Piloting the Quantum Economy Blueprint Lessons from Saudi Arabia 2026

Phases of implementing the blueprint in Saudi Arabia FIGURE 3 Ecosystem mapping Analysed Saudi Arabia's quantum landscape, mapping existing initiatives, education and research capabilities, industry engagement and infrastructure across the national ecosystem. This established a shared baseline identifying where activities concentrated and where critical gaps persisted.Stakeholder engagement Convened stakeholders across government, academia and industry through a steering committee and thematic workstreams to surface divergent perspectives on quantum urgency, technological feasibility and strategic priorities. This approach achieved stakeholder buy-in by reconciling perspectives that viewed quantum either as a long-term research pursuit or an immediate cybersecurity imperative.Strategic prioritization Contextualized the blueprint themes within Saudi Arabia's strategic environment, selecting 16 building blocks across seven thematic domains aligned with current institutional maturity and achievable near-term impact. This deliberate focus prioritized initiatives that could be implemented credibly within existing capacities, rather than pursuing comprehensive coverage prematurely. Benchmarking and codevelopment Assessed the Kingdom’s quantum position relative to international peers, and codeveloped policy recommendations for each building block (Figure 4). This provided evidence-based framing for ambition levels and identified areas requiring accelerated development.Feasibility validation Conducted iterative technical review cycles with local and international quantum experts to stress-test feasibility and refine recommendations.Roadmap formulation Synthesized insights from previous phases into actionable implementation pathways with proposed timelines and ways forward.Phase 1 Phase 2 Phase 3 Phase 5 Phase 4 Phase 6 Source: Centre for the Fourth Industrial Revolution Saudi Arabia. Throughout the pilot, a steering committee comprising senior representatives from government, academia and industry provided strategic oversight across all six phases. Four thematic workstreams operated under co-leadership models involving government ministries, academic research institutions and industry representatives. This structure enabled the pilot to coordinate across institutional boundaries, sequence investments strategically and prioritize foundational enablers. Quantum readiness requires both strategic foresight and disciplined experimentation. While architectural blueprinting sets technical direction, early adoption validates its business outcomes and usefulness. Salih A. AlSubai, Technology Strategy and Architecture Vice-President, Saudi Telecom Company (STC) The pilot resulted in a national quantum economy roadmap and policy recommendations tailored to Saudi Arabia’s capabilities and strategic priorities, published in Towards Saudi Arabia’s Quantum- Enabled Future.15 These policy recommendations are organized across seven thematic domains, reflecting the 16 building blocks selected based on Saudi Arabia’s current institutional maturity and near-term priorities (Figure 4). Piloting the Quantum Economy Blueprint 11