After six months of submissions, QC4SG 2026 attracted more than 500 applications from 30 countries and territories. The final round, taking place from July 24-28, 2026, will feature nearly 100 finalists across 26 teams, supported by 50 international experts and mentors.

The event is jointly organized by the National Innovation Center (NIC), the Gia Lai Provincial People's Committee, the Vietnam Quantum Innovation and Technology Experts Network (VNQuantum) and the Open Quantum Institute (OQI/CERN).

The competition is being held in Vietnam for the first time and marks only the second edition in Southeast Asia. It comes as Vietnam accelerates science, technology, innovation and digital transformation under Politburo Resolution No. 57, while the government has identified cybersecurity and quantum technologies as one of the country's 10 strategic technology groups under Decision No. 21/2026/QD-TTg.

As part of its mission to strengthen Vietnam's innovation ecosystem and strategic technology industries, the NIC connected experts and supported the establishment of VNQuantum in 2025.

The network now brings together around 200 scientists, researchers and international partners to promote quantum research and workforce development.

According to Vo Xuan Hoai, Deputy Director of the NIC, quantum technology will be one of the foundational technologies shaping countries' future competitiveness.

"Through QC4SG 2026, the NIC aims to continue connecting scientists, experts, businesses, universities and investors to build Vietnam's quantum technology ecosystem. We also hope to help promising ideas evolve into products, startups and technology enterprises, contributing to the country's strategic technology development agenda," he said.

Over the five-day event, participating teams will develop quantum-based solutions, receive mentorship and present their projects during Demo Day.

A dedicated VNQuantum Dealroom will connect teams with businesses and investment funds to explore fundraising opportunities.

Outstanding teams will continue to receive incubation support from the NIC and VNQuantum through the end of 2026 to help commercialize their technologies.

Representatives of the Gia Lai Provincial People's Committee said they hope the event will strengthen the province's connections with the international scientific community and attract high-quality talent to make advanced technologies a driver of local socio-economic development.

According to Assoc. Prof. Nguyen Luong Quang of the Institute of Advanced Studies (France) and Head of Research and Development at VNQuantum, QC4SG serves as a platform for building the regional quantum technology community.

He said the network aims to transform promising quantum ideas into products that create social value while strengthening collaboration with leading technology companies, including IBM and Pasqal, to promote technology transfer in Vietnam.

Du Lam