OQI
OQI
OQI

Quantum Hackathon LATAM explores quantum computing for the SDGs

October 2025

From 1-3 October, more than 70 students from 11 Latin American (LATAM) countries came together to explore how quantum computing could be harnessed for sustainable development. 

The Quantum Hackathon LATAM: Quantum for Climate, hosted by the University of Montevideo and with the support of OQI, invited participants to develop innovative quantum computing solutions that could tackle the SDGs, in particular: SDG 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation), SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities) and SDG 13 (Climate Action).

As the hacking drew to a close, the winners were announced, with the team Quantum Optimisation for Microgrid Energy, MIQRO, taking first place, with their project working to optimise energy infrastructure and explore how quantum computing could be used to improve and modernise power distribution networks. 

MIQRO was made up of:

Team members:

  • Juan Ignacio Bustos – Universidad de Buenos Aires (Argentina)
  • Benjamín López – Universidad Técnica Federico Santa María (Chile)
  • Natalia Amortegui – Universidad Tecnológica de Pereira (Colombia)
  • Ernesto Lana – Enago Editorial Team (USA)
  • Leonardo Solis – UNAM (México)
  • Pedro Gonzales – Universidade Estadual de Campinas (Brasil)
  • Alan Joskowicz – Universidad de la República (Uruguay)
  • Camila Ferreira – Universidad de Montevideo (Uruguay)

Mentors: 

  • Rafael Granza De Mello – Universidade do Estado de Santa Catarina (Brasil)
  • Talita Paes de Bastos – Universidade Tecnológica Federal do Paraná (Brasil)

Alongside optimising microgrid energy management, teams worked to develop creative and innovative solutions to other local sustainability challenges, including:

  • Drought prediction systems that could help communities better prepare for and minimise water shortages.
  • Green energy initiatives to accelerate the transition to sustainable power sources.

Congratulations to the winning team, all participants and the University of Montevideo on the success of the hackathon! We look forward to ongoing collaborations with the University of Montevideo and to more LATAM hackathons in the future!

1759764220285
IMG_4501
IMG_4515 (1)
IMG_4869
IMG_5769

2025 | Open Quantum Institute

Privacy Policy

For media inquiries and access to our branding guidelines, please contact us.

I'm subtitle

Hello World

I'm subtitle

Hello World

Title *
Name: *
Surname *
Country *
Organization
Email *
Engagement Type *
How would you contribute to OQI? *

Share your case study

Project Name *
Project Link *
Owner *
Contributors *
Project Image
Maximum file size: 2 MB
Status *
Short Description *
Full Description *
Select SDGs *

Share your educational resource

Resource Title *
Resource Owner *
Resource Link *
Resource Region *
Resource origin
Level *
Resource Price *
Provided by
Resource Image
Maximum file size: 2 MB
Resource Audience *
Resource Type *
Resource Theme *
Short Description *

Join the Future of Quantum Computing!

Learn about engagement opportunities

OQI Partners are institutions that benefit from peer recognition for their scientific contributions or impact expertise.

Requirements:

  1. Either have served as OQI’s spearheading partners during its incubation phase or have consistently engaged resources to OQI’s work as OQI members for at least a year
  2. Commit to co-shape the OQI’s unique value propositions for the three years of the pilot throughout the 4A’s​
  3. Are vetted by the OQI Advisory Committee
  4. Abide to OQI’s values and openness principles

OQI Members are institutions that benefit from peer recognition for their scientific contributions or their impact expertise.

Requirements:

  1. Have disclosed their governance structure
  2. Commit to actively contribute on at least one of the 4A’s assiduously for at least one year​
  3. Have appointed at least one expert from their institution as focal point of contact for OQI and contributor to its working groups
  4. Abide to OQI’s values
  5. Have submitted a complete membership form with supporting documentation and are vetted by the OQI Management Team
  6. Qualify for partner level after having demonstrated their commitment for at least one year​

OQI Friends are individuals (such as experts from the private or public sector, countries, citizens) who are committed to open science, inclusivity and all values as set out in OQI’s charter and associate themselves with the OQI.

Friends socialise the OQI to their communities.

Downloadable PDF version of Charter

 

Description:

The Open Quantum Institute (OQI) is a multilateral governance initiative that promotes global and inclusive access to quantum computing and the development of applications for the benefit of humanity. As a novel science diplomacy instrument, it brings together research, diplomacy, private sector and philanthropy stakeholders. OQI is hosted by CERN during its pilot phase (2024-2026).

 

Mission:

• Accelerating applications for humanity: Realising the full potential of quantum computing to have the widest possible societal impact by accelerating the development of use cases geared towards achieving the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and succeeding framework , thanks to the combined forces of researchers, developers and entrepreneurs from academia and private sector as well as the United Nations, and large NGOs
• Access for all: Providing global, inclusive and equitable access to a pool of public and private quantum computers and simulators available via the cloud
• Advancing capacity building: Developing educational tools to enable everyone around the world to contribute to the development of quantum computing and make the most of the technology
• Activating multilateral governance for the SDGs: Providing a neutral forum to help shape multilateral governance of quantum computing for the SDGs

 

Values:

• Inclusivity, global scope
  • Enable people from all countries, regardless of whether they have any quantum computing capability of their own, to benefit from and to participate in the development of (i) quantum computing applications that address global challenges, in particular those that are closely related to their own specific challenges, and (ii) the multilateral governance of quantum computing for the SDGs
• Openness
  • Share experiences, knowledge, and methods for the benefit of all, following Open Science best practice
  • Make openly available the results – outcomes of joint activities related to the OQI mission conducted by the OQI community – to society via open repositories and/or through the use of open licences
• Focus on impact
  • Ensure that applications are developed for their quantum computing potential to tackle real-world problems that will benefit humanity
  • Consider and balance their ethical, legal, and societal implications
• Independence
  • Enable everyone to participate free from individual, national, corporate or any other agendas
  • Develop applications with a technology neutral approach.
• Collaboration
  • Foster a community of diverse expertise, backgrounds and geographies, enabled by international cooperation and diplomacy

 

Please fill in your application request

Title *
Name: *
Surname *
Country *
Organization
Email *
Engagement Type *
How would you contribute to OQI? *