In June, students will host Europe's largest quantum hackathon in Otaniemi

Finland and the European Union have identified quantum technologies, and quantum computing in particular, as a critical dual use technology supporting Europe's economic and defence independence. The Finnish coding community Junction is responding to the growing shortage of quantum talent by organising Europe's largest quantum computing hackathon in Otaniemi, flying in top talent and quantum technology doctoral researchers from across Europe.

What is Quantum Hack 2026?

A hackathon is an intensive competition, typically 48 hours long, in which multidisciplinary teams solve real technology challenges in collaboration with leading companies in the field. Quantum Hack 2026 focuses on quantum computing. Participants will have access to some of the world's most advanced quantum and supercomputers from IQM, IBM and CSC, and will work directly on challenges defined by IQM, QMill and OP Pohjola. Teams will also have access to Google Cloud and Amazon Web Services computing resources.

Junction is a student-run hackathon community that started at Aalto University in 2015 and has grown into Europe's largest hackathon organiser. Junction's flagship event gathers around 1,500 participants annually, and in 2026 the organisation will also host specialised top tier hackathons such as Junction Defence Hackathon and Quantum Hack.

OP Pohjola: quantum computing in finance

In the financial sector, quantum computing is seen as the next major technological disruption. The industry is facing increasingly complex problems that cannot be solved with traditional computing methods. Quantum computing can improve risk management, optimize investments, and enhance the detection of abnormal events such as financial crime and market disruptions.

OP Pohjola is investing in quantum technology to strengthen its competitiveness and position as a pioneer in the financial sector. The company has established a research unit exploring the potential of quantum computing and artificial intelligence in financial services and accelerates the development of solutions that leverage these technologies.

“OP Pohjola is investing early in future capabilities and building expertise that will enable the transition to the next phase of technological development. Hackathons like Junction play a particularly important role in generating new ideas and skills. They bring together experts from different fields to solve complex problems and to boldly experiment with new technologies. Such encounters can give rise to solutions that not only advance the financial sector, but also strengthen society’s broader ability to renew itself and make use of new technologies,” says Juha Vesanto, Head of OP Pohjola’s Quantum and AI Research Centre.

From research commercialisation to startup Finland's next wave

Universities have traditionally been weak at commercialising research. Junction wants to be the bridge that takes quantum technology straight from the laboratory into startups. The event will also showcase concrete examples of how cutting edge research turns into business.

Quantum Hack 2026 also addresses the industry's key challenges: QMill aims to demonstrate the superiority of quantum computing over classical methods, and IQM is showcasing the quality of its technology in practical applications.

Antti Vasara, Chairman of the Board of QMill and SemiQon and former CEO of VTT, sees Otaniemi as a unique concentration of talent.

"In Otaniemi, a student can in a single week run into a quantum algorithm researcher, a cryostat manufacturer and a semiconductor qubit designer. Finland's quantum industry is no longer a distant promise. Its next employees will be sitting in Otaniemi next June, coding through the weekend," says Vasara.

The Otaniemi ecosystem at the forefront

Finland's quantum technology story begins in Otaniemi. From the same couple of square kilometres have emerged Bluefors, the world's leading manufacturer of dilution refrigerators, IQM, Europe's flagship quantum computer company, and newcomers such as QMill, Qutwo and SemiQon. One piece has been missing from the cluster: an international flow of talent that connects these companies with Europe's brightest young quantum researchers.

Junction fills this gap. As a student led organisation founded at Aalto University in 2015, it is part of the same physical ecosystem as Bluefors and IQM, and thanks to its not for profit model, it can channel partner funding directly into flying international top talent to Otaniemi rather than into profits. Finland's national quantum technology strategy, published in April 2025, aims to attract international talent and investment to the country, and Quantum Hack 2026 delivers on this strategic goal over a single weekend.

Joel Lahtinen, CEO of Junction, sees a broader significance in the event.

"When more than 600 of the world's top talents apply for 150 spots in Otaniemi, this is no longer a student event but a meeting place for the European quantum generation. Finland now has a real opportunity to show why the quantum companies of the future are built right here," says Lahtinen.

Event Information

• What: Quantum Hack 2026, Europe's largest quantum computing hackathon
• When: June 5 to 7, 2026
• Where: Espoo, Otaniemi
• Applications: over 600, of which 400 from abroad. 150 will be selected.
• Universities and companies represented (among others): Oxford, Cambridge, ETH Zürich, EPFL, Imperial College London, LSE, Warwick, TU Delft, TMU, CERN, Amazon, Tesla, Samsung, Jane Street, IBM, IQM, Algorithmiq
• General application period ended: May 24, 2026
• Partners: OP Pohjola, IQM, QMill, IBM, CSC, Google Cloud, Amazon Web Services

At the event, there will be an opportunity to interview Junction's key personnel, participants, event judges, as well as representatives of partner companies on site in Otaniemi.