World Quantum Day 2026

Be part of this defining moment in Saudi Arabia's quantum landscape in Riyadh.

Quantum Forum: 30 August 2026

Shaping the Quantum Workforce

Under the theme "Shape the Quantum Workforce," the event serves as a platform for dialogue and collaboration, addressing both local and global challenges in quantum adoption.

The third edition of World Quantum Day is taking place from 7–16 April and is hosted by the Centre for the Fourth Industrial Revolution (C4IR) Saudi Arabia, in partnership with King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology (KACST), King Salman Science Oasis (KSSO), the Institute for Advanced Studies and Cooperation (IASC), and ICB Labs. 

The program features an educational quantum exhibition in April, designed to introduce students and visitors to quantum science and the essential knowledge required for the future workforce. Following this immersive experience, the industry-focused day of expert panel discussions will take place on 30 August, bringing together leaders to further explore the strategic evolution of quantum technologies.

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30 August 2026

Quantum Forum

The event begins with keynote and panel discussions that lay out a vision for the quantum industry.  Panel sessions engage delegates in high-level strategic discussions, real-world use cases, and quantum-readiness pillars, turning insights into actions. Throughout the day, participants explore the quantum ecosystem, identify new opportunities, and discuss how a quantum-ready workforce will transform future industries.

Why Attend the Quantum Forum 2026?

  • Network with government leaders, industry leaders, innovators, academics, and entrepreneurs

  • Explore the latest use cases impacting the quantum economy

Interested in our Quantum Forum on 30 August 2026?

Reach out to join the conversation and secure your spot.


Explore the Quantum Forum 2026 Agenda

30 August 2026

Saudi Arabia in the Quantum Economy

OPENING KEYNOTE 10:05 – 10:10

Dr Talal A. Alsedairy

Chairman, C4IR Saudi Arabia

Design a Quantum Economy: Science, Talent, and Capital

PANEL DISCUSSION 10:10 – 10:50

This session brings together leading voices from research, academic, and venture ecosystems to explore how a quantum economy can be built in practice. panelists will examine how cutting‑edge quantum science and infrastructure can translate into real platforms, spin‑offs, and industrial impact. The discussion will highlight the required foundations, the talent and capabilities needed to turn discoveries into products, and finally the role of startups, global capital, and venture studios in creating new markets.

Prof David Keyes

Professor of Applied Mathematics and Computational Sciences, Computer Science, and Mechanical Engineering, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology 

Prof Daniel Loss

Chair Professor and Center Director, King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals

Larry Stack

Chief Commercial Officer, Quantinuum

Dr Reem Taibah

Business Development Director, Pasqal Arabia
Moderator

Building the Saudi Quantum Era: From Research to Applications

PANEL DISCUSSION 11:00 – 11:40

This session explores how the National Centre for Quantum Technologies (NCQT) is advancing Saudi Arabia’s quantum capabilities through multidisciplinary research, national initiatives, and strategic international collaborations. Experts from the public and private sectors will discuss joint research with Imperial College London and PASQAL, post-quantum cryptography resilience, quantum biology, and emerging quantum applications, highlighting the role of NCQT in co-developing projects and building the Kingdom’s quantum ecosystem.

Florent Verthuy

General Manager, Pasqal Arabia

Prof Ibtesam Badhrees

 Senior Researcher, King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology

Dr Mai AlZaydi

General Manager, Bioengineering Institute, King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology

Hani AlHemsi

Director of Technology Development,  Ministry of Communications and Information Technology
Moderator

Are You Quantum Ready?

FIRESIDE CHAT 11:40 – 12:00

This session will focus on what it really means for organizations to be “quantum-ready” using practical frameworks such as the Quantum Index as a lens, the discussion will explore how to assess readiness across strategy, talent, use cases, partnerships, and governance, and why these dimensions matter for both opportunity and resilience. The conversation aims to translate insights into concrete steps for leaders on how to build internal momentum and how to link quantum exploration to real value and risk management.

Steve Suarez

Founder & CEO, HorizonX

Richard Schoebel

Regional Director, 

IonQ

From Risk to Resilience: Quantum Technologies for the Financial Sector

PANEL DISCUSSION 13:00 – 13:40

This session explores how quantum technologies can help financial institutions move from managing risk to building truly secure and resilient data‑driven systems. The panelist will highlight concrete use cases in portfolio optimization, risk modelling, pricing complex instruments, fraud and anomaly detection, and cybersecurity. They will discuss what is realistically possible in the next 3–7 years and how to combine classical and quantum approaches. The goal is to separate hype from value and show where early adoption of quantum tools can create a real competitive edge for the Saudi and regional financial sector.

Dr Mansour Alsaleh

Head of Innovation Hub, Saudi Central Bank (SAMA)

Filipe Beato

Manager, Technology and Innovation, World Economic Forum

Kevin Kane

Founder & CEO, American Binary

Sir Prof Gabriele Pao-Pei Andreoli

President, Institute for Advanced Studies & Cooperation (IASC)

Moderator

How Quantum Technology is Transforming Healthcare: Real-World Use Cases 

PANEL DISCUSSION 13:40 – 14:20

This session will spotlight how quantum technologies are already reshaping healthcare, moving from lab experiments to real-world clinical and industrial applications. The panelist will share use cases across medical imaging, diagnostics, and drug discovery. The discussion will also touch on what hospitals, startups, and regulators need to do today to prepare for a quantum‑enabled healthcare ecosystem.

Uzma Siddiqui

Founder, Quantasphere Ltd

Diego Fernando Heinrich

Senior Director of Strategic Partnerships, IonQ

Prof Selene Giupponi

Managing Director, Europe Resecurity, Council Member at Women4Cyber Foundation, and Secretary General and Founder at Women4Cyber Italy

Dr Ahmed Qatatsheh 

IBM Quantum Lead, IBM Quantum

Moderator

Optimizing energy-intensive Manufacturing: A Shift in Industrial Operations

PANEL DISCUSSION 14:20 – 15:00 

This panel explores how quantum technologies could be adopted in energy‑intensive manufacturing, from refineries and petrochemical complexes to advanced materials and industrial supply chains. Leaders will showcase how quantum and quantum‑inspired algorithms are being used to tackle some of the hardest problems in refineries, petrochemical plants and heavy industry from production scheduling and supply‑chain bottlenecks to energy process optimization.

Javier González Conde

CEO and Co-Founder, Quantum Mads

Dr Saad Alowayyed

Project Lead, Institute General Manager, Centre for the Fourth Industrial Revolution Saudi Arabia & King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology

Muhammad AlSaiyari

Quantum Valley Leader, Aramco,, Saudi Quantum Computing Association Chairman

Alina  Timofeeva 

Managing Partner, Tamayouz Business Solutions

Moderator

Closing Remarks & Honoring Ceremony

 15:10 – 15:20


Amal Alshