Qubit Labs Releases 2026 Deep Tech Ecosystem Report, Benchmarking Talent and Salaries

New report covers salary benchmarks for 18 deep tech roles and finds compensation ranging from $12,000 to $152,000 depending on role and region.

LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM, August 6, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Qubit Labs, a technology staffing and recruitment company specializing in Eastern European talent markets, today announced the release of its Deep Tech Ecosystem Report 2026: Talent Availability, Salaries & Hiring Trends. The report provides HR leaders, startup founders, investors, and policymakers with data-driven benchmarks for hiring across four of the world's most active deep tech talent markets.

Roughly 36% of global venture capital now flows into deep tech, fueling innovation in artificial intelligence, quantum computing, and physical infrastructure. Yet persistent talent shortages continue to slow progress for startups and enterprises alike. Drawing on its recruitment expertise, Qubit Labs compiled the report to help organizations identify where deep tech talent is concentrated and what it costs to hire it.

Key Findings

The report identifies AI, data science, cybersecurity, and blockchain as the four core deep tech sectors, and names Poland, Romania, Ukraine, and the United Kingdom as the top hiring destinations. Across the 18 roles benchmarked, annual salaries range from $12,000 to $152,000 depending on role, seniority, and location, with the UK commanding the highest pay.

Poland leads Central and Eastern Europe with an estimated 62,000 deep tech specialists and more than 1,600 IT outsourcing firms. Romania follows with roughly 48,700 deep tech professionals, particularly strong in AI, robotics, and cybersecurity. Ukraine sustains around 19,500 deep tech professionals despite wartime conditions, operating under EU-aligned data regulations. The UK, with more than 209,000 deep tech specialists, stands out as a premium talent market better suited to benchmarking than cost-driven hiring.

For AI engineers specifically, Poland, Romania, and Ukraine each show a comparable annual salary of $60,000, reflecting strong regional demand and competition for experienced talent. Across most other roles, Ukraine remains the most cost-effective hiring destination, with salaries ranging from $17,000 for incident response specialists to $48,000 for chief information security officers. UK salaries, by contrast, average more than $70,000 per year.

What the Report Covers
• Global overviews of the AI, data science, cybersecurity, and blockchain ecosystems
• Regional comparisons of talent pools, market drivers, and regulatory context across four countries
• Annual salary benchmarks for junior, mid-level, and senior deep tech professionals
• Compensation data across 18 in-demand roles, including AI and LLM engineers, cybersecurity specialists, data engineers, and blockchain developers

Executive Comment

“This report provides the market intelligence organizations need to make informed hiring decisions in deep tech, replacing guesswork with data-driven insights into where critical talent is available and what it costs to hire,”

— Iva Kozlovska, CEO of Qubit Labs

Who Should Read the Report

• HR leaders looking to close specialist skill gaps and benchmark salaries
• Startup founders and CTOs building global tech teams with a focus on smart budgeting
• Investors and VCs assessing whether portfolio companies can access the talent needed to execute growth strategies
• Policymakers shaping talent and R&D strategy to strengthen deep tech competitiveness

The Deep Tech Ecosystem Report 2026 is available now as a free download at qubit-labs.com.

About Qubit Labs

Qubit Labs is a technology staffing and recruitment company connecting global companies with deep tech and software talent across Eastern Europe. With offices in Estonia, the UK, Canada, Sweden, and Poland, Qubit Labs supports more than 40 clients in 18 countries through dedicated team augmentation, R&D center setup, and recruitment process outsourcing.

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