The UK Quantum Hackathon 2024, held at the University of Warwick from July 22nd to 24th, brought together students and early career researchers to tackle practical challenges using quantum computing. The event, part of the National Quantum Computing Centre’s user engagement programme SparQ, aimed to connect the UK quantum ecosystem through networking and collaboration. Participants gained hands-on experience with quantum algorithms and coding on quantum computers, developing solutions for diverse areas such as healthcare, energy, and engineering.
The winning teams presented innovative solutions, with the top prize going to KL Divergents for their risk aggregation evaluation project in insurance losses during natural disasters, using resources from Mind Foundry, Aioi R&D Lab, Quantinuum, IonQ, and Classiq Technologies. Other winners included Schrödinger’s Apples, working on efficient network placement with BT and D-Wave, and Trust me, I’m a Doctor…of physics…in training, focusing on NHS forecasting with NHS England, IonQ, Classiq Technologies, and AWS Braket.
Unlocking Quantum Potential: The UK Quantum Hackathon 2024
The UK Quantum Hackathon, an annual flagship event organized by the National Quantum Computing Centre (NQCC), brought together aspiring coders and industry mentors to tackle practical challenges in quantum computing. This year’s event, held at the University of Warwick from July 22nd to 24th, 2024, aimed to connect the UK quantum ecosystem through networking and collaboration.
The hackathon provided a platform for students and early career researchers to gain hands-on experience using quantum algorithms and coding with quantum computers. Participants worked in teams to develop solutions to real-world problems, showcasing their results and demonstrating how they would tackle challenges in diverse areas such as healthcare, energy, and engineering. The event’s objectives included enabling aspiring practitioners to develop their quantum computing programming and applications skills, understanding the opportunities and limitations of quantum computing, and exploring use cases for the technology.
Winning Solutions: Tackling Real-World Challenges
The UK Quantum Hackathon 2024 concluded with teams presenting innovative solutions to a panel of judges. The winning teams were announced, with the top three places awarded to:
1st place: KL Divergents, who developed a solution for risk aggregation evaluation for insurance losses in case of natural disasters, using resources provided by Mind Foundry, Aioi R&D Lab, Quantinuum, IonQ, and Classiq Technologies.
2nd place: Schrödinger’s Apples, who created an efficient placement system for transmitters, receivers, and sensors in networks, leveraging resources from BT, D-Wave, and IonQ.
3rd place: Trust me, I’m a Doctor…of physics…in training, who developed a quantum modeling solution for NHS forecasting, utilizing resources from NHS England, IonQ, Classiq Technologies, and AWS Braket.
These winning solutions demonstrated the potential of quantum computing to tackle complex real-world challenges, showcasing the capabilities of the technology in areas such as risk assessment, network optimization, and healthcare forecasting.
Quantum Computing Resources: Empowering Innovation
The UK Quantum Hackathon 2024 featured a range of quantum computing resources provided by industry partners. These resources enabled participants to develop and test their solutions, gaining hands-on experience with various quantum computing platforms. The event showcased the breadth of technology available currently, including resources from Quantinuum, IonQ, Classiq Technologies, D-Wave, AWS Braket, Mind Foundry, Aioi R&D Lab, BT, and NHS England.
The hackathon highlighted the importance of collaboration between academia, industry, and government to advance quantum computing research and development. By providing access to these resources, the event enabled a broad range of users to explore the potential of quantum computing and develop innovative solutions to real-world problems.
Building the Quantum Ecosystem: Networking and Collaboration
The UK Quantum Hackathon 2024 facilitated networking and collaboration among participants, industry mentors, and partners. The event provided a platform for aspiring practitioners to connect with experts in the field, fostering knowledge sharing and collaboration. By bringing together diverse stakeholders, the hackathon contributed to building a vibrant quantum ecosystem in the UK, driving innovation and advancing the development of quantum computing applications.
The event’s objectives were achieved through a combination of team-based problem-solving, expert mentoring, and access to cutting-edge quantum computing resources. The UK Quantum Hackathon 2024 demonstrated the potential for collaborative events to drive progress in quantum computing research and development, ultimately unlocking the technology’s potential to transform industries and society.
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