This chapter builds on the insights gathered from stakeholders (see What They Shared: Suggestions from Interviews), presenting key recommendations that reflect the practical needs and strategic aspirations of actors across the Nordic-Baltic quantum landscape. To contextualize and deepen these findings, I compare them with two foundational policy documents: the Nordic-Baltic Quantum Ecosystem report (3) and the Nordic Quantum White Paper (1), as well as the Joint Statement by the Nordic Prime Ministers and Heads of Government on Quantum Technologies (21) issued on 25 May 2025. Together, these sources offer a multi-layered view of the region’s quantum ambitions, from grassroots innovation to high-level policy coordination. By synthesizing these perspectives, this chapter identifies areas of convergence, highlights actionable gaps, and explores how stakeholder-driven insights can inform and enhance the implementation of regional strategies. The goal is to bridge the dialogue between policy and practice, ensuring that the Nordic quantum agenda is both visionary and grounded.
Strategic Alignment with the Nordic-Baltic Quantum Ecosystem Report
Converging Priorities: Alignment Between Stakeholder Recommendations and the Nordic-Baltic Quantum Ecosystem Report
A comparative analysis of this report’s insights from interview respondents and the “Nordic-Baltic Quantum Ecosystem” report (3) reveals a strong convergence around strategic priorities for advancing quantum technology across the Nordic and Baltic region. Note that the sources for the present report and the groundwork of the ecosystem report also involves interviews and that there may be some overlap in interview subjects. However, despite their differing formats, one grounded in practitioner interviews and the other in policy analysis and ecosystem mapping, both sources highlight foundational needs that reinforce the case for coordinated regional action.
A central theme is the call for long-term, sustainable funding. Stakeholders emphasized the importance of predictable investment to support infrastructure, talent development, and continuity in research. The ecosystem report echoes this concern, identifying insufficient long-term funding as a major policy gap and recommending mechanisms to support sustained R&D and commercialization. Both perspectives stress that without stable financial support, the region risks fragmentation and missed opportunities for global impact.
Closely related is the shared emphasis on joint funding mechanisms and cross-border collaboration. Interview respondents advocated for Nordic-wide funding programs to overcome fragmented national systems and support shared infrastructure and researcher mobility. The ecosystem report reinforces this by proposing a Quantum Coordination Forum and cross-country pilot projects to align strategies and pool resources. Both sources recognize that coordinated governance and funding are essential to enable impactful, region-wide initiatives.
Infrastructure sharing is another area of strong alignment. Stakeholders called for streamlined access to shared facilities such as cleanrooms and testbeds, citing bureaucratic barriers as a major obstacle. The ecosystem report responds with a proposal for a Nordic-Baltic infrastructure access program, designed to provide federated access to quantum resources and maximize the value of existing investments.
The importance of industry-academia collaboration is also a recurring theme. Stakeholders highlighted the need for structured partnerships to translate research into scalable technologies. The ecosystem report supports this by recommending startup and scale-up support programs, as well as public-private pilot projects. Both documents view such collaboration as essential for fostering innovation, developing talent, and ensuring market readiness.
Support for startups and spin-offs is another shared priority. Interviewees stressed the need for incubators, flexible intellectual property frameworks, and access to infrastructure to help early-stage ventures grow. The ecosystem report aligns with this by proposing targeted support programs and early-stage funding to build a robust quantum business ecosystem.
Education, talent development, and researcher mobility are also emphasized in both documents. Stakeholders recommended joint PhD and postdoctoral programs, as well as coordinated training initiatives to build a strong talent pipeline. The ecosystem report complements this with proposals for joint education programs, mobility fellowships, and workforce retraining initiatives. Both sources agree that cross-border education and mobility are critical to developing a skilled and adaptable quantum workforce.
Finally, both documents prioritize joint use case development as a strategy to bridge fundamental research and real-world innovation. Stakeholders advocated for collaborative research focused on practical applications, while the ecosystem report recommends launching cross-country pilot projects involving end-users to accelerate technology readiness. This shared focus on use-case-driven R&D reflects a commitment to demonstrating the societal and economic value of quantum technologies.
Additional Insights from Stakeholders
While the ecosystem report provides a comprehensive strategic overview, the stakeholder interviews offer additional operational insights that enrich the policy narrative. One such area is the challenge of administrative and legal barriers to cross-border collaboration. Interviewees described delays caused by institutional bureaucracy, such as negotiating non-disclosure agreements and navigating incompatible legal frameworks. These practical issues are largely absent from the policy report but critical to the success of joint initiatives.
Stakeholders also offered a more detailed vision for governance. While the report proposes a Quantum Coordination Forum, interviewees elaborated on the specific functions such a body should perform, including aligning funding mechanisms, managing shared infrastructure, and facilitating communication among stakeholders. This more granular perspective reflects the lived experience of those navigating fragmented governance structures.
Another valuable contribution from the interviews is the emphasis on focusing regional efforts on areas of existing strength, such as quantum sensing. While the report identifies strongholds, stakeholders provided a strategic rationale for concentrating resources where the Nordics already have a competitive edge, rather than spreading efforts too thinly across all quantum domains.
Finally, the interviews highlighted the importance of international collaboration beyond Europe. While the report focuses primarily on EU-level coordination, stakeholders emphasized the value of existing partnerships with leading global institutions such as MIT, Berkeley, and TU Delft—many of which could be deepened. They also highlighted opportunities to establish new collaborations that would further strengthen the Nordic quantum ecosystem. These relationships are seen as essential for benchmarking progress and accessing specialized capabilities.
