Chattanooga Hosts 36-Hour Quantum Hackathon for Energy Innovation

The event, organized by The Company Lab (CO.LAB) alongside the Chattanooga Quantum Collaborative and the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, aims to integrate emerging talent into the state’s expanding quantum ecosystem. Participants will utilize the cloud-based qBraid platform to develop and test solutions, bypassing the need for prior quantum experience. Mentorship will come from a coalition of industry leaders, including the Tennessee Valley Authority, EPB, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, IonQ, and Quantinuum.

This initiative serves as a practical application of a $1.33 million National Science Foundation grant, which supports the development of a QuantumGrid Innovation Hub. By connecting students with utility experts and researchers, organizers hope to accelerate the commercialization of technologies that could secure and modernize the electric grid. Applications are currently open for individuals and pre-formed teams eager to contribute to Tennessee's growing role in the quantum landscape.