Most quantum firms need suppliers and customers abroad, study finds

A new international survey reveals that 90% of quantum companies source components from at least one supplier outside their home country, demonstrating an unexpectedly high level of immediate global interdependence for a sector often considered strategically sensitive, Korea Quantum Industry Association says. The study, a collaborative effort between quantum industry organizations from 15 countries including Canada, the UK, Japan, and the Korea Quantum Industry Association, mapped supply chains across 36 nations.

“Quantum innovation does not stop at national borders, and neither do the supply chains that make it possible,” said Dr. Celia Merzbacher, Executive Director of the Quantum Economic Development Consortium, as the report highlights a median reliance on suppliers and customers in three different countries each.

International Collaboration Drives Quantum Industry Growth

The Korea Quantum Industry Association (KQIA) ran a quantum investor pitching day at Quantum Expo in Seoul, showcasing six companies seeking to integrate into international supply chains. This event underscores a broader trend revealed in a new global study: the quantum industry’s reliance on cross-border collaboration is not a future aspiration, but a present reality.

Dr. Brad Kim, Vice Chairman of KQIA, emphasized this need for market access, stating, “Quantum commercialization requires more than access to technology—it requires access to global markets.” The association, founded in 2023 and now boasting 50 members from telecom providers to defense contractors, actively coordinates commercialization efforts and advocates for policies supporting Korea’s quantum sector.

The median company relies on suppliers from three different countries and simultaneously serves customers in three different countries, indicating a diversified, multi-national footprint beyond initial experimentation. This interconnectedness is particularly notable given the strategic sensitivity often associated with quantum technologies, suggesting a pragmatic acceptance of international dependence.

Jonathan Legh-Smith, Executive Director of UKQuantum, highlighted this inherent internationalism, noting, “Quantum is inherently international across markets, standards, research, talent, capital and supply chains.” He further connected this finding to the April 2026 communique from the inter-governmental Quantum Development Group, emphasizing the need for practical cooperation. This reliance on international partnerships presents both opportunities and challenges for emerging quantum economies.

Abhishek Purohit, India Ecosystem liaison for the Global Quantum Supply Chain Study and Director of Technology Strategy at QURECA, points to a significant opportunity for India, stating, “For emerging quantum economies such as India, this creates an important opportunity to contribute specialised capabilities, integrate more deeply into global value chains, and become a trusted partner in the next phase of quantum commercialisation.” Cécile Perrault, Executive Director of the European Quantum Industry Consortium (QuIC), noted the EU’s role as a key partner, observing that the bloc is the second most frequent location for both suppliers and customers in the survey. Understanding these relationships is important as Europe develops its industrial and trade policies for quantum technologies. “As the industry scales, the report gives leaders and policymakers a clearer view of how deeply connected our ecosystem already is,” Perrault added.

Sean Lee, Acting CEO of QIC, reinforced the importance of this international perspective for Canada, stating, “Quantum comprises a diverse set of technologies, and a strong Canadian position across those supply chains is critical for achieving our national security and resiliency objectives.” He added that a better understanding of the international ecosystem is essential to ensuring growth alongside trusted global partners.

The study’s findings, therefore, underscore the need for policies that safeguard access to both markets and suppliers in allied nations while simultaneously protecting critical technologies, as ICQIA can use its expanded membership and new charter to strengthen international coordination.

Survey Data Reveals Global Quantum Supply Chain Reliance

The locations of quantum component manufacturing are surprisingly dispersed; the recent global survey revealed production facilities in 25 separate nations, demonstrating an immediate reliance on international sites even before widespread commercialization. This contrasts with expectations of tightly controlled domestic production for a technology often framed as strategically vital, and suggests existing supply chains are already complex and interwoven. While headquartered in 15 countries, responding companies reported sourcing inputs from 36 nations, indicating a broad dependence on specialized expertise and materials distributed globally.

The Global Quantum Supply Chain report, compiled from responses to a survey distributed in March and April of 2026, deliberately excluded research organizations to focus on commercial entities and their supply chain realities. Although companies headquartered in China were not among the respondents, they did appear as supplier and customer locations, further illustrating the breadth of the existing international network. The findings provide a detailed map of where quantum companies source, manufacture, and sell, offering policymakers and industry leaders a clearer understanding of the deeply connected ecosystem that underpins this emerging field.

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