About the challenge
Qiskit Fall Fest is a global, student-led quantum computing event presented by IBM Quantum. At Virginia Tech, it’s hosted by the Quantum Club at Virginia Tech, an undergraduate-led organization that explores quantum computing through weekly technical sessions and semester-long engineering projects.
Over three days, November 6–8, you’ll set up Qiskit, hear from guest speakers, try a hands-on hardware workshop, and build. No experience is required, registration is open to all, and it’s free to attend.
There are two tracks:
- Beginner Track (no experience needed): a team-based race through challenges at three levels. No Background covers the fundamentals of quantum, Beginner applies basic quantum skills, and Advanced looks at real-world applications in quantum. The fastest team wins.
- Advanced Track (open hackathon): an individual challenge to build any quantum project with Qiskit.
Schedule (all times ET)
Friday, Nov 6
| Time | Session | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 6:00 PM | Opening Ceremony | WHIT 300 |
| 7:00 PM | Setting up Qiskit | WHIT 300 |
| 7:30 PM | Dinner (Domino’s) | Outside WHIT 300 |
Saturday, Nov 7
| Time | Session | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 12:30 PM | Guest Speaker: Marquis Skinner | Zoom |
| TBD | Guest Speaker: Virginia Tech Quantum | Zoom |
| 2:00 PM | Qiskit Hardware Workshop | HITT 338 |
| 2:30 PM | Lunch | Outside HITT 338 |
Sunday, Nov 8
| Time | Session | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 8:00 AM | Beginner and Advanced Submissions | Zoom |
| 10:00 AM | Advanced Submission Judging | Zoom |
| 12:00 PM | Closing Ceremony and Awards | WHIT 300 |
Get started
- Register for the hackathon on this page.
- Install Qiskit using the official guide: https://quantum.cloud.ibm.com/docs/en/guides/install-qiskit. We’ll also help you set it up at 7:00 PM on Friday.
- Pick your track. The Beginner Track is team-based [team size], and the Advanced Track is individual.
- Come to the Opening Ceremony at 6:00 PM on Friday, Nov 6 in WHIT 300.
Requirements
What to Build
- Beginner Track: work with your team through the challenge levels (No Background, Beginner, Advanced). The fastest team to finish wins.
- Advanced Track: any quantum project built with Qiskit. This is an open, individual hackathon, so pick a problem you’re excited about.
What to Submit
Submit on Devpost by 8:00 AM ET on Sunday, Nov 8, with:
- your project name and a short description of what it does and how it uses Qiskit,
- a link to your code (a GitHub repo or notebook)
Prizes
Advanced Track
$100 Amazon Gift Card to the winner
Beginner Track - First Place
1st Place - $25 Amazon Gift Card per person
Beginner Track - Second Place
$15 Amazon Gift Card per person
Judges
Aditya Sunke
Ahlad Modi
Yuvraj Sarin
Sankalp Dasari
Ishaan Jain
Judging Criteria
-
Use of Quantum Computing
How meaningfully the project uses quantum computing and Qiskit. Is the quantum part central to the solution, or just added on? -
Technical Depth
How challenging the project is and how well it’s implemented, including whether the circuits and code are correct and well thought out. -
Creativity and Originality
How novel the idea or approach is, compared with a direct copy of a standard tutorial. -
Functionality and Results
Whether the project works and shows clear results, on a simulator or real IBM quantum hardware. -
Presentation
How clearly the Devpost write-up, demo, and code explain what was built, how it works, and what was learned
Questions? Email the hackathon manager