How QAI Ventures Switzerland and Canada Collaborate to Further Quantum Tech
Switzerland and Canada are actively advancing quantum in their respective regions. The GenQ Quantum Computing Hackathon in Calgary in October 2024 is your chance to become part of a strong quantum ecosystem and make an impact.
Despite its small size, Switzerland is a relevant player in the development of quantum technologies in Europe. The Alpine nation is advancing quantum through a combination of academic research, private sector investment, and startup acceleration. Born out of the privately funded initiative of uptownBasel, QAI Ventures is one of the Switzerland-based forces advancing quantum technologies.
QAI Ventures is an ecosystem builder offering acceleration programs and investment funding for early-stage quantum and advanced AI startups. QAI Ventures focuses on industry implementation. “We aim to take projects from the lab to the market and IPO. Our startup accelerator provides entrepreneurs and innovators with premium access to cutting-edge technology, expert guidance, and tailored mentorship, while hackathons are a breeding ground for new use cases and cooperation”, says Alexandra Beckstein, CEO and co-founder of QAI Ventures.
In North America, Canada is driving significant advancements in quantum technology. Canada’s substantial investments, innovative initiatives and strategic partnerships reflect its commitment to becoming a global leader in quantum technologies. In April 2024, QAI Ventures announced plans to expand its presence to Calgary (Alberta, Canada) and is now collaborating closely with Quantum City.
Support our mission to transform quantum technology into solutions
Established in 2022, Quantum City is building an ecosystem for quantum science and technology in Alberta, uniting researchers, developers, industries, and adopters of quantum technology and services. A strategic partnership between the University of Calgary, the Government of Alberta, and Mphasis, Quantum City has positioned itself as a key player in shaping the future of quantum innovation.
"Quantum City and QAI Ventures share the same values and goals: to transform technology into solutions,” says QAI Ventures CEO Alexandra Beckstein. “Collaborating allows us to strengthen these values even more. Together, we will leverage our expertise and resources to foster innovation, cultivate talent, and drive the growth of the quantum ecosystem, ultimately bringing transformative technologies to the forefront of global markets."
The first milestone of the collaboration is the GenQ Hackathon organised by QAI Ventures Canada powered by Quantum City taking place from the 4th to 6th of October 2024 at Platform Calgary. “The GenQ Hackathon provides a supportive environment for students, entrepreneurs, programmers, web designers, and innovators to focus exclusively on exploring quantum for 48 hours and creating a real-world use case”, explains David Yiptong, Accelerator Manager at QAI Ventures Canada.
Collaboration cushions the consequences of quantum talent shortages
As in the entire tech industry, talent shortages could slow the quantum revolution down. According to the Canadia Quantum Ecosystem Report by the Quantum Algorithms Institute in British Columbia, “the paucity of quantum talent – in Canada and around the world – threatens to slow progress towards this high-value market opportunity”. The GenQ Quantum Computing Hackathon in Calgary addresses this obstacle by bringing the North American quantum community together to explore use cases of the most important technology of the 21st century.
Corporate sponsors can get access to young talents and fresh perspectives by defining hackathon challenges for the participants to work on. The corporate sponsors will collaborate closely with the teams to realize their business ideas and create real-world use cases. Experienced mentors will support the hackathon teams by sharing their knowledge, expertise, and know-how while quantum hardware companies provide critical infrastructure. The GenQ Hackathon will end with a final pitch competition, during which the teams present their solutions to a jury and receive feedback.
Selected teams will be invited to a boot camp to develop their use cases further and receive additional support from QAI Ventures, industry partners, and mentors. After the boot camp, the teams can apply for the first batch of the accelerator program in Canada, a unique program tailored to support entrepreneurs and innovators through investments, coaching, network opportunities, and premium access to cutting-edge technology.
Join us at the GenQ Hackathon in Calgary and create a quantum business case solving pressing global issues with like-minded people.