Quantum technology is rapidly moving from a futuristic concept to a tangible business advantage, and companies in the New Nordics are being invited to explore its potential firsthand. From November 11 to 13, Tallinn will host QEst Hack 2026, an exclusive, two-and-a-half-day physical hackathon that allows businesses to tackle their own real-world challenges using actual quantum computers.
Organized by Metrosert alongside key partners including the Ministry of Economic Affairs, Canada’s Sherbrooke City, Institute Quantique, IBM, IQM, and BDA, the event aims to bridge the gap between quantum theory and commercial application.
The Quantum Era is Now an Engineering Reality
Echoing investor Chris Dixon’s famous observation that “the next big thing will start out looking like a toy,” Kalev Kaarna from Metrosert emphasized during the event’s information session that quantum computing has definitively evolved past the “toy” stage.
A 2025 McKinsey study of over 300 global companies revealed a massive acceleration in the sector. One in three surveyed companies is now investing more than $10 million into quantum technology, with 7% spending over $50 million. Because cloud access to quantum hardware is readily available, the bulk of these investments is directed toward building in-house teams and structuring data. Furthermore, investors poured $12 billion into quantum startups in 2025—a staggering sixfold increase from the previous year.
Crucially, 43% of corporations investing in usage of quantum computing are based in Europe. This places the region well ahead of the US (29%) and Asia (22%), offering hope that the European market will reap greater economic benefits from the quantum revolution than it did from the AI boom.
According to Kaarna, the fundamental science behind quantum computing is “pretty much done.” The current challenge is purely an engineering one—improving components to minimize error rates. Major manufacturers like IBM and IQM have public roadmaps targeting the release of fault-tolerant, high-capacity quantum computers by 2030. The New Nordics are already highly active in this space, with companies like Bluefors, IQM, and VTT leading developments, alongside the upcoming Estonian Quantum Technology roadmap and emerging startups from the University of Tartu.
Real Industry Value and the Hybrid Approach
3% of organizations have already begun scaling their quantum deployments, proving that the technology can deliver sufficient commercial value to justify the investment.
While the chemical industry is a major global beneficiary, regional potential in Estonia and the Nordics is in financial services, transport, and logistics. Current quantum applications primarily focus on two areas:
- Machine Learning and AI: Quantum computing is not a standalone solution. It operates in a hybrid model where traditional high-performance computers (HPCs) or large language models handle 95% of a problem, while the quantum computer tackles the most complex 5%, significantly improving AI models.
- Optimization: This was the primary focus of last year’s hackathon. Examples include optimizing electric vehicle fleet charging, matching software experts to specific projects, and predicting lender behavior in finance to save hundreds of thousands of euros annually.
Solving Your Company’s Unique Challenges
Unlike traditional hackathons, QEst Hack 2026 allows companies to work exclusively on their own business problems. The event is free of charge but limited to just five selected companies.
To participate, companies must form a three-person team consisting of two IT or data specialists (with Python coding skills) and one business developer. Kaarna noted that the synergy between business and data teams is critical for identifying a challenge that is both commercially valuable and mathematically suited for quantum computation.
Teams do not need any prior quantum experience. To accelerate learning, up to two students or quantum enthusiasts will be integrated into each company team (creating a maximum team size of five). Participants must bring a “teeny tiny” amount of their own data—such as a scaled-down scheduling model of just six buses and three routes—and focus on a problem where a 1% increase in accuracy or a 20% boost in speed would yield a significant business impact.
World-Class Mentorship and the Sherbrooke Prize
Participants will receive hands-on guidance from world-class experts from Sherbrooke’s Institute Quantique, whose mentorship was rated 4.7 out of 5 by last year’s attendees. IBM and IQM will provide the necessary quantum computing time and credits.
The hackathon kicks off with a shared optimization challenge to familiarize teams with the technology, followed by deep, focused work on their specific company problems. Aside from excellent food and coffee, the ultimate prize is a three-month proof-of-concept project with the Sherbrooke Quantum team.
Last year’s winner, the energy company Enefit, used this prize to predict how fluctuations in wind and solar power affect energy market prices. Enefit’s team lead, Kaarel Oja, praised the experience, stating, “Together we did in months what building on our own could have taken years.” Obtaining this level of specialized knowledge independently, he added, would be nearly impossible.
Timeline and Next Steps
- October 11: Application deadline for company teams, students, and mentors.
- October 22: Online Kickoff (open to all applicants and the public). This session will cover the ABCs of quantum computing and feature presentations from IBM and IQM on the future of the industry.
- Pre-Hackathon: Selected teams will have a one-hour scoping call with a mentor to finalize their business challenge.
- November 11–13: The in-person QEst Hack in Tallinn.
Interested parties can find more information, contact the organizing team, and submit their applications via the QEst Hack page:
Q&A
Question: Can quantum enthusiasts apply for both a mentor position and a student position?
Answer: Yes, you can apply for both roles. Since there are very few candidates who fit both profiles, you will need to apply twice by filling out both the mentor form and the student form separately. If you are selected for both, the organizers will most likely ask you to join as a mentor based on their priority list.
Question: Is this hackathon restricted to only Estonian companies and mentors?
Answer: No, companies and mentors from abroad are more than welcome to apply. While the event itself is free of charge with no ticket fee, the organizers cannot cover transportation, travel, or accommodation costs for your trip to Tallinn, so you will need to find funding for that yourself. As an example, last year featured students from Jyväskylä, Finland, and some of them proved so valuable that companies continued cooperating with them even after the hackathon ended.
Question: What is the total time commitment required from the participating company teams?
Answer: The actual hackathon spans two and a half days, starting at 3:00 PM on Wednesday and ending between 3:00 PM and 4:00 PM on Friday. Teams can remain fully focused on their regular day-to-day tasks from Wednesday morning until lunchtime. Before the hackathon, your team is required to participate in an online kickoff session. Additionally, you will need to arrange a scoping call (lasting about an hour) with your assigned mentor to discuss possible business challenges, choose the most suitable one, write it down, and submit the final version. Overall, you should expect a time commitment of roughly 2.5 days plus a few hours of preparation beforehand.