OQI Hackathon in a box

OQI Hackathon
in a Box

OQI Hackathon in a Box is a practical guide to plan and resource hackathons in quantum underserved regions. It has been curated by OQI’s education consortium on the occasion of the 2025 UN Year of Quantum of Science and Technology. Aiming to mitigate the quantum digital divide, the toolkit combines resources on cutting-edge theoretical knowledge with practical methods to learn how to develop quantum computing applications focusing on the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Q

Quantum
for the SDGs

Holding a quantathon contributes to the development of quantum computing applications toward the United Nations’ 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

P

Promoting Equitable and Inclusive Access

We’re on a mission of global capacity building through regionally relevant quantathons that help providing equitable and inclusive access to quantum computing education and a wide community of alumni, collaborators and sponsors.

E

Elevating
Capacity

Inspired by the NYUAD Hackathon for Social Good and building on the experience of OQI’s global and multi-stakeholder community

G

Global
Community

Quantathons are truly global initiatives that bring experts and students together, narrow the gaps between countries with varying quantum access and spread the ability to harness the potential of a disruptive technology.

G

“Hackathon in a Box” builds on years of experience of OQI education consortium members. It is a technology and brand agnostic toolkit that has been vetted by the most respected quantum science and technology leaders.

Our special thanks to NYUAD Prof Sana Odeh and GESDA who provided core resources and to the key reviewers.

"The hackathon’s unique focus on social good allowed my team to develop a timely and meaningful solution for disadvantaged communities. So transformative!"

Nerrise Favour Njunkeng | PhD Candidate | Stanford University.

"The NYUAD hackathon was an excellent experience that not only shaped my perspective but also strengthened my resolve to apply my skills toward impactful solutions."

Galane Basha Namomsa | Research Associate | Carnegie Mellon University Africa

"The OQI supported hackathon in at NYUAD has deeply impacted my way of approaching a problem and boosted my confidence by providing me with a global platform."

Mehak Layal | Doctoral Fellow | Raman Research Institute (RRI) Bangalore

"Contributing to the NYUAD Hackathon supported by OQI was an invaluable experience. Our team developed QGasBusters, leveraging quantum sensing and QML to prevent disasters and save lives."

Alberto Macrhisio | Post-Doctoral Associate | NYUAD

This section of our guide helps you prepare for the event, your hackathon. It sets out key elements that turn your hackathon in a quantathon.

This section of the guide helps you know what to do during a successful quantathon. Understand what it takes to launch it, based on the QPEG mission.

This section has helpful suggestions on building impact within your hackathon community and explains how to contribute to the wider quantathon community.

Quantathon Guide

Download here the full quantathon guide to plan, launch and follow-up on your quantum for the SDGs hackathon. This is a step-by-step manual for pulling it off.

Resources Archive

Download here source files, templates, and other helpful material for a successful hackathon. Discover the contributions of partners to turn your hackathon into a quantathon.

Our Hackathon in a Box has been designed to be resource-efficient and optimize organizational tasks. Still, delivering a qualitative hackathon requires dedication and commitment. We estimate a minimum of FTEs over XXX months for planning and a team of XX for running of the event itself. The free open source resources below will help you save time and streamline your budget.