Munich, Germany – July 1, 2026 – The Quantum Business Network (QBN) has officially issued a comprehensive position paper in response to the newly released “Quantum Technologies Roadmap” (Version 1.0, May 2026) under Germany’s High-Tech Agenda Germany (HTAD). Recognizing the roadmap as a significant programmatic step forward, QBN is calling on federal ministries and decision-makers to rapidly transition the strategy from a research-centric plan into a high-execution, market-driven industrial implementation agenda. Last week, QBN officially handed over the position paper to leadership at several key federal ministries, including the Federal Ministry for Research, Technology and Space (BMFTR), the Federal Ministry for Digital Transformation and Government Modernisation (BMDS), the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWE), and the Federal Ministry of Defence (BMVg). The paper outlines a clear consensus from the German quantum industry: while the roadmap establishes valuable, measurable milestones and correctly prioritizes technology transfer and pilot lines, a critical gap remains regarding operational agility, supply chain security, and commercial viability. Addressing Operational Shortfalls and Strategic Risks A structured consultation conducted by QBN across its network revealed that a striking 70% of surveyed quantum companies already face operational or strategic risks due to systemic gaps in the current framework. Chief among these concerns are slow and bureaucratic funding procedures – which contrast sharply with the agile, rapid-turnaround funding models utilized in competing markets like the USA, Singapore, and China. Furthermore, 60% of companies are currently exploring growth capital options or corporate structures outside of Europe due to a severe shortage of domestic scale-up financing, while 43% report critical dependencies on non-European suppliers for foundational components and enabling technologies. Six Industrial Priorities for Germany’s Quantum Economy To safeguard technological sovereignty and protect future domestic value creation, the QBN position paper urges the federal government to refine the roadmap across six core action areas: Translate the Roadmap into an Implementation Agenda Launch a Dedicated Funding Line for Enabling Technologies Drive Mission-Oriented Public Procurement Accelerate Funding & Mobilize Growth Capital Focus on Steering Industrial Use Cases Align the Talent Agenda with Industrial Competencies A Long Tradition of Trusted Ecosystem Advocacy This position paper builds upon QBN’s long-standing tradition of bridging the gap between industry, science, and public policy. Following its appointment as an official partner of Germany’s High-Tech Agenda Digital (HTAD), QBN has consistently driven industrial alignment. The current paper acts as a direct continuation of QBN’s continuous contributions, which include the industry workshop of December 2025, a subsequent position paper that directly informed the government’s roadmap drafting process, and an ongoing strategic dialogue with the BMFTR and other federal entities to align funding frameworks with commercial realities.  “Research funding remains necessary, but it is no longer sufficient on its own,” stated Johannes Verst, CEO of QBN. “For Germany and Europe to secure a competitive quantum economy, the focus must shift rapidly to productization, robust supply chains, and active market creation before it is too late and we lose another industrial revolution. QBN and its members stand fully ready to co-design and accelerate this implementation phase.”   About QBN QBN is the global industrial network for quantum technologies, dedicated to fostering commercialization, cross-sector collaboration, and structured dialogue between industry, academia, and political stakeholders. Founded in 2020, QBN brings together over 120 international members across the entire value chain ranging from world-leading startups and established tech corporations to research organizations, deep-tech investors, and state institutions. By driving the industrial adoption of quantum computing, sensing, and secure communications, QBN actively contributes to allied technological sovereignty, economic growth, and national security.   Contact Quantum Business Network UG Dipl.-Phys. Johannes Verst, Managing Director Fürkhofstr. 9, 81927 München, Germany   Phone: +49 89 9545 9079 Email: contact@qbn.world Website: www.qbn.world

We are proud to share that the German Federal Government and the Federal Ministry of Research, Technology and Space (BMFTR) has named QBN as an official partner that contributes to the success of the High-Tech Agenda Germany (HTAD) and its quantum technologies roadmap. Standing alongside long-term partners and friends like the PTB, the collaborative project QR.N and other key deeptech players is both a great honour and a significant validation of our work. Shaping Policy with Industry Reality For more than six years, QBN has provided a strong, unified voice for the quantum industry. This recognition from the German Government underscores the vital role the commercial ecosystem plays in national strategy, technological sovereignty and economic competitiveness. A national roadmap only works if it aligns with the real-world challenges faced by startups, corporations, end-users and investors. Over the past year, QBN has actively worked to ensure these commercial realities are baked into the HTAD Quantum Technologies Roadmap: Turning Targets into Action The success of the High-Tech Agenda won’t be measured by the document itself, but by how effectively government and industry collaborate to execute these targets and challenge the status quo. Since our inception, QBN has supported the German Government, the European Commission, and national governments across Europe to build a resilient, thriving quantum economy. We look forward to continuing this work, ensuring that Germany and Europe remain premier hubs for quantum innovation and commercialisation. Thank you to BMFTR, BMWE and BMVg for the great collaboration. Thank you to our members and partners who make this advocacy possible. Let’s further shape the conditions in which we are building the quantum economy!

