When: Friday, September 29, 2023, 8:30 am CT – Monday, October 2, 2023, 8:30 pm CT
Where: 1871, located at 222 W Merchandise Mart Plaza #1212, Chicago, IL 60654
Description: The Chicago Quantum Exchange, in partnership with QuantX, will host the BIG Q Hackathon, a four-day quantum competition that will convene members of the entire quantum computing value chain, connecting industry and quantum computing platform providers, with technical and business talent to collaborate on quantum solutions to real-world industry challenges.
This competition will have a unique format with a Technical Phase (Days 1 and 2) and a Business Phase (Days 3 and 4).
QuantX has previously co-organized successful BIG Q Hackathons in Europe and Canada, generating productive discussions, creative solutions, and several new collaborations. We are bringing this unique competition to the US for the first time.
Participating institutions include AWS, Boeing, Capgemini, CSL, General Atomics, IBM, Infleqtion, Johnson & Johnson Innovation, NCSA, NVIDIA, Mayo Clinic, Pasqal, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, qBraid, Quantinuum, and United Airlines.
Help support the event through a corporate sponsorship.
Contact us for more information on sponsorship options.
Submit a use case based on a real-world industry challenge to quantum@uchicago.edu.
For general information on attendance and participation, visit our FAQ document.
| Time | |
| 8:30 am CT |
Arrival and Breakfast |
| 9:00 am CT |
Welcome Remarks, Introductions and BIG Q Hackathon Overview |
| 9:30 am CT |
Launch of the Technical Phase. Technical Teams move to break-out rooms with QC platform mentors and use case company mentors Teamwork begins |
| 11:00 am CT |
Coffee Break + Professional Speed Dating Session for invited guests |
| 12:30 pm CT |
Lunch + Sponsor Spotlight (Capgemini) |
| 3:30 pm CT |
Coffee Break |
| 6:30 pm CT |
End of Day 1 |
| Time | |
| 8:30 am CT |
Arrival and Breakfast |
| 9:00 am CT |
Technical Teams continue teamwork |
| 11:00 am CT |
Coffee Break + Professional Speed Dating session for invited guests |
| 12:30 pm CT |
Lunch (sponsored by IEEE Chicago) |
| 12:45 pm CT |
Technical Phase ends, collection of Technical Team presentations |
| 2:00 pm CT |
Technical Team presentations Coffee and Snacks |
| 6:00 pm CT |
Jury deliberation |
| 6:30 pm CT |
Tech Phase closing remarks End of Day 2 |
| Time | |
| 8:30 am CT |
Arrival and Breakfast |
| 9:00 am CT |
Launch of the Business Phase - Kickoff and introduction |
| 9:30 am CT |
Business Teams move to break-out rooms with QC platform mentors, use-case company mentors, and technical team reps Teamwork begins |
| 11:00 am CT |
Coffee Break + Professional Speed Dating Session for invited guests |
| 12:30 pm CT |
Lunch |
| 3:30 pm CT |
Coffee Break |
| 6:30 pm CT |
End of Day 3 |
| Time | |
| 8:30 am CT |
Arrival and Breakfast |
| 9:00 am CT |
Business Teams continue teamwork |
| 11:00 am CT |
Coffee Break + Networking session for invited guests |
| 12:30 pm CT |
Lunch (sponsored by Quantinuum) |
| 12:45 pm CT |
Business Phase ends, collection of Business Team presentations |
| 2:30 pm CT |
Business Team presentations Coffee and Snacks |
| 5:00 pm CT |
Jury deliberation |
| 5:30 pm CT |
End of Hackathon |
| 6:00 pm CT |
Arrival of invited guests Closing Remarks from Hosts “Quantum in Chicago” - Kate Timmerman, CEO, Chicago Quantum Exchange Keynote: “How Long is the Road to Quantum Utility?” - Mark Saffman, Johannes Rydberg Professor of Physics, UW-Madison and Chief Scientist for Quantum Information, Infleqtion Award Ceremony |
