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QC Investment Flow

This Sankey diagram traces the flow of capital through the quantum computing ecosystem, from funding sources on the left, through research and operational categories in the middle, to measurable outputs on the right.

The key visual takeaway is stark: approximately $105 billion in cumulative investment flows in from governments, corporations, venture capital, SPACs, and other sources. That capital spreads across hardware research, algorithm development, software tools, cloud infrastructure, operations, and salaries. Yet the revenue output on the far right is a barely visible sliver — roughly $50 million, or about 0.05% of total investment.

View QC Investment Flow MicroSim Fullscreen

Hover over any flow to see the estimated dollar amount. The width of each band is proportional to the money flowing through it, making the input-to-revenue ratio immediately apparent. Notice how the largest flows terminate at "Scientific Papers" and "Patents" rather than commercial revenue — a pattern consistent with a field still in the fundamental research phase, not the commercialization phase.

How to Read This Diagram

  • Left column (Sources): Where the money originates. Government grants are the largest source, followed by corporate R&D budgets.
  • Middle column (Destinations): Where the money is spent. Hardware research dominates, consuming nearly half of all funding.
  • Right column (Outputs): What the spending produces. Papers and patents are abundant; revenue is negligible.

The color of each flow reflects its funding source, while the output flows use green for research outputs and red for the thin revenue stream.