The tech is advancing and use cases are growing yet a considerable readiness gap remains.
In the most recent live session of our Quantum opportunities sprint, industry experts shared something that reframed the room: quantum computing has quietly shifted from theoretical curiosity to active business investment.
According to a 2023 BCG survey, half of companies exploring quantum spend more than $US1m on it annually. In 2024, commercial purchases of quantum computers hit $US854m — up roughly 70% YoY. As of November 2025, 18 OECD countries plus the EU have adopted national quantum strategies. And since 2013, governments worldwide have publicly committed some $US56bn in support for quantum.
Gazing ahead, McKinsey projects up to $US2tn in economic value unlocked across four key industries (chemicals, life sciences, finance, and mobility) by 2035.
It’s an immense opportunity and investment is increasing. Let’s look at the state of quantum play and how it fits into your strategy.
It’s already doing useful work
2025 turned out to be a breakout year for quantum. Quantum computers were used to simulate particle physics, model exotic phases of matter, and investigate superconductivity—problems beyond the capabilities of classical machines. HSBC and IBM demonstrated a quantum tool that improved the fill-probability prediction of European corporate bond trades by 34%. Google, IBM, and Quantinuum are all running computations that would have been impossible just a few years ago.
IBM’s roadmap tells the story in milestones: quantum utility (achieved in 2023, confirmed in Nature); quantum advantage — where quantum outperforms classical computers on commercially relevant problems — is expected by the end of this year; and fault-tolerant quantum computing, which is able to self-correct errors, is targeted for 2029.
The opportunity is broad… and closer than you think
Two categories of problems are emerging. First, simulating molecules and materials: drug discovery, battery development, aerospace materials. Second, pattern-finding in complex data: fraud detection, portfolio optimisation, logistics.
The University of Sydney Business School recently co-authored a Quantum Futures report with Sydney Nano and Quantum Australia, mapping how quantum sensing, drug discovery simulation, and quantum-assisted clinical trials could reshape healthcare by 2035. A new MIT Quantum Index Report found that venture capital funding hit a new high in 2024, quantum patents have increased fivefold since 2014, and demand for quantum skills has nearly tripled since 2018.
For executives, the interesting bit isn’t the physics (unless you also happen to be a quantum physicist). The real headline is strategic positioning. IBM’s research found that 86% of quantum-ready organisations see quantum and AI as complementary, as opposed to competing for budget. The future computing stack is CPUs, GPUs, and QPUs in collaboration.
Don’t panic, but there’s a security dimension
Current encryption has an expiry date. Most cryptographic protocols underpinning today’s digital economy will be breakable by a sufficiently powerful quantum computer, likely in the early 2030s. New post-quantum standards from the US National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) were published in 2024 after an eight-year global competition. Closer to home, Australia’s national cybersecurity agency, the ASD, requires government organisations to have a transition plan by 2026 and complete the shift by 2030.
The real urgency is “harvest now, decrypt later”, where bad actors collect encrypted data today and plan to crack it once quantum capability matures. If your organisation holds sensitive IP, patient data, or long-lived financial records, the clock is ticking.
Where to start with a quantum strategy
Our sprint participants—senior professionals across industries—asked exactly the right question: How do you get this onto the board agenda when there’s no clear ROI yet?
Traditional ROI logic doesn’t apply here yet, so approach quantum in terms of readiness, capability-building, and competitive positioning. Find a quantum champion. Start a time-boxed proof of concept. Build the skills now and close the readiness gap: 61% of organisations surveyed by IBM admit that inadequate quantum skills are a barrier.
The Quantum opportunities sprint is designed to give business leaders the language, the frameworks, and the confidence to have these conversations—whether in the boardroom, with your CISO, or with the innovation team down the hall.