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Where Quantum Meets AI to Solve Real-World Challenges

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The Cup

Quantum + AI for real-world challenges

The Qatar Quantum Intelligence Cup (QIC) is a global innovation competition bringing together the next generation of scientists, engineers and innovators to develop Quantum + AI solutions for real-world challenges.

Organized by Hamad Bin Khalifa University (HBKU) and QuantX, and hosted virtually on Aqora, the competition connects participants with leading industry organizations, quantum technology providers and experts from Qatar and around the world.

Participants will tackle real industrial problems, develop scientifically rigorous approaches, and turn the strongest ideas into working proofs of concept using leading quantum computing platforms.

The Challenge

Real Problems.Quantum + AI Solutions.

Qatar’s leading institutions and national champions will bring forward real-world industry challenges across a range of strategic sectors, including life sciences, aviation, energy and environment, telecommunications, finance, and beyond.

Participants will explore how quantum computing, artificial intelligence, or their combination can provide new approaches to complex, industry-relevant problems. Each challenge will be grounded in a real use case, with participants expected to develop a scientifically sound approach and a credible path toward practical implementation and impact.

The individual challenge statements and supporting materials will be released on Aqora by 30 November 2026.

  • Life sciences
    The challenge statement for this sector is released on Aqora by 30 November 2026.
  • Aviation
    The challenge statement for this sector is released on Aqora by 30 November 2026.
  • Energy and environment
    The challenge statement for this sector is released on Aqora by 30 November 2026.
  • Telecommunications
    The challenge statement for this sector is released on Aqora by 30 November 2026.
  • Finance
    The challenge statement for this sector is released on Aqora by 30 November 2026.

Who Can Participate?

Global Talent. Qatar at the Center.

The Qatar Quantum Intelligence Cup is open globally to undergraduate and postgraduate students, who may participate individually or in teams, with a particular focus on building and showcasing talent from Qatar’s universities. Mixed Qatar–international teams are strongly encouraged, creating an opportunity to combine local knowledge with international quantum and AI expertise and accelerate knowledge transfer.

You don’t need to arrive with a finished quantum application. We are looking for strong ideas, rigorous thinking and credible paths toward implementation.

How It Works

Two phases, from concept to proof

The competition takes place in two phases, moving from concept development to implementation and validation.

Phase I

Phase I: Concept Development

15 November 2026 to 3 January 2027

Start with the problem. During Phase I, teams will develop an innovative and scientifically grounded Quantum + AI approach to one of the proposed challenges. The focus is on the quality of the idea, theoretical framework, feasibility study and resource estimation. At this stage, participants are not required to implement their solutions or provide benchmarking results. The objective is to identify the strongest concepts and theoretical frameworks to take forward into implementation.

Selected teams will advance to Phase II and receive access to quantum computing platforms for implementation.

Phase I Submission

  1. Team Introduction 0.5 page Who you are, your relevant expertise and how your team is positioned to address the challenge.
  2. Proposed Quantum + AI Solution 2 pages Describe the proposed approach, methodology and scientific foundations, including relevant references.
  3. Novelty, Scalability & Expected Impact 0.5 page Explain what is new about the approach, why it could scale and what value it could create if successfully implemented.
Phase I Judging Rubric
Criterion Weight What judges are looking for
Scientific & Technical Merit 25% Is the proposed approach technically sound and supported by appropriate scientific reasoning?
Quantum + AI Relevance 20% Is there a convincing reason to use quantum computing, AI, or their combination for this problem?
Innovation & Originality 20% Does the proposal introduce a novel approach or application of existing methods?
Feasibility 15% Can the proposed concept realistically be implemented and tested during Phase II?
Scalability 10% Is there a credible path from the proposed proof of concept toward larger, practically relevant instances?
Impact & Challenge Relevance 10% Does the solution address the underlying industrial challenge and have the potential to create meaningful value?

Phase II

Phase II: Implementation & Validation

4 February to 12 March 2027

Now build it. Selected teams will receive access to quantum computing resources provided by participating technology partners, together with available software tools and technical support. Teams will implement their proposed approaches, conduct experiments, generate benchmark results and provide evidence demonstrating the feasibility and potential value of their solutions. The goal is not simply to run a quantum circuit. The goal is to demonstrate what the solution can do, how well it performs, and whether there is a credible path toward practical advantage.

