Quantum Economy Blueprint

The Quantum Economy Blueprint outlines a comprehensive framework for nations to transition into the quantum economy. It identifies nine thematic areas—including transformative capabilities, hardware access, workforce development, and cybersecurity—and maps these to five maturity phases of a national strategy. The report emphasizes the risk of a 'quantum divide' and advocates for public-private collaboration, open innovation, and the adoption of post-quantum cryptography to mitigate security threats. It provides practical case studies from the UK, India, Denmark, and the EU to illustrate different implementation models, ranging from government-led to industry-driven approaches.

• There is a significant risk of a 'quantum divide' between nations with established quantum programs and those without, which could lead to imbalances in cybersecurity, healthcare, finance, and defense.
• Global public sector investment in quantum technologies has exceeded $40 billion, and the total global market is projected to reach $106 billion by 2040.
• The 'store now decrypt later' attack vector poses an immediate risk, where adversaries capture encrypted data today to decrypt it once a cryptographically relevant quantum computer (CRQC) becomes available.
• The United States government has set a mandate for federal agencies to complete the migration to post-quantum cryptography (PQC) by 2035, though some advisory bodies suggest an earlier date is preferable.
• Quantum technologies can contribute to global sustainability and the UN Sustainable Development Goals through applications such as CO2 capture, improved battery energy density, and high-precision environmental monitoring.
• A quantum-literate workforce is in short supply globally; in some cases, job advertisements for quantum professionals outnumber qualified talent by three to one.
• National strategies for quantum technology can be initiated through different models: government-led (e.g., the UK's £2.5 billion 10-year plan) or non-government-led (e.g., the Novo Nordisk Foundation in Denmark).
• The blueprint suggests a five-phase maturity model for quantum strategies: Discovery, Initial strategic considerations, Initial priorities defined, Strategy defined, and Strategy and implementation plan.

APA

World Economic Forum (2024). Quantum Economy Blueprint. https://www3.weforum.org/docs/WEF_Quantum_Economy_Blueprint_2024.pdf

Chicago

World Economic Forum. Quantum Economy Blueprint. 2024. https://www3.weforum.org/docs/WEF_Quantum_Economy_Blueprint_2024.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=World Economic Forum |title=Quantum Economy Blueprint |date=January 2024 |url=https://www3.weforum.org/docs/WEF_Quantum_Economy_Blueprint_2024.pdf |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{worldeconomicforum2024quantum, author = {{World Economic Forum}}, title = {{Quantum Economy Blueprint}}, institution = {World Economic Forum}, year = {2024}, month = jan, url = {https://www3.weforum.org/docs/WEF_Quantum_Economy_Blueprint_2024.pdf}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }