In recent years, European economies have steadily advanced their dual green and digital transitions. Faced with the combined challenges of strong research capabilities but limited industrialization, as well as growing concerns over resilience and security, Europe has increasingly placed industrial competitiveness at the center of its strategic agenda. Quantum technology, widely regarded as a key future driver of economic development, has been actively steered toward market?oriented outcomes, supported by robust scientific research and innovation. This approach has given rise to a three?pronged development strategy encompassing policy and regulatory frameworks, technological innovation, and supply chain deployment.
As the strategic importance of quantum technologies continues to rise, the European Union and its Member States have expanded policy guidance and public–private investment to secure technological leadership and strengthen ecosystem resilience. Europe has prioritized key value chains in quantum communications, sensing, and computing, advancing technological maturity through initiatives such as quantum network nodes and Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) infrastructure, pilot production lines for chips and cryogenic components, and application-oriented validation environments for sensing and metrology. By promoting open standards and modular interoperability, Europe seeks to reinforce strategic autonomy across its quantum supply chains. In parallel, demand‑driven public procurement and pre‑commercial procurement mechanisms are being employed to shorten the transition from laboratory research to commercial deployment. Through the coordinated use of EU R&D programs, policy instruments, and the mobilization of capital and talent, Europe is pursuing a cyclical “mission–market– standards” pathway to transform its traditional scientific strengths into scalable industrial competitiveness.
European Union: From Flagship Programs to Infrastructure and Talent—Building a Strategically Autonomous Quantum Ecosystem
Since the launch of the ten‑year Quantum Flagship program in 2018, with an expected investment of EUR 1 billion, the European Union has progressively expanded its quantum policy architecture. In July 2025, the EU released the Quantum Europe Strategy, explicitly setting the objective of becoming a global leader in quantum technologies by 2030. Europe currently accounts for the world’s largest share of academic publications and scientific talent in the quantum field, and quantum start-ups represent approximately one-third of the global total. However, Europe ranks only third worldwide in patent filings, underscoring persistent gaps in innovation translation and industrialization.
The European Union has articulated five strategic pillars: (1) Scientific Research and Innovation, leveraging Europe’s research strengths to drive the industrial transformation of quantum science;
(2) Infrastructure, establishing sustainable and scalable foundations for quantum design, manufacturing, and applications; (3) Ecosystem Strengthening, enhancing supply chains and scalability through targeted investment in start‑ups and scale‑ups; (4) Space and Dual-Use Technologies, integrating security‑ and sovereignty‑oriented quantum capabilities into space, security, and defense domains; and (5) Quantum Talent Development, cultivating diverse, world‑class talent through agile education and training frameworks (Figure 9).
The European Union has also linked the key domains of quantum computing, communications, and sensing through cross‑program testing and validation mechanisms to enhance interoperability. For example, EuroQCI is deploying a pan‑European quantum‑secure communications infrastructure; EuroHPC Joint Undertaking coordinates EU and Member State resources to integrate quantum technologies with high‑performance computing (HPC) through hybrid architectures; and the European Quantum Industry Consortium (QuIC), established in 2021, consolidates industrial resources to strengthen commercial ecosystems and global competitiveness. On the capital front, the EU leverages public funding to crowd in diverse sources of private investment and to address financing gaps across different stages of quantum start‑up development.
United Kingdom: Accelerating Commercialization through Mission-Oriented Strategies and Testbeds
Since 2023, the United Kingdom has advanced its National Quantum Strategy and five designated Quantum Missions, with the objectives of developing a fault-tolerant quantum computer capable of one trillion error-free operations by 2035, supporting critical industrial applications, and deploying quantum networks as the foundation for a future quantum internet. By 2030, the UK plans to introduce quantum sensing solutions within the National Health Service (NHS) and to achieve satellite‑independent quantum navigation and atomic‑clock positioning capabilities for aviation systems. In July 2024, the UK launched the third phase of its National Quantum Technologies Programme, establishing five Regional Quantum Hubs to accelerate the industrialization of research outcomes (Figure 10). These include the UK Quantum Biomedical Sensing Research Hub (Q‑BIOMED) in Cambridge, the UK Quantum Technology Hub in Sensing, Imaging and Timing (QuSIT) in Birmingham, the UK Quantum Imaging Hub (IQN) in Edinburgh, the UK Quantum Computing Hub via Integrated and Interconnected Implementations (QCI3) in Oxford, and the UK Quantum Technology Hub for Quantum‑Enabled Positioning, Navigation and Timing (QEPNT) in Glasgow.
UK quantum start‑ups have demonstrated strong performance within Europe. Of approximately 76 quantum computing start‑ups, 32 have already secured external financing, reflecting growing investor confidence in the sector. ORCA Computing has delivered quantum systems to the UK National Quantum Computing Centre; Riverlane focuses on quantum error suppression and control software; Oxford Quantum Circuits specializes in superconducting quantum systems; and Oxford Ionics and Universal Quantum advance trapped‑ion technologies. Together with the five regional quantum hubs, these firms form a nationwide quantum innovation ecosystem that spans hardware, software, and system integration.
