Host City: Chicago, IL
July 22-23, 2026
This year, we’re taking on some of the most consequential questions shaping our future, beginning with how quantum will influence the world around us.
GQF26 will explore society’s grand challenges — the defining opportunities and toughest problems of our time — and the ways quantum may help address them across interconnected economic, scientific, and social systems, from pharma, finance, energy, climate, and beyond.
2026 Agenda-at-a-Glance (times are in CT)
TUESDAY, JULY 21ST
Registration 4:00 PM – 7:00 PM (Lobby/Art Gallery)
WEDNESDAY, JULY 22ND
Registration | 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM (Art Gallery, 1st Floor)
Exhibitor Hall | 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM (Atlantic Foyer, 1st Floor)
Breakfast | 8:00 AM – 9:00 AM (Atlantic E, 1st Floor)
Building in Illinois: X-Labs Applicant Support Session | 8:00 AM – 9:00 AM (Pacific 3, 2nd Floor)
An open office-hours session for teams interesting in learning more about Illinois ecosystem support for their X-Labs application. Meet the team behind the $3M X-Labs Fast Fund and support package, ask questions, and explore available resources and partnerships.
Opening Remarks | 9:00 AM – 9:30 AM (Atlantic A-D, 1st Floor)
Emcee: Garry Cooper, Jr., PhD, CEO & Co-Founder, Rheaply
Speakers: Kevin Cole, Chicago Office Managing Partner, Ernst & Young LLP; Rashid Bashir, Dean of The Grainger College of Engineering, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign; Christy George, President and CEO, IL EDC; Gil C. Quiniones, President & CEO, ComEd
Opening Fireside: Kara Swisher in Conversation with Governor JB Pritzker | 9:30 AM – 10:15 AM (Atlantic A-D, 1st Floor)
A candid fireside conversation between Kara Swisher and Governor JB Pritzker on how Illinois is staking its claim in the global quantum race—from bold public-private investments to the launch of the Illinois Quantum and Microelectronics Park. Framed through Kara’s signature lens on power, accountability, and the realities behind tech hype, the discussion will explore who stands to benefit from next-generation innovation—and how leaders can get it right this time.
Join us for a conversation that gets to the heart of what matters.
Keynote: Welcome to the Precision Era | 10:15 AM – 10:30 AM (Atlantic A-D, 1st Floor)
Speaker: Matthew Kinsella, CEO, Infleqtion
Every technological revolution rewrote what civilization could build. Quantum marks the start of the next one, the Precision Era, where humanity finally measures and models reality using nature’s own laws. What comes next won’t just be faster. It will be a different kind of possible.
Breakout Session: Quantum Across Borders: Israel and Chicago | 11:10 AM – 12:30 PM (Pacific 1 Room, 2nd Floor)
As quantum technology reshapes the future of computing, communications, and innovation, Israel and Chicago are uniquely positioned to help lead the next wave of discovery. Quantum Across Borders: Israel and Chicago brings together leaders from both ecosystems to explore how deeper global partnerships can accelerate Chicago’s emergence as a global quantum hub. The conversation will highlight Israel’s culture of innovation and entrepreneurship, examine its leadership in advancing quantum technologies, explore the opportunities and challenges of cross-border collaboration, and share firsthand insights from multinational companies building partnerships, attracting talent, and expanding within Chicago’s rapidly growing quantum ecosystem. No Registration Required.
As AI Scales, Quantum Enters the Equation | 10:30 AM – 11:10 AM (Atlantic A-D, 1st Floor)
Moderator: Bobby Mehta, Chairman of the Board, JLL. Panelists: Elica Kyoseva, Director of Quantum Algorithms, NVIDIA; Hanhee Paik, Director, Quantum Algorithm Centers, IBM; and Duncan Huffman, VP Global Marketing, Classiq
Artificial intelligence is already transforming industries, but its rapid growth is exposing new limits around data, compute, energy, and scalability. This panel explores how quantum technologies add a new, complementary tool to the computational toolbox and may shape the next era of computing, and what that means for industries ranging from healthcare to national security and advanced manufacturing. Panelists will discuss how leaders are navigating the convergence of AI and quantum, and why the future of global competitiveness may depend on who leads in both.
