NZIAT, in partnership with Tech New Zealand, completed a series of stakeholder workshops across Dunedin, Wellington, and Auckland in March 2026 to gather perspectives on the opportunities for New Zealand to build globally-competitive capabilities in quantum technology.
The workshops brought together over 80 participants from academia, industry, and the wider technology ecosystem, reflecting the breadth of expertise and interest across the country.
The workshops explored New Zealand's strengths in quantum technology, opportunities for growth, and the types of support that could help the sector succeed internationally. Stakeholders highlighted the importance of a focused and coordinated approach that builds on successful international models while utilising New Zealand's unique strengths. They emphasised that any future growth engine should take a broad ecosystem approach, supporting research, capability development, commercialisation, and collaboration across the sector.
Participants also noted the importance of targeting investment where it can have the greatest impact, rather than spreading resources thinly. There was strong support for a model that enables entrepreneurs, start-ups, researchers, and established organisations to contribute to and benefit from sector growth. Stakeholders cautioned against concentrating efforts solely on large-scale quantum computing infrastructure or creating a funding mechanism focused only on research projects. Instead, they emphasised the need for a comprehensive approach that helps translate New Zealand's quantum strengths into economic and societal value.
The feedback gathered through these workshops is informing NZIAT's assessment of quantum technology opportunities and the potential pathways for building a globally competitive quantum sector in New Zealand.
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