SRI-managed QED-C’s annual report on quantum trends captures an industry accelerating rapidly from technical promise toward major global impact.
Launched in 2025, the annual State of the Global Quantum Industry report from the SRI-managed Quantum Economic Development Consortium (QED-C) provides critical insights into how this fast-growing sector is developing.
This year’s report, released on World Quantum Day (April 14), shows the quantum industry making major strides in 2025. The overall size of the quantum market, which includes both quantum computing and quantum sensing, grew 30% to $1.9B. There are now more than 7,200 quantum-engaged companies around the world (a 14% increase since 2024), including more than 550 pure-play quantum companies. Geographically, the European Union leads in number of pure-play companies with 173, followed closely by the United States with 164, underscoring how strongly the industry’s growth is tied to mature national and regional innovation ecosystems.
“By bringing together data on private and public funding, market realities, workforce trends, and much more, our report provides a shared foundation from which all stakeholders in applied quantum can make sound, data-driven decisions.” — Celia Merzbacher
The market picture is one of steady expansion and increasing commercial confidence. The report points to healthier revenue profiles inside the industry: More quantum computing companies reported revenue above $5 million than in 2024, fewer reported having no sales yet, and more than half expect revenue to rise by at least 11% from 2025 to 2026. Together, those indicators suggest a market moving from technical promise toward durable commercial footing.
Investment and intellectual property data reinforce that sense of acceleration. Global public funding commitments for quantum technologies increased by $12.7 billion in 2025. At the same time, private venture capital firms invested $4.9 billion in quantum startups in 2025 — a 192% increase over 2024. Later-stage funding rounds for six prominent quantum ventures drove a 320% surge in later-stage investment, demonstrating a new threshold of confidence in proven quantum startups. On the intellectual property side, the report identifies nearly 70,000 active quantum patents globally and notes a 31% year-over-year increase in quantum patents from 2024 to 2025.
Growth is reflected in the quantum workforce as well. The report notes an 11% increase in quantum-related position openings since 2024.
“For governments, scientists, investors, and business leaders to make the most of quantum technologies, they need a real-time sense of where the industry is headed,” comments QED-C executive director Celia Merzbacher. “By bringing together data on private and public funding, market realities, workforce trends, and much more, our report provides a shared foundation from which all stakeholders in applied quantum can make sound, data-driven decisions.”
Download QED-C’s State of the Global Quantum Industry 2026 report and learn more about how SRI is shaping the future of quantum.
