January 2026 Quantum Recap: Quantum Moves Deeper Into Policy and Manufacturing

Insider Brief

• January marked a shift in quantum technology from research-driven experimentation toward coordinated national strategies and industrial-scale manufacturing.
• Governments advanced formal roadmaps tying quantum development to defense, cybersecurity, and economic competitiveness, while expanding funding for shared infrastructure and workforce programs.
• Companies responded by prioritizing fabrication, supply chains, and integration — investing in foundries, photonics, and vertical manufacturing to move quantum systems closer to deployment.

Quantum technology entered a more pragmatic phase in January as governments and companies alike shifted their focus from research milestones to long-term planning, manufacturing capacity and national integration, according to data tracked by The Quantum Insider’s Intelligence Platform.

Across Asia, Europe and North America, public agencies advanced formal strategies that treat quantum computing, communications and sensing as strategic infrastructure rather than speculative science. At the same time, companies moved to shore up supply chains, invest in fabrication and align their roadmaps with policy priorities around security, resilience and economic competitiveness.

Taken together, the month’s developments suggest quantum is no longer being positioned as a distant technological leap. It is increasingly framed as a system that must be built, governed and scaled within existing political and industrial constraints.

Governments Harden Quantum Strategies

Several governments used January to formalize national approaches that link quantum technology directly to defense readiness, cybersecurity and industrial policy.

India advanced a military-focused framework that outlines how quantum technologies could be integrated across its armed forces, tying computing, communications and sensing to long-term defense planning. South Korea set out a roadmap aimed at becoming a leading quantum chip manufacturer by the mid-2030s, emphasizing domestic production, regional clusters and talent development as part of a broader semiconductor strategy.

Taiwan signaled a shorter timeline, stating an ambition to reach industrial-grade quantum computing within five years. Officials framed the effort as a response to global competition in advanced computing and vulnerabilities in technology supply chains.

International coordination also gained momentum with Singapore and Japan signing a government-level cooperation agreement designed to support joint research, workforce development and commercialization. Rather than emphasizing national self-sufficiency, the agreement reflected a shared interest in pooling expertise and accelerating deployment.

Europe continued to favor coordinated infrastructure over national champions. The European Union expanded mandates tied to high-performance computing and quantum technologies, while member states backed cross-border pilots and shared facilities. Policymakers emphasized access, standardization and collaboration between research institutions and industry as prerequisites for scale.

Cybersecurity provided one of the clearest policy drivers. The G7 issued guidance on transitioning the financial sector toward post-quantum cryptography, treating the risk posed by future quantum computers to current encryption as a systemic concern. The guidance urged financial institutions to begin planning now, reinforcing the idea that quantum impacts extend beyond laboratories into core economic systems.

Subnational governments followed suit, including U.S. states Maryland and New York, which directed new funding toward quantum research centers, defense-linked initiatives and workforce programs, often framing the investments as tools for regional economic development and competition for high-tech jobs.

Education and talent development featured prominently across regions. Universities launched new undergraduate and graduate programs focused on quantum systems engineering, while regional collaboratives formed to coordinate training and research. Policymakers increasingly described workforce shortages as a bottleneck, alongside technical uncertainty.

Industry Turns to Manufacturing and Supply Chains

Industry responses in January reflected a parallel shift away from headline performance claims toward the practical challenges of building and delivering quantum systems.

Several companies emphasized approaches designed to fit quantum hardware into existing semiconductor manufacturing processes. The goal is to lower costs, improve reliability and shorten development cycles by leveraging tools and expertise already common in chip fabrication. Others pursued vertical integration, bringing fabrication, packaging, or component production in-house to gain greater control over quality and timelines.

Photonics emerged as a key manufacturing track alongside superconducting and neutral-atom systems. Partnerships formed around scaling optical components such as fibers and integrated photonic circuits, with an emphasis on repeatability and volume rather than bespoke laboratory setups. These efforts point to a future in which photonic quantum systems are produced more like conventional optical hardware than experimental devices.

Research institutes, universities and national laboratories began investigating the creation of foundries as a tool to commercialize quantum, announcing new or expanded facilities intended to provide shared access to cleanrooms and standardized processes. These foundries aim to reduce barriers for startups and researchers while accelerating the transition from prototype to deployable hardware. Governments backed many of these efforts as part of broader industrial strategies tied to sovereignty and supply chain resilience.

Cloud access continued to play a supporting, but important role with providers expanding platforms that allow users to experiment with quantum systems remotely, often combining simulators with early-stage hardware. While these systems remain constrained, the model reflects a broader effort to normalize quantum experimentation and integrate it into existing computing workflows.

Corporate transactions underscored the industrial turn. Acquisitions and joint ventures focused on securing critical capabilities, including chip manufacturing and systems integration. Companies framed these moves as necessary steps to manage complexity as quantum systems grow in size and ambition.