Break | 11:10 AM – 11:45 AM
The Long Bet: How Investors Decide What Quantum and Other Frontier Technologies Are Worth, and When | 11:50 AM – 12:30 PM (Atlantic A-D, 1st Floor)
Moderator: Clay Almy, Head of Growth at Global Quantum Intelligence, LLC.; Panelists: Steve Camp, Managing Director, Needham; Colleen Collins, Managing Director, Blue Owl Capital; Tony Kim, Head of Global Technology Team, Fundamental Equities, Blackrock.
Frontier technologies move from research to commercialization over long timelines but provide transformational opportunities for societies and economies. Investment decisions made today will help determine which companies, regions, and nations emerge as leaders in the next era of innovation. This panel explores how investors are evaluating the landscape for quantum and other deep tech amid rising global competition, growing government involvement, and long development timelines. Beyond venture capital alone, the discussion will examine what it takes to build sustainable innovation ecosystems, and why the race to finance frontier technologies increasingly matters to economic and geopolitical leadership.
Lunch | 12:30 PM – 1:40 PM (Atlantic E, 1st Floor)
Remarks | 1:40 PM – 1:45 PM (Atlantic A-D, 1st Floor)
Emcee: Desiree Vargas Wrigley, Founding GP, Velocity Catalyst Funds
Breakout Session: Quantum’s Impact on Enterprise: Supply Chain, Optimization, and Security | 1:45 PM – 3:45 PM (Pacific Room 1, 2nd Floor)
There has never been a more important time to understand the transformative potential of quantum technologies. Recent U.S. Executive Orders have accelerated investment and innovation in the field, highlighting quantum’s growing role in shaping the future of technology, business, and society. At the forefront of this evolution, the EY Global Quantum Lab is helping organizations harness quantum capabilities while preparing for emerging risks. This engaging exploration of the quantum ecosystem will cover the critical supply chains enabling quantum technologies and their enterprise applications in sectors like finance. You’ll also gain insights into the growing challenge of quantum-related cybersecurity risks, and the steps organizations can take to strengthen their resilience. Drawing on firsthand market experience, our panelists will share practical perspectives on how leaders can position their organizations to thrive in the quantum era. Register here: https://luma.com/75lme11s
How Quantum Will Write the Next Chapter in the History of Computing | 1:45 PM – 2:15 PM (Atlantic A-D, 1st Floor)
Moderator: Samir Mayekar, Managing Director of the Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation, University of Chicago; Panelists: Dr. Pete Shadbolt, Chief Scientific Officer and Co-Founder, PsiQuantum and Brad Henderson, CEO, P33
After decades of hard-won innovation, quantum computing is transforming from a scientifically interesting prospect to an industrially useful reality—and the technology will increasingly form an indispensable layer of the compute stack. This conversation will bring together veteran executives from the semiconductor and quantum industries to discuss the future role of highly capable quantum computers, component-level breakthroughs in advancing U.S. technology leadership, and securing America’s technology supply chains.
Breakout Session: Secure Your Enterprise for the Quantum Era (Hosted by IBM) | 2:05 PM – 3:05 PM (Pacific 3, 2nd Floor)
Cryptography touches every corner of the digital world – from internet protocols and enterprise applications to critical infrastructure and financial systems. To manage cryptography effectively in the quantum era, organizations are transitioning to post-quantum encryption algorithms and modernizing their cybersecurity practices. Join us for this essential session exploring how post-quantum cryptography (PQC), Frontier AI, and Harvest Now Decrypt Later are reshaping enterprise risk, resilience, and trust. We will explore the current state of cybersecurity and encryption, review real-world client use cases, and share practical steps organizations can take to begin building a quantum-safe roadmap that moves them from awareness to action.
