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All of the major IT analyst firms that are investigating quantum computing think that the world will start to see quantum applications of significant value within the next 10 years at the most:

• Gartner opines that: "Quantum computing’s true potential remains a decade away."

• McKinsey & Co. says for sectors like pharmaceuticals, it “may come as early as 2030."

• Capgemini reports that 43% of organizations working on quantum technologies expect them to be available for use in at least one major commercial application in 3-5 years.

Industry sector leaders also expect quantum disruption in short order. Goldman Sachs predicts that quantum computing is five years away from use in financial markets. Rolls-Royce expects quantum machines to be reliable enough to do serious evaluations in five to 10 years.

So, if you haven’t yet formed a skunkworks team to investigate quantum, start now. It may seem intimidating, but your approach to quantum computing—and quantum software development—will not be unlike any other technology that you have worked on. And building internal knowledge about quantum computing now will be critical to your future success.

But don’t stop there. As you create new quantum applications, file patents on those applications so that you can protect your intellectual property (IP). Quantum applications will begin creating business value and disruption within 10 years, but IP patents last 20 years. And the cost of filing a patent is trivial, but the cost of being patent-fenced out can be tremendous.

Avoid Getting Fenced Out

Quantum patent filings are rising rapidly. The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) and the European Patent Office (EPO) are granting around 2,000 patents related to quantum technologies per year, according to this academic paper, which shows the upward trend.

China holds the largest share (54%) of patents in all major types of quantum technologies, according to McKinsey & Company, and China’s Huawei has patented a quantum computer. IBM is also a leader in the quantum patent race. My company, Classiq(, continues to file patent applications at the core of the quantum computing stack. Other technology solution providers such as Multiverse Computing and Quantinuum have filed recent quantum patents, too.

The businesses that employ solution providers’ technology are working to build quantum IP assets as well. The quantum computing exploration of insurance giant UnitedHealth Group (UHG) is largely driven by a desire to develop and protect intellectual property in this space, according to Matt Versaggi, who works for Optum Technology, the technology arm of UHG.

And when Classiq recently asked more than 500 professionals across sectors whether their organizations are currently patenting or have plans to patent quantum software-related IP, 71% said yes. Ninety percent said that quantum computing could be an important source of IP for a company. And 73% said that they understand competing organizations patenting quantum software IP may block them from benefiting from future quantum computing applications.

Apply For Provisional Patents

Don’t be shy about your quantum patent efforts. Patent everything that is at the core of your technology or business of your company, because your IP is one of the key things that makes your company valuable. This is true for large and small companies alike.

So, if you sniffed out the potential for a co-application for quantum in your field, get a jump on the competition by filing for a provisional patent. A provisional application will hold your place until your non-provisional application is ready. As patent attorney George Likourezos explains, provisional applications are useful since all patent systems are based on a first-to-file system.

Patents are the best approach to protecting quantum IP in most business situations. But in some cases, your organization might need to keep its quantum IP under wraps. For example, if you’re a government contractor, you might not want anyone to know what you’re doing. In that case, it may be best to keep your quantum applications as a trade secret.

Steer Clear Of The Maze

Be aware that there is a less known cost to waiting with your patent application. The later you apply, the narrower your claims language will need to be. As a result, you will not only be protecting a lesser chunk of your IP, but the borders between your IP and your competitors’ IP may become corrugated and you’ll become less likely to be able to enforce your IP ownership.

Get Going Now

If you have still not started with quantum exploration and building the IP of your quantum applications, you are already a couple of steps behind the fastest movers in this field.

Companies are routinely building and patenting their quantum applications. And it’s happening at an even faster rate than it may appear since patent data tends to trail by about two years.

In the competition for future IP holdings, ownership of quantum applications in your domain a few years from now needs to be established and cultivated already today.

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