QuEra Computing Inc. has released Part 2 of its report on the results of its 2026 Quantum Readiness Survey. The survey queried 291 respondents across more than 25 countries on questions covering demographics, perceptions, organizational readiness, technology preferences, and market outlook. The results highlight a “show me” phase where technical progress is benchmarked against real-world budget constraints and geopolitical filters.
Market Sentiment: The “Reality Check”
- Rising Standards for Readiness: While confidence remains high, it has moderated significantly since 2025. Organizations describing their country as “very well positioned” dropped from over 45% to 25%, reflecting a more cautious confrontation with implementation realities.
- The Preparedness Paradox: Self-reported organizational preparedness declined from 65% to 55%. Larger organizations feel less prepared than smaller, agile entities due to legacy system complexity and internal friction.
- Commercialization Gap: 43% of respondents believe quantum commercialization is behind expectations, increasing pressure on providers to demonstrate tangible performance over theoretical potential.
Investment and Budget Outlook
- Consolidation Over Expansion: Budgets are stabilizing; 46% expect flat spending in 2026, 10% expect to decrease their budgets, while only 44% expect to increase their quantum budgets in the coming year. Investment has shifted from “FOMO” (Fear Of Missing Out) to a need for proof points.
- Government as Risk Underwriter: Government mandates and grants are the primary budget driver for 28% of respondents, far exceeding competitive pressure (16%) or successful pilots (9%).
- C-Suite Realism: Senior executives are notably less bullish on budget increases than junior researchers, indicating that those closest to capital allocation are waiting for measurable ROI.
Emerging Procurement and Sovereignty Trends
- The End of the Purely Global Market: Only 4.9% of respondents say sovereignty is “not a factor” in technology selection. 62% now actively factor sovereignty into their procurement decisions.
- Regional Divergence: A sharp divide exists between U.S. “performance-first” sourcing (35% source globally) and EU “sovereignty-first” procurement (24% prioritize sovereignty).
- On-Premises Demand: Organizations concerned about security and “harvest now, decrypt later” threats are increasingly prioritizing on-premises deployment options.
Adoption Barriers and Talent
- Top Challenges: Technology immaturity (58%) and implementation costs (42%) remain the leading hurdles.
- Talent Scarcity: Lack of skilled workforce (37%) is the fourth-highest challenge. There is an acute gap in specialists for Quantum Error Correction (QEC), with industry estimates suggesting a 3:1 ratio of open positions to qualified candidates.
- The Academic Paradox: While universities produce quantum talent, they struggle to retain it against well-funded private sector competition.
Use Cases and Sector Highlights
- The “Classical Wall”: 62% of respondents report reaching the limits of classical HPC workloads, particularly in simulation-heavy fields.
- Pharma as the Beachhead: Pharmaceutical and life sciences over-index on simulation use cases by 2.3x, making them the most likely segment to demonstrate early commercial value.
- Finance in the Trough: Despite early hype, financial services ranks last (5%) in expected near-term commercialization, as the sector waits for full fault tolerance.
For additional information about this survey, you can view a press release provided by QuEra announcing the release of Part 2 of the report here and you can find our previous article posted when Part 1 of the report was released here. In addition, the full text of Part 1 can be accessed here and for Part 2 here. A final Part 3 report on the survey is expected later this year.
While GQI may not fully endorse all of the conclusions that are provided in QuEra’s survey, we do agree that end users should enter into their quantum programs with their eyes wide open. There are still a lot of challenges remaining which may not always be highlighted. To that end, GQI maintains an extensive catalog of potential quantum use cases, resource estimations, vendor comparisons, and market size models that can help enterprises decide where and when to start using quantum. In addition, GQI can discuss our recommended four-stage process of Discover, Decide, Execute, and Incorporate for getting the most out of one’s quantum efforts. Contact GQI at info@global-qi.com to learn more about these available resources.
May 9, 2026
