The Africa Quantum Consortium (AQC) has launched the first pan-Africa Quantum Challenge – a hackathon - designed to assemble and activate the continent’s sovereign quantum ecosystem.
According to the organiser, the hackathon named Hack the Horizon, is a strategic convention of the region’s quantum future, uniting Africa’s top innovators, including leading university researchers, top software developers, and industry leaders with next-generation problem-solvers to co-build solutions for the world.
The contest comes as quantum technology is rapidly expanding, currently among the world's fastest-growing industries, marked by frequent technological advancements announced by global companies, from start-ups to large enterprises.
AQC further notes government and venture capital funding have both accelerated in 2025, with more than $13 billion added so far this year, bringing total investments worldwide to over $40 billion.
China, the EU, and the US are the primary investors in the sector, while the global South, including Africa, has not been part of these growing levels of investment.
Participants will gain collaboration, mentoring, and the opportunity to compete for recognition and prizes at the closing ceremony of the International Year of Quantum Science and Technology (IYQ2025) in Ghana in February next year, application opened on 19 November.
“We are excited to bring this hackathon to all corners of Africa and the diaspora. It is more than a hackathon; it is a challenge to begin working together as a continent, not as fragmented countries. It is a stepping stone in the quest for Africans to work together to take their place in the quantum industry and to use the incredible power of quantum and artificial intelligence to solve the unique challenges facing Africa,” said Temitope Adeniyi, programme lead at AQC.
Professor of quantum computing at Alexandria University, Ahmed Younes added “Across our continent, the seeds of a quantum revolution are being sown. By bringing our brightest minds together at events like Hack the Horizon, the AQC is cultivating a forest of innovation that will shape Africa’s tomorrow.”
Interested parties can register here.
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