Register Here: https://luma.com/svoh06y2
The Quantum Governance Gap: Security, Trust, and Who Sets the Rules | 2:25 PM – 3:05 PM (Atlantic A-D, 1st Floor)
Moderator: Prineha Narang, Partner, DCVC, and Professor, UCLA; Panelists: Michael Brett, Worldwide Go-To-Market Strategy Lead, Quantum Technologies, AWS; Paul Poast, Associate Professor of Political Science, University of Chicago, and Senior Nonresident Fellow, Chicago Council on Global Affairs; Kathleen Hicks, Former U.S. Deputy Secretary of Defense, Chicago Council on Global Affairs
Quantum technologies are quickly becoming central in addressing some of today’s most pressing global challenges—from national security to economic competitiveness. This panel brings together leaders from across the public sector, industry, and the research community to explore how smart policymaking can equip the quantum industry to deliver new systems and solutions at scale. Panelists will discuss the intersection of policy priorities, public perception, and accelerating quantum technology—underscoring how the policy choices today will shape the landscape of quantum for years to come.
Breakout Session: The Real Estate Playbook for Quantum Companies | 2:30 PM – 3:30 PM (Pacific Room 2, 2nd Floor)
Opening Remarks: Daniel Thorpe, Head of EMEA Data Center Research, JLL; Panel Moderator: Andrew Batson, Global Head of Data Center Research, JLL; Panelists: Evan Salim, Vice President of Engineering Operations, Infleqtion; Frank Indiviglio, Director of HPC & AI Solutions, IQM; Eric Carlbom, Managing Director, Tenant Representation, JLL; Martin Tall, Global Executive Director, Labs & Critical Environments, JLL; Meredith O’Connor, Vice Chairman, National Site Selection and Incentives Practice, JLL
From site selection to scaling operations, quantum real estate decisions carry outsized financial and operational stakes. Hear directly from quantum company leaders and JLL advisors on what’s worked, what hasn’t, and what’s next. No registration required.
Break | 3:05 PM – 3:35 PM
Can Quantum Break the Bottleneck in Scientific Discovery? | 3:35 PM – 4:15 PM (Atlantic A-D, 1st Floor)
Moderator: Adam Bluestein, Contributor, Fast Company; Panelists: Howard Jacob, VP of Quantitative Medicine & Genomics, Distinguished Research Fellow, AbbVie; Pranav Gokhale, CTO, Infleqtion; Nick Rubin, Chief Quantum Chemist, Google
Scientific discovery is increasingly constrained not by imagination, but by compute power. As researchers push the limits of molecular modeling, simulation, and prediction, many of the hardest problems in biology and chemistry are becoming too complex for classical systems alone.
This panel explores how quantum computing could reshape the future of discovery. Panelists will discuss where scientific innovations are beginning to view scientific innovation as a compute challenge, what breakthroughs may emerge from quantum-enabled simulation, and why early leadership in this space could define the next era of global innovation.
Keynote | 4:25 PM – 4:40 PM (Atlantic A-D, 1st Floor)
Calvin Butler, CEO, Exelon.
Keynote remarks to be announced.
Powering Grand Challenges: The Energy Systems Behind Breakthroughs | 4:40 PM – 5:20 PM (Atlantic A-D, 1st Floor)
Moderator: Alex Dadakis, EVP & President, Testing, Inspection & Certification, UL Solutions; Panelists: David O. Dardis, Senior Executive Vice President and Chief External Affairs and Growth Officer, Constellation; Andrew Plenge, VP, Strategy & Energy Policy, ComEd; Hans Brown, Chief Information and Technology Officer, Southern Company; Meredith O’Connor, Vice Chairman, International Director Co-Chairman of National Site Selection and Incentives Practice, JLL
Energy is becoming increasingly central to the defining priorities of this era, like decarbonization and the exponential growth of computing. As quantum technologies advance, they both present new demands on the grid and open the door for more energy-efficient computing architecture, all while providing new opportunities to transform how energy systems are designed and optimized. This panel explores how leaders are navigating this dual challenge: ensuring the infrastructure exists to support emerging technologies, while unlocking quantum’s potential to address the complexity of the modern energy landscape.