Firms also reported progress using quantum-enhanced methods in areas such as weather forecasting, supply chain planning and secure communications. These efforts emphasized incremental improvements and validation rather than transformative speedups, reinforcing a more measured narrative around near-term value.

Policy Signals Shape Industrial Direction

The convergence between public policy and private investment appeared to be one of the clearest themes of the month as seen through TQI’s intelligence platform.

Government roadmaps emphasizing domestic manufacturing, secure supply chains and workforce development are shaping how companies prioritize their investments. In turn, industry moves toward fabrication, standardization and integration support policy goals around resilience and technological independence.

In Europe, public funding for shared infrastructure and coordinated pilots is mirrored by industry participation in foundries and cloud platforms designed to broaden access. In Asia, national ambitions around chipmaking and clusters are reinforced by corporate investments in manufacturing and partnerships.

In the United States, state-level funding and federal research programs are encouraging companies to anchor operations near academic and defense institutions, blending commercial and public objectives.

This mutual reinforcement suggests that the next phase of quantum development will be driven as much by governance and execution as by scientific discovery.

A Slower, More Durable Phase

The data also point to a recalibration of expectations around quantum technology based on January’s activity.

Rather than racing toward near-term breakthroughs, governments and companies appear to be laying groundwork for systems that may take years to mature. The emphasis on manufacturing, security and workforce development reflects an acceptance that quantum computing is an infrastructure project with long timelines and uncertain payoffs.

That does not diminish its strategic importance because the growing involvement of defense agencies, financial regulators and industrial planners suggests quantum is being taken more seriously than ever. These experts see quantum not necessarily as a promise of disruption, but as a capability that must be managed carefully. Meanwhile public agencies advanced formal strategies that treat quantum computing, communications and sensing as strategic infrastructure rather than speculative science. At the same time, companies moved to shore up supply chains, invest in fabrication and align their roadmaps with policy priorities around security, resilience and economic competitiveness.

Based on the scan of TQI’s data, January’s developments suggest quantum is no longer being positioned as a distant technological leap. It is increasingly framed as a system that must be built, governed and scaled within existing political and industrial constraints.

Governments Harden Quantum Strategies

Several governments used January to formalize national approaches that link quantum technology directly to defense readiness, cybersecurity and industrial policy.

As mentioned, India’s military-focused framework outlined how quantum technologies could be integrated across its armed forces, tying computing, communications and sensing to long-term defense planning. South Korea set out a roadmap aimed at becoming a leading quantum chip manufacturer by the mid-2030s, emphasizing domestic production, regional clusters and talent development as part of a broader semiconductor strategy.

Taiwan signaled a shorter timeline, stating an ambition to reach industrial-grade quantum computing within five years. Officials framed the effort as a response to global competition in advanced computing and vulnerabilities in technology supply chains.

Singapore and Japan’s cooperation agreement speaks to this. Rather than emphasizing national self-sufficiency, the agreement reflected a shared interest in pooling expertise and accelerating deployment.

Europe also continues to favor coordinated infrastructure over national champions. Policymakers emphasized access, standardization and collaboration between research institutions and industry as prerequisites for scale.

Industry Turns to Manufacturing and Supply Chains

Industry activity covered above also can be seen as a broader shift toward the practical work of scaling quantum systems, as companies focused less on performance milestones and more on manufacturing, integration, and delivery.

For example, firms emphasized approaches that align quantum processors with existing semiconductor and photonics manufacturing, aiming to reduce cost, improve reliability, and shorten development cycles. Others moved toward greater vertical integration, seeking tighter control over fabrication, packaging, and critical components.

The shared foundry initiatives and standardized facilities are intended to lower barriers for startups and accelerate the transition from laboratory prototypes to deployable systems, often with direct government backing tied to supply chain resilience.

Photonics emphasized their scalable pathways, too, with partnerships focused on producing optical components at volume rather than as custom-built devices. .

The corporate acquisitions and joint ventures mentioned above are seeking to secure manufacturing and integration capabilities that are viewed as essential for managing complexity as systems scale.

Policy Signals Shape Industrial Direction

The convergence between public policy and private investment was one of the clearest themes of the month, based on TQI data.

Government roadmaps emphasizing domestic manufacturing, secure supply chains and workforce development are shaping how companies prioritize their investments. In turn, industry moves toward fabrication, standardization and integration support policy goals around resilience and technological independence.

Rather than racing toward near-term breakthroughs, governments and companies appear to be laying groundwork for systems that may take years to mature. The emphasis on manufacturing, security and workforce development reflects an acceptance that quantum computing is an infrastructure project with long timelines and uncertain payoffs.

That does not diminish its strategic importance. The growing involvement of defense agencies, financial regulators and industrial planners suggests quantum is being taken more seriously than ever — not as a promise of disruption, but as a capability that must be managed carefully.