U.S. President Trump signed two directives to accelerate domestic quantum deployment and harden defenses against cryptographic vulnerabilities. By moving past the traditional timeline of commercial R&D, the administration is shifting into an enforced federal timeline. Executive Order 14411: “Ushering in the Next Frontier of Quantum Innovation” Executive Order 14409: “Securing the Nation Against Advanced Cryptographic Attacks”   For enterprises and international policymakers, particularly within Europe, this dual policy shift alters the operational landscape, increases the pressure around supply chains, market competitiveness, and data protection. Five Structural Shifts in the Legislation Instead of waiting for isolated industry milestones, the White House is using federal procurement and timelines to force market readiness. A Binding Hardware Deadline The Departments of Energy and Defense must deploy a „scientifically relevant“ quantum computer at a national laboratory by 2028. Concurrently, defense agencies are tasked with fielding practical quantum sensors within two to five years. PQC Migration Accelerated The final federal deadline to adopt Post-Quantum Cryptography (PQC) has been pulled forward to December 2031, shrinking the previous transition horizon by four years. Counterintelligence Expansion The mandate expands the Quantum Counterintelligence Protection Team to defend research labs, supply chains, and intellectual property from foreign cyber threats and espionage. Supply Chain Fortification The order establishes National Quantum Workforce Development Institutes to build domestic apprenticeships and secure the manufacturing pipeline against foreign dependencies. Trade Friction Management The Secretary of Commerce and the U.S. Trade Representative are tasked with identifying and countering foreign trade barriers or regulations that limit the competitiveness of American quantum firms. Industry Impact: The Encryption Deadline is Moving For corporate leaders in finance, defense, telecommunications, and critical infrastructure, „Q-Day“, the point where modern encryption becomes vulnerable to quantum computing, is now a near-term compliance and risk management issue. Because adversaries intercept and store encrypted data today to decrypt it later, long-term data security is already exposed. With the U.S. government moving up ist own deadlines, federal contractors, supply chain partners, and global financial institutions will face immediate pressure to upgrade their systems. The Enterprise Risk: If your organization relies on data that must remain secure for the next ten years, your current encryption standards are already obsolete. The runway to update to post-quantum encryption standards just shrunk. Policy Impact: The European Dilemma For policymakers, especially European, these executive orders change the geopolitical math. The U.S. strategy pairs aggressive domestic funding with hard deadlines and protective trade measures. As Washington accelerates ist ecosystem, policy leadership faces a difficult balancing act: Building Technological Sovereignty: developing independent quantum hardware capabilities and secure component supply chains to avoid severe asymmetric dependencies. Navigating Trade Frictions and Avoiding Trade War: ensuring quantum companies maintain global market access without being locked out by protective U.S. regulations or trade frameworks while avoiding U.S. measures against sovereignty efforts   Quantum policy can no longer be managed as an academic R&D initiative. It must be addressed as core economic and national security infrastructure. How QBN can help As the global deep-tech alliance and business platform accelerating the industrial adoption of quantum technologies across the entire value chain – from vendors and enterprises to defence, governments and investors – QBN addresses among others two critical pillars: Enterprise Quantum Readiness: We help enterprises to develop and implement their quantum strategy – from potential and threat analysis to actionable roadmap for PQC transition and industrial use-case adoption Quantum Policy and Defence Navigation: We help quantum vendors, investors and public institutions navigate industrial frameworks, public procurement and leverage business opportunities. Contact us