Up to 10 early-stage startups developing quantum technologies or quantum-enabled solutions will be invited to showcase their innovations on December 8 at the Q2B26 x Chicago Quantum Summit as part of a pitch competition sponsored by the University of Chicago's Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation, the Applied Research Institute (ARI), and P33, with support from TechRise. Duality — a quantum accelerator led by Polsky and the Chicago Quantum Exchange (CQE) along with founding partners University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Argonne National Laboratory, and P33 — is organizing the contest.
The deadline to apply is November 20, 2026.
The total prize pool is $150,000, with the first-place winner receiving $100,000 ($50,000 SAFE investment, 50,000 non-dilutive)and the second-place finisher receiving $50,000 in non-dilutive funding. The competition is open to quantum or quantum-enabling startups at the pre-seed or seed stage, or with less than $5 million USD raised to date.
The finalists, to be announced November 30, receive a full Q2B26 x Chicago Quantum Summit conference pass; exposure to hundreds of quantum VCs, investors, innovators, and industry leaders; and a live pitch opportunity in front of a dedicated jury and global audience.
Hosted by QC Ware and the CQE, Q2B x Chicago Quantum Summit brings Q2B's quantum business and commercialization expertise together with the CQE’s annual convening to advance quantum research, education, and economic innovation. The joint event will be held at the Marriott Marquis Chicago and McCormick Place December 8–10, 2026, and offers opportunities for participants to engage with thought leaders, explore partnerships, and build skills across the full discovery-to-deployment spectrum. The conference will be held exclusively in-person. A 30% discount on registration is valid until September 30 with code CH-30-EarlyBird.
To apply for the Q2B26 x Chicago Quantum Summit Pitch Competition, please visit the Duality website.