Comparison with the Nordic Quantum White Paper
Aligning Vision and Practice: Comparing the Nordic Quantum White Paper with Stakeholder Perspectives
Note that the sources for the present report and the Nordic Quantum White Paper (1) may partially overlap. The Nordic Quantum White Paper and the insights from interview respondents both articulate a shared ambition to position the Nordic region as a prominent global contributor in quantum science and technology. While they align on several strategic goals; particularly around collaboration, education, and infrastructure, the White Paper introduces a more formalized policy roadmap. At the same time, stakeholder interviews offer grounded, operational insights that could enhance the White Paper’s proposals, especially in areas such as education and skills development, regulatory frameworks, and international positioning.
Shared Vision and Strategic Goals
Both documents emphasize the importance of cross-border collaboration, shared infrastructure, and workforce development. The White Paper proposes Nordic doctoral networks, visiting researcher schemes, and shared recruitment of postdocs. These align closely with stakeholder calls for joint PhD and postdoctoral programs, mobility schemes, and co-funded industry-academia partnerships. Both sources also highlight the need to build a robust talent pipeline and increase quantum literacy across sectors.
In terms of infrastructure, both documents stress the value of open-access facilities and coordinated investment. The White Paper references specific platforms such as Myfab, OtaNano, and DTU Nanolab, while stakeholders emphasize the need to reduce bureaucratic barriers to accessing these resources.
Education and Skills: From Vision to Implementation
The White Paper outlines a strong vision for education, including doctoral training networks and summer schools. Stakeholders reinforce this vision but add practical suggestions for implementation. These include co-funded, cross-border PhD programs embedded in industry, flexible IP arrangements to support spin-offs, and targeted training for professionals in sectors like cybersecurity and logistics. These insights could help operationalize the White Paper’s broader goal of building the world’s most quantum-literate workforce.
Regulatory Frameworks: A Missing Piece
One area where the White Paper is notably silent, but stakeholders are vocal, is the need for harmonized regulatory frameworks. Interviewees highlighted administrative and legal barriers to collaboration, such as delays in negotiating NDAs and navigating institutional policies. These practical challenges can significantly hinder joint projects. Including model agreements or a call for regulatory alignment in the White Paper would strengthen its coordination agenda and make its proposals more actionable.
International Positioning: From Participation to Influence
The White Paper emphasizes visibility and participation in international dialogues, including EU initiatives and global standardization efforts. Stakeholders, however, push for a more strategic approach: one that includes building alliances with leading global institutions (e.g., MIT, TU Delft, Berkeley), benchmarking against international best practices, and actively shaping global standards in areas like quantum security and ethical AI. These contributions suggest that the Nordic region should not only participate in global forums but also lead in setting the agenda.
Additional Contributions from the White Paper
The White Paper introduces several structural and strategic elements not emphasized in the interviews. These include:
- A full-time Nordic Quantum coordinator.
- A roadmap for engaging with EU-level initiatives like the European Quantum Pact and Chips Act.
- A dedicated communication strategy to raise awareness and attract talent.
- A call for seed funding to support coordination and outreach activities.
These additions provide a more comprehensive policy framework and reflect a top-down perspective that complements the bottom-up insights from stakeholders.
Policy Convergence: Reflections on the Prime Ministers’ Joint Statement
Bridging Vision and Practice: How Political Commitments Support Grassroots Recommendations
The Joint Statement by the Nordic Prime Ministers and Heads of Government (21) represents a significant political endorsement of regional cooperation in quantum innovation. When compared with the grassroots insights captured in the “Insights from Interview Respondents,” it becomes clear that the high-level commitments not only echo but also reinforce many of the practical recommendations voiced by researchers, innovators, and institutional leaders across the Nordic quantum ecosystem.
Shared Commitment to Ethical Governance
Both the Joint Statement and the stakeholder interviews recognize the importance of ethical and responsible development of quantum technologies. The Prime Ministers commit to “monitoring regulatory development while promoting a technology-enabling, ethical regulatory framework.” This aligns with stakeholder concerns about the need for governance structures that support innovation while addressing legal, ethical, and security implications. Interviewees focused more on operational barriers, such as administrative delays and legal inconsistencies. In contrast, the political statement provides a broader mandate for harmonizing regulation and embedding ethical considerations into policy frameworks.
Advancing Commercialization and Innovation
Commercialization is a central theme in both documents. The Joint Statement calls for “strengthening commercialisation efforts to accelerate the market-maturing of Nordic quantum solutions,” which directly supports stakeholder calls for increased support to startups, spin-offs, and industry-academia partnerships. Interview respondents emphasized the need for targeted funding, incubator programs, and infrastructure access to help early-stage ventures scale. The political commitment to leveraging EU and private funding, and to profiling the Nordics as a destination for quantum investment, provides a strategic platform to realize these grassroots ambitions.
Regional Coordination and Shared Infrastructure
The Joint Statement’s emphasis on “strengthening collaboration between national funding programmes” and exploring “common funding initiatives” reflects a clear alignment with stakeholder recommendations for joint Nordic funding mechanisms and shared infrastructure. Interviewees repeatedly stressed the need for a coordinating body to manage cross-border initiatives, reduce duplication, and streamline access to facilities. The political call to “utilise relevant frameworks such as the Nordic Council of Ministers, not least NordForsk” reinforces the potential for institutional mechanisms to bridge policy and practice.
The Role of NordForsk and Supporting Institutions
NordForsk is explicitly mentioned in the Joint Statement as a key actor in supporting collaboration on quantum technologies. This reflects its growing role as a facilitator of cross-border research funding and coordination. Stakeholders also recognized the importance of such institutions, though often implicitly, by calling for more structured and sustained support for joint initiatives. The alignment between political intent and grassroots needs suggests that NordForsk and similar bodies are well-positioned to serve as intermediaries that can translate high-level strategy into operational programs that support researchers, educators, and innovators on the ground.