France: Strengthening Core Component Manufacturing and National Champions to Secure Supply-Chain Leadership
France launched its National Quantum Strategy in 2021 under the France 2030 initiative. Between 2024 and 2025, the Direction Générale de l’Armement (French Defense Procurement Agency) has led the PROQCIMA program, with an estimated investment of EUR 500 million, targeting the delivery of two general-purpose quantum computer prototypes by 2032 to reinforce technological sovereignty. The program focuses on neutral‑atom and photonic platforms, advancing capabilities across processors, cryogenic equipment, and testing and calibration infrastructure. France hosts approximately 20 quantum technology start‑ups, ranking fifth globally. Among them, Pasqal pursues rapid deployment strategies to demonstrate quantum advantage; Quandela has been selected for national‑level quantum competitions; Alice&Bob advances fault‑tolerant cat‑state qubits; and C12 Quantum Electronics focuses on carbon‑nanotube-based quantum processors.
Germany: Engineering-Driven Development with a Priority on Quality Systems and Local Supply Chains
Germany released its Action Plan for Quantum Technologies in 2023, followed by a quantum technology development framework issued by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research in 2024. The strategy emphasizes technological sovereignty, cross‑ministerial coordination, and the development of standards and quality infrastructure. Reflecting Germany’s engineering-oriented industrial culture, reliability, maintainability, and process controllability are treated as essential prerequisites for large-scale production. Federal and state‑level programs jointly invest in linking research institutions, equipment suppliers, and application sectors such as automotive, manufacturing, and healthcare. Germany pursues multiple technological pathways in parallel, with a strong focus on front‑end measurement, calibration, and standardization, alongside the localization of equipment and materials supply chains. Within this ecosystem, Planqc specializes in neutral‑atom quantum computing; eleQtron focuses on trapped‑ion systems; and Q.ANT, which raised EUR 62 million in 2025, concentrates on photonic processing and quantum sensing applications.
Finland: Leveraging Cryogenic and Microwave Strengths to Enable Precision System Integration
Finland released its Quantum Technology Strategy 2025–2035 in 2025, with a focus on talent development, commercialization, and international collaboration. Anchored in cryogenic technologies and superconducting systems, Finland has adopted a specialization breakthrough combined with international cooperation model, establishing hard-to-replace supply advantages in cryogenic systems, microwave networks, and readout electronics modules. The VTT Technical Research Centre, Aalto University, and IQM Quantum Computers jointly advance superconducting quantum systems ranging from 50 to 300 qubits. Within this ecosystem, IQM Quantum Computers focuses on superconducting quantum computers; Bluefors holds a global leadership position in ultra-low‑temperature systems; Algorithmiq specializes in pharmaceutical and chemical applications; and Quanscient has demonstrated the world’s first quantum computational fluid dynamics simulation using VTT‑developed systems.
The Netherlands: Open Innovation and Networked Testbeds to Build a Continental
Quantum Hub
Netherlands established Quantum Delta NL (QDNL) in 2020, supported by EUR 615 million from the National Growth Fund. Its core strategy integrates QuTech, TNO, and domestic supply chains through open architectures and shared facilities, accelerating design, manufacturing, and validation cycles. The Netherlands has developed deep expertise in quantum networking, leveraging intercity quantum networks and open-architecture software to promote interoperability across equipment and protocols. Modular supply‑chain clusters support start‑ups such as QuantWare, which focuses on processors, Qblox, which develops control electronics, and Orange Quantum Systems, which specializes in testing and characterization. In 2025, the HAVIK project, which focuses on improving two‑qubit gate fidelity, marked a key milestone toward fault‑tolerant quantum computing.
Conclusion
Europe’s quantum development has entered an accelerated phase characterized by the convergence of policy leadership, industrial deployment, and market validation. The significance of this approach lies in its ability to align national interests through cross-border infrastructure, as well as shared testing and validation mechanisms. Within this framework, the European Union provides deep capital investment and enabling infrastructure; the United Kingdom excels in mission‑oriented strategies and large‑scale testbeds; France secures leadership in critical component design and manufacturing; Germany leverages robust quality systems and localized supply chains; Finland builds niche advantages in cryogenic and microwave modules; and the Netherlands serves as a continental hub through open architectures and quantum networking.
Building on its existing strengths in ICT research and development and advanced manufacturing, Taiwan could consider leveraging flexible functional modules, standards alignment, and mutual certification mechanisms to translate its manufacturing and subsystem integration capabilities into long‑term partnerships and more predictable market opportunities. By aligning with Europe’s objective of achieving global leadership in quantum technologies by 2030, Taiwan can secure a strategically significant role within the evolving European quantum ecosystem.