THURSDAY, JULY 23RD
Registration | 8:00 AM – 11:00 AM (Art Gallery, 1st Floor)
Exhibitor Hall | 8:00 AM – 12:30 PM (Atlantic Foyer, 1st Floor)
Breakfast | 7:00 AM – 9:00 AM (Atlantic E, 1st Floor)
Opening Remarks | 9:00 AM – 9:10 AM (Atlantic A-D, 1st Floor)
Emcee: Allison Winstel, Chief of Staff, mHUB
Tim Liston, US Civic Strategy & Engagement Leader, Ernst & Young, LLP
Opening Fireside: The Journey to Quantum Advantage | 9:10 AM – 9:40 AM (Atlantic A-D, 1st Floor)
Moderator: Bobby Mehta, Chairman, JLL; Speakers: Ray Harishankar, IBM Fellow, IBM Quantum Safe; and Mohamad Ali, SVP & Head of IBM Consulting
An Executive dialogue on seizing the moment, making strategic bets, and building the partnerships that will define the future.
Breakout Session: Quantum Innovation from Japan: Meet the Companies Building Tomorrow’s Quantum Economy | 9:30 AM – 11:00 AM (Pacific Room 2, 2nd Floor)
Japan is rapidly emerging as one of the world’s leading quantum innovation ecosystems. This session offers a rare opportunity to hear directly from Q-STAR and JETRO and a selection of Japanese quantum companies through a series of rapid presentations highlighting breakthrough technologies, commercialization efforts, and opportunities for international collaboration. Whether you’re interested in quantum computing, enabling technologies, investment, or global partnerships, you’ll leave with a deeper understanding of the companies shaping Japan’s quantum future. The session will begin with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between Q-STAR and the Illinois Quantum & Microelectronics Park (IQMP), celebrating a new partnership connecting the Japanese and Illinois quantum ecosystems.No registration required.
Why Finance & Insurance Are Reaching the Limits of Classical Computing | 9:40 AM – 10:20 AM (Atlantic A-D, 1st Floor)
Moderator: Nathan Bomey, Axios; Panelists: Drew Propson, Head of Technology and Innovation in Financial Services, World Economic Forum; Manish Dhyani, Principal – Growth and Innovation, Ernst & Young LLP; and Tom Wilson, CEO, Allstate; Ruslan Shaydulin, Head of Quantum Computing – Executive Director, JPMorgan Chase
Finance and insurance increasingly depend on models that are struggling to keep up with real-world complexity—especially when it comes to uncertainty, rare events, and large-scale optimization. As these problems grow in size and realism, the gap between what institutions need to compute and what current systems can reliably handle is becoming more urgent.
New Technology Meets Advanced Alliances: Diplomacy in the Quantum Age | 10:20 AM – 11:00 AM (Atlantic A-D, 1st Floor)
Moderator: Jeanne Whalen, Economics Reporter, WSJ; Speakers: Jacob Glassman, Deputy Assistant Secretary of War for Critical Technologies for the Office of the Secretary of War (Research and Engineering); Greg Moriarty, Ambassador to the United States of America, Australian Government Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and Sir Christian Turner, British Ambassador to the United States
Quantum leadership will be critical to the future security and prosperity of nations worldwide. This panel will bring together veteran diplomats and government officials from both sides of the Atlantic and the Pacific to discuss how the United States and its closest allies can together lead the quantum frontier and unlock the full power of their shared advantages.
From Courtside to Quantum: Building High-Performance Teams for the Future | 11:00 AM – 11:30 AM (Atlantic A-D, 1st Floor)
Moderator: Brenda Darden-Wilkerson, President & CEO, AnitaB.org; Speakers: Candace Parker, Basketball Hall of Famer, Emmy Award-Winning Broadcaster, & Entrepreneur; Nadya Mason, Vice President for Research and Robert J. Zimmer Professor of Molecular Engineering, University of Chicago
As quantum technologies and AI reshape industries, the success of innovation will depend not only on groundbreaking technology, but on the people, leadership, and inclusive talent strategies that bring it to life. This dynamic conversation will explore building high-performing teams across industries, the importance of cultivating diverse talent and creating pathways into emerging technology fields and preparing the workforce for the next era of innovation.