Phase II Submission

  1. Technical Implementation Code and sufficient documentation to understand and reproduce the approach.
  2. Results & Benchmarking Experimental results supported by appropriate classical and/or alternative benchmarks.
  3. Scalability Analysis An assessment of how the approach could evolve toward larger, practically relevant problem sizes.
  4. Final Report & Presentation A concise explanation of the approach, results, limitations and potential impact.
Phase II Judging Rubric
Criterion Weight What judges are looking for
Technical Excellence & Correctness 25% Does the implementation correctly address the problem and produce technically credible results?
Quality of Implementation 20% Is the solution well designed, reproducible and appropriately implemented on the selected technology?
Benchmarking & Evidence 20% Are results rigorously evaluated against meaningful classical or alternative approaches?
Scalability & Path to Advantage 15% Is there a credible path from the demonstrated results toward practically relevant scale or advantage?
Innovation 10% Does the implementation demonstrate a genuinely novel or differentiated approach?
Industrial & Societal Impact 10% Could the solution create meaningful value for the challenge and its broader application?

Programme

From Idea to Doha

  1. 15 November 2026

    Competition Launch

    Registration opens on Aqora and Phase I begins.

  2. By 30 November 2026

    Challenge Statements Released

    The challenge statements and supporting materials open on Aqora.

  3. 3 January 2027

    Phase I Submission Deadline

    Submit your Quantum + AI concept.

  4. 21 January 2027

    Phase I Results

    Selected teams advance to implementation.

  5. 4 February 2027

    Phase II Begins

    Selected teams receive access to participating quantum technology platforms.

  6. 12 March 2027

    Final Submission

    Submit implementation, benchmarks and results.

  7. 21 March 2027

    Grand Finalists Announced

    Selected teams prepare for Doha.

  8. April 2027

    Grand Final, Doha

    Present your solution to an international jury and the global quantum ecosystem.

The Aqora platform

Compete from anywhere, celebrate in Doha

The entire challenge runs on Aqora, the competition platform for quantum computing.

Onboarding, training, emulator access, team formation and every submission happen online on Aqora. Wherever you are in the world, you compete on the same stage as everyone else, from day one.

Explore Aqora

Grand Final

Take Your Solution to the Stage

In April 2027 the Qatar Quantum Intelligence Cup comes together in Doha. Finalists will be invited to Qatar to present their solutions before an international jury of experts in quantum computing, artificial intelligence, industry, corporate innovation, investment, entrepreneurship, and technology commercialization.

Teams will present their results, demonstrate their solutions and answer questions from the jury. The Grand Final will be accompanied by a Quantum & AI Innovation Showcase, bringing together technology demonstrations, interactive experiences, industry exhibitions, and the intersection of science, technology, creativity and culture.

Date
April 2027
City
Doha, Qatar
Venue
To be confirmed
Format
In person

Doha, Qatar. Day, venue and address to be confirmed.

More Than a Competition

The Qatar Quantum Intelligence Cup is designed to create opportunities that extend beyond the competition itself. Strong projects may lead to industry collaborations, research partnerships, career opportunities, startup creation, further technology development and connections across the global quantum ecosystem.

The ambition is to turn promising ideas into lasting collaborations while strengthening Qatar’s emerging quantum ecosystem and creating a pipeline for future research, innovation and commercialization.

Mentors and jury

Named as soon as they are confirmed

Mentors and jury members are being confirmed with the organising partners. Names and organisations appear here as soon as they are announced.

  • Mentors

    Mentors support the teams through Phase I and Phase II.

    To be announced

  • Jury

    The jury evaluates the Phase II results and judges the Grand Final.

    To be announced

FAQ

Questions, answered so far

Anything else, write to qic@aqora.io.

Do I need previous quantum computing experience?

Participants should have the technical background necessary to develop a scientifically sound solution, but teams can combine complementary expertise across quantum computing, AI, mathematics, computer science and relevant application domains.

Do I need access to quantum hardware?

Not for Phase I. The first phase focuses on the concept, scientific approach and proposed methodology. Implementation and benchmarking are not required. Selected teams advancing to Phase II will receive access to quantum computing resources provided by participating technology partners.

Can I participate individually?

Yes. Participants may compete individually or as part of a team.

Can international students participate?

Yes. The competition is open globally, with a particular focus on participation from Qatar’s universities. Mixed Qatar–international teams are welcomed and encouraged.

What happens if my team reaches Phase II?

Selected teams will receive access to participating quantum computing platforms and available technical support to implement, test and benchmark their proposed solutions.

What happens if I reach the Grand Final?

Selected finalists will be invited to Doha to present their work before the international jury during the Qatar Quantum Intelligence Cup Grand Final in April 2027.

When does registration open?

Registration opens on Aqora, the competition platform, on 15 November 2026. The challenge statements and supporting materials follow there by 30 November 2026.

When does registration close?

Registration stays open until the Phase I submission deadline on 3 January 2027 at 23:59 Qatar time. Register early so you are on Aqora when the challenge statements are released by 30 November 2026.

Registration

Register your interest

Registration takes place on Aqora, the competition platform, and opens on 15 November 2026. The challenge statements follow there by 30 November 2026.

Register your interest

Organised by

Platform

Organised by Hamad Bin Khalifa University (HBKU) and QuantX. Supported by national and international ecosystem partners, with Aqora as the virtual platform host.