In this commercially focused episode from January 5, 2026, the Qubit Value podcast explores the rapidly growing economic ecosystem surrounding quantum computing, moving beyond the "science fiction" phase to real revenue generation. The hosts discuss projections that the market could explode from $4 billion today to $72 billion by 2035, driven largely by "Quantum Computing as a Service" (QCaaS) models where companies like IBM and Amazon rent out time on their hardware via the cloud, lowering the barrier to entry for enterprises. The episode also highlights emerging profit centers such as Post-Quantum Cryptography (PQC), a multi-billion dollar "insurance" market where companies pay for security upgrades against future threats, and the lucrative demand for specialized consulting to bridge the talent gap. While pure hardware sales remain niche, the discussion emphasizes that the immediate financial opportunity lies in the "picks and shovels" of the industry—control software, hybrid integration middleware, and legal IP strategy—signaling that for many, the path to profit doesn't require building a computer, but servicing the ecosystem around it.