Closing Fireside Chat: From AI to Quantum: What Enterprise Leaders Need to Do Now | 11:30 AM – 12:00 PM (Atlantic A-D, 1st Floor)
Moderator: Chris Cartwright, President & Chief Executive Officer, TransUnion; Speaker: Ravi Kumar, Chief Executive Officer, Cognizant
As AI reshapes how companies operate today, the next wave of computing is already on the horizon. In this fireside chat, the CEOs of TransUnion and Cognizant explore how enterprise leaders should think about what comes next. From scaling AI across the business to preparing for the long-term impact of quantum, this conversation will focus on where the real opportunities—and risks—lie, and what actions organizations should be taking now to stay ahead.
Boxed Lunch | 12:00 PM – 1:15 PM (Atlantic E, 1st Floor)
*this agenda is subject to change
2026 Sponsors
Presenting Sponsor
Lead Sponsors
Major Sponsors
Quantum Sponsors
Emerging Sponsors
Supporting Organizations
Official Coworking Partner
Workbox is opening their doors to GQF guests looking to experience a vibrant coworking and workspace community. Registration is FREE at their 7 locations across the city, including their Magnificent Mile location just a 14 minute walk and 4 minute car ride from Radisson Blu Aqua Hotel.
2026 Speakers & Special Guests
Candace Parker
Basketball Hall of Famer, Emmy Award-Winning Broadcaster, & Entrepreneur
Jason Zander
Microsoft
Executive Vice President
Kara Swisher
New York Times Best-Selling Author, Host of On With Kara Swisher & Pivot Podcasts, Editor-At-Large At New York Magazine
Desiree Vargas Wrigley
Velocity Catalyst Funds
Founding GP
Jacob Glassman
Deputy Assistant Secretary of War for Critical Technologies
Deputy Assistant Secretary of War for Critical Technologies
John Atkinson
The Vistria Group
Operating Partner
Tim Liston
Ernst & Young LLP
US Civic Strategy & Engagement Leader
Allison Winstel
mHUB
Chief of Staff
Michael Brett
Amazon Web Services
Worldwide Go-To-Market Strategy Lead, Quantum Technologies
JB Pritzker
Governor
State of Illinois
Garry Cooper
Rheaply
CEO & Co-founder
Alejandra Y. Castillo
Purdue Northwest University
Chancellor Senior Fellow
Brad Henderson
P33
CEO
Samir Mayekar
University of Chicago
Managing Director of the Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation
Clay Almy
Global Quantum Intelligence, LLC
Head of Growth
Duncan Huffman
Classiq
VP, Global Marketing
Kashyap Balakrishnan
IBM
CyberDefend Practice Leader
Ray Harishankar
IBM Quantum Safe
IBM Fellow
Mohamad Ali
IBM Corporation
SVP and Head of IBM Consulting
Andrew Plenge
ComEd
Vice President of Strategy and Energy Policy
Bobby Mehta
JLL
Chairman
Steve Camp
Needham & Company
Managing Director, Head of Quantum IB
Tom South
Northern Trust
Chief Information Officer
Christy George
Illinois Economic Development Corporation
President and Chief Executive Officer
Nadya Mason
University of Chicago
Vice President for Research
Tony Kim
Managing Partner
Blackrock
Ruslan Shaydulin
JPMorganChase
Head of Quantum Computing
Jeanne Whalen
The Wall Street Journal
Economics Reporter
Stephanie Cutter
EY
Global & Americas Power & Utilities Sector Leader
Pete Shadbolt
PsiQuantum
Co-founder & CSO
Elica Kyoseva
NVIDIA
Director Quantum Algorithms
Nathan Bomey
Axios
Business Reporter
Tom Wilson
Allstate
Chair, President and CEO
Brenda Darden Wilkerson
AnitaB.org
President & CEO
David O. Dardis
Constellation
"Senior Executive Vice President Chief External Affairs and Growth Officer"
Calvin Butler
Exelon
President & CEO
Sir Christian Turner
United Kingdom FCDO
British Ambassador to the USA
Gil Quiniones
ComEd
President / CEO
Adam Bluestein
Fast Company
Contributor
Greg Moriarty
Australian Government Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade
Ambassador to the United States of America
Nicholas Rubin
Chief Quantum Chemist
Kevin Cole
Ernst & Young LLP
Chicago Office Managing Partner
Rashid Bashir
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
"Dean, The Grainger College of Engineering Vice Chancellor Chicago Strategic Partnerships Grainger Distinguished Chair in Engineering, Professor of Bioengineering, "
