial use cases, and develop partnerships with local contract manufacturers.
Conclusion: Leveraging Electronics Manufacturing Strengths to Attract International Quantum Start-ups and Strengthen Taiwan’s Quantum Ecosystem
Across the three international models of quantum start‑up cluster development, key focus areas can be summarized as follows. Under Model I, policy measures emphasize the establishment of dedicated quantum accelerators, the provision of quantum intellectual property support, and the relaxation of financing risk constraints for start-ups. Under Model II, priorities center on access to quantum software and hardware resources, rapid prototyping and low‑volume manufacturing capabilities, and the development of talent training and employment pathways. Under Model III, efforts focus on industry–academia–research co‑creation, enhancing the international visibility of start‑ups, and accelerating cross‑border commercialization.
As quantum technology ecosystems continue to expand rapidly, demand is increasing for cross-disciplinary integration that combines scientific knowledge with industrial expertise. However, the limited supply of composite quantum talent capable of bridging these domains may become a critical constraint on large‑scale commercialization.
In recent years, Taiwan has actively invested in the development of quantum technology. The establishment of The Taiwan Quantum National Team in 2021 has connected government, industry, academia, and research institutions, with participation from firms across electronics manufacturing, semiconductors, optoelectronics, and communications, contributing to the initial formation of Taiwan’s quantum technology value chain. Nevertheless, domestic participation by quantum start-ups remains relatively limited. By comparison, South Korea, which has a similar number of quantum start‑ups, has successfully leveraged local quantum talent and strengths in contract manufacturing to attract international quantum start‑ups such as Pasqal and Quandela. This approach offers valuable lessons for Taiwan. Given that many international quantum start-ups remain small in scale and often lack in-house hardware development and manufacturing resources, Taiwan could capitalize on its established electronics contract manufacturing capabilities to develop quantum computer peripheral components and subsystems. Drawing on the experience of the Daedeok Quantum Cluster, Taiwan may consider proactively attracting high‑potential international quantum start‑ups to establish domestic operations and form close strategic partnerships with Taiwan’s manufacturing sector, thereby further strengthening the resilience and depth of Taiwan’s quantum technology ecosystem.
