From Quantum Risk to Competitive Advantage with Shayne De La Force

Quantum technology promises enormous economic value, but are businesses preparing quickly enough to capture it or protect themselves from its risks? In this episode, Francis Gorman speaks with strategy leader and LFI founder Shayne De la Force about the commercial realities of quantum technology in advanced manufacturing. Drawing on decades of experience across the semiconductor, aerospace, defence and automotive sectors, Shayne explains why quantum must become a board-level economic and governance priority. They explore the cost of waiting, the challenge of securing global supply chains, the role of an embedded Chief Quantum Officer, and why businesses need to look beyond vague terms such as “quantum advantage” and “quantum readiness.” Shayne also reflects on beginning his career on a factory floor in Japan, the dangers of “synthetic seniority,” and the lessons behind his book, *Strategic Entanglement*, which helps deep-tech founders cross the valley of death between innovation and commercial success. **Key Takeaways** - Quantum is an economic issue, not merely a technology issue. Business leaders should evaluate it through two lenses: increasing enterprise value and reducing risk. - Waiting carries a measurable cost. Organisations that begin planning and piloting now can build stronger competitive moats, while delayed action may expose intellectual property, long-lived data and future market position. - Quantum preparation needs board-level sponsorship. CISOs and technical teams require executive support, funding and governance authority to deliver meaningful readiness programmes. - Advanced manufacturers face a supply-chain problem. Prime contractors may have thousands of suppliers operating at very different levels of cryptographic maturity. The weakest supplier can become the greatest source of exposure. - Prioritisation is more valuable than trying to fix everything at once. Companies should identify high-exposure systems, sensitive intellectual property and long-lived data, then concentrate resources where risk reduction will have the greatest impact. - Most mid-sized organisations do not need a full internal quantum department. An embedded Chief Quantum Officer model can provide access to strategy, security, physics, governance and programme-management expertise without years of internal hiring. - Quantum use cases must be tied to commercial outcomes. Not every pilot will deliver immediate value. Organisations need clearly defined business problems, economic metrics and realistic pathways from experimentation to deployment. - Deep-tech commercialisation must begin early. Start-ups should develop their market narrative, customer belief and commercial strategy alongside the technology—not after the product has been completed. - Foundational experience still matters. Working directly with machines, infrastructure, customers and operational teams creates judgement that cannot be replaced by AI-generated ideas or “synthetic seniority.” **Soundbites** “Unless you are working for a not-for-profit, we are all here to drive business, growth and economic value.” “A CEO or CFO has two fundamental objectives: maximise economic value and reduce economic risk.” “The companies moving today are the ones that will have the strongest competitive moat.” “Unless you have buy-in at the top, it is very difficult to move the rest of the organisation.” “When boards see the economic risk of losing their intellectual property and long-term data, that is when the needle starts moving.” “Building an internal quantum department can take years and millions of dollars. Our embedded model gives companies access to the whole capability.” “The companies running pilots today are the ones building a competitive moat over the companies that are waiting.” “In advanced manufacturing, equipment may have a depreciation cycle of 25 or 30 years. That makes cryptographic transition a massive challenge.” “The prime contractors are preparing, but their supplier base is often their weakest link.” “Our job is to create clarity in chaos—because, right now, it is chaos.” “Can we close 80 percent of the exposure in the first 12 months and then work through the remaining 20 percent?” “The valley of death is where great technology goes to die because the commercialisation strategy was never developed.”