Prineha Narang
DCVC and UCLA
Partner at DCVC, Professor at UCLA
Colleen Collins
Blue Owl Capital
Managing Director
Hans Brown
Southern Company
CITO
Manish Dhyani
Ernst & Young LLP
Principal, Growth and Innovation
Alex Dadakis
UL Solutions
EVP & President, Testing, Inspection & Certification
Matthew Kinsella
Infleqtion
CEO
Pranav Gokhale
Infleqtion
CTO
Meredith O'Connor
JLL
Vice Chairman, International Director Co-Chairman of National Site Selection and Incentives Practice
Paul Poast
Associate Professor of Political Science, University of Chicago
Senior Nonresident Fellow, Chicago Council on Global Affairs
Kathleen Hicks
Chicago Council on Global Affairs
Former U.S. Deputy Secretary of Defense
Drew Propson
World Economic Forum
Head, Technology and Innovation in Financial Services
Howard Jacob
AbbVie
VP, Quantitative Medicine & Genomics, Distinguished Research Fellow
Ravi Kumar S
Cognizant
Chief Executive Officer
Chris Cartwright
TransUnion
President & Chief Executive Officer
Hanhee Paik
IBM
Director, Quantum Algorithm Centers
2026 GQF Hosts
FAQs
Where is GQF26?
Global Quantum Forum 2026 will be held at Radisson Blu Aqua Hotel, located at 221 N Columbus Drive, Chicago, Illinois 60601. The venue is conveniently situated in downtown Chicago on the lakefront, within walking distance of Millennium Park, the Chicago Riverwalk, and major attractions.
Conference dates are July 22-23, 2026, with an Opening Reception on July 21, 2026.
I am local to Chicago, what is the easiest way to get to the venue?
Radisson Blu Aqua Hotel is easily accessible by public transportation:
· CTA Train: The nearest L stations are State/Lake (Orange, Green, Pink, Purple, Brown Lines) and Washington/Wabash (Orange, Green, Pink, Purple, Brown Lines), both approximately 0.5 miles from the venue
· CTA Bus: Routes 3, 4, 6, 134, 135, 136, 146, and 147 stop within walking distance
· Metra: Millennium Station is approximately 0.3 miles from the venue
· Rideshare: Drop-off is available at the main entrance on Columbus Drive
Is there parking available on site?
The Radisson Blu Aqua Hotel has a large, covered garage with self-parking offered at $59/night. The Radisson Blu Aqua Hotel also offers valet parking (in and out privileges) for $75/night. Please note that rates are subject to change.
Is lodging available?
We have secured a discounted room block at the conference venue for the conference dates.
Radisson Blu Aqua Hotel Discounted rate: $275/night
To book, use this booking link. To qualify for the Group Room Rate, you must make your reservations by Tuesday, June 30, 2026.
Rooms are limited and available on a first-come, first-served basis.
How much does it cost to attend GQF26?
Registration fees vary by attendee type:
· General Admission: $599
· Academic: $399
· Government/Nonprofit: $399
Press passes are complimentary but require verification of media credentials.
All fees include access to plenary sessions, breakout sessions, networking events, meals, and conference materials.
Can I forward my invitation to a colleague?
Invitations are non-transferable. If you have a colleague who would benefit from attending, please have them contact us directly at registration@globalquantumforum.com. We’re happy to consider additional participants from invited organizations if additional spots open up.
I already registered but can no longer attend. Am I able to have someone attend in my place?
Registrations are non-transferable. If you have an executive-level colleague who would benefit from attending in your place, please have them contact us directly at registration@globalquantumforum.com.
I have additional registration questions, who can I ask?
For registration assistance, please contact our registration team: Email: registration@globalquantumforum.com Response time: We typically respond within 1-2 business days.
GQF Fellowship
The 2026 conference welcomes the inaugural cohort of GQF Fellows, bringing together emerging leaders from 7 countries who are shaping the future of quantum across research, industry, and policy.