Quantum Week 2026
IBM Quantum
Q-Hack India 2026 — The Quantum Build Challenge

Q-Hack India 2026 — The Quantum Build Challenge

National Quantum Hackathon · 30–31 October 2026

The Quantum Build Challenge

A national quantum hackathon under Quantum Week 2026

Eligibility

Who can take part

Open to students from engineering, science, technology, and related disciplines.

B.E. / B.TechB.Sc.M.E. / M.TechM.Sc.Other relevant undergraduate & postgraduate programs

Prior experience, projects, or demonstrated work in the quantum computing domain may be considered as part of the Round 1 evaluation.

Registration form will be shared soon.

Teams

Team formation rules

Team size: 3–4 students
  • Teams must consist of 3–4 students
  • Members can belong to any academic branch / discipline
  • Inter-institute teams are allowed
  • Solo entries are not permitted
  • Teams must participate in person during the final round
Tracks

Four challenge tracks

Enterprise-led

Enterprise Track 1

Industry challenge problem statement will be announced upon launch.

Enterprise-led

Enterprise Track 2

Industry challenge problem statement will be announced upon launch.

Enterprise-led

Enterprise Track 3

Industry challenge problem statement will be announced upon launch.

Open Challenge

Independent Track

Independent quantum computing challenge statement will be announced upon launch.

Tooling

Technology Guidelines

Permitted Technologies & Tools

Announced with Problem Statements

Details regarding permitted technologies and tools will be announced with the problem statements.

Qiskit Ecosystem

Workflows and submissions will center around the Qiskit SDK.

Timeline

Hackathon road to finals

  1. 1
    Launch

    Problem Statements & Hackathon Launch

    18 September

  2. 2
    Round 1 Sprint

    Round 1 — Ideation & Prototype Development

    18 Sep – 3 Oct

  3. 3
    Submission Deadline

    Round 1 Submission Deadline

    3 October

  4. 4
    Shortlist

    Top 30 Announcement

    10 October

  5. 5
    Sprint

    Build Sprint & Mentorship

    10–30 October

  6. 6
    Finals

    Q-Hack India 2026 — Final Round

    31 October

Round 1 Submission

What you need to submit

Deadline: 5 October 2026

Mandatory Deliverables

1. Idea Presentation

Maximum 8 slides (PPT / PDF)
  • Problem statement & why it matters
  • Proposed solution & why quantum computing is required
  • Implementation / technology stack
  • Prototype architecture & system workflow
  • Results, validation & project roadmap

2. Demo Video

Maximum 3 minutes
  • Demonstration of MVP / working prototype
  • Proposed solution walkthrough and architecture
  • Working flow and implementation details
  • Results and initial validation

No cinematic video is required. The focus should be on clarity of the idea, problem, and implementation.

3. Prototype

Accepted formats include:
  • Web application or mobile application
  • Jupyter notebook with runnable quantum circuits
  • Simulation, quantum algorithm or hybrid application
  • Data visualization or hardware experiment pipeline

4. GitHub Repository

repository URL
  • Clean README with problem overview and architecture
  • Step-by-step setup and installation instructions
  • Complete, documented source code
  • Working demo execution instructions
Evaluation

Round 1 judging criteria

Total: 100%
Problem Significance10%
Quantum Relevance20%
Presentation & Clarity10%
Technical Implementation30%
Originality & Innovation20%
Potential Impact10%

Prizes & Awards

Official rewards for national champions and track innovators

TBA

Top 3 Finalists · Main Awards

Podium Standings

Q-Hack India Champion

Grand Winner

First Runner-Up

2nd Place National Finalist

Second Runner-Up

3rd Place National Finalist

Theme & Track Winners

Domain Excellence
T1

Best Project — Track 1

Track Award

T2

Best Project — Track 2

Track Award

T3

Best Project — Track 3

Track Award

T4

Best Project — Independent Track

Track Award

* Complete breakdown of cash pool, IBM Quantum credits, sponsored goodies, and certificates will be unveiled at hackathon launch.

Code of Conduct

All participants, mentors, and judges must adhere to the official Quantum Week Code of Conduct.

Official Code of Conduct
FAQ

Common questions

Who can participate in Q-Hack India 2026?

The hackathon is open to students from engineering, science, technology, and related disciplines (B.E./B.Tech, B.Sc., M.E./M.Tech, M.Sc., and other relevant programs). Prior demonstrated work in quantum computing may be considered during Round 1 evaluation.

What is the team size rule?

Teams must consist of 3 to 4 students. Solo entries are not permitted. Members can be from any academic branch or discipline.

Are inter-institute / inter-college teams allowed?

Yes! Students from different colleges, universities, and institutions can form a team together.

What are the challenge tracks?

Q-Hack India 2026 features four tracks: 3 Enterprise-led Tracks and 1 Independent Track. Track problem statements will be officially launched on 18 September.

What needs to be submitted in Round 1?

Round 1 requires: (1) An Idea Presentation (maximum 8 slides), (2) A Demo Video (maximum 3 minutes), (3) An MVP/Prototype, and (4) A mandatory public GitHub repository with README and setup instructions.

What is the submission deadline?

The Round 1 submission deadline is 5 October 2026.

Is the final round in person?

Yes. Shortlisted Top 30 teams will participate in person at MS Ramaiah Institute of Technology, Bengaluru on 31 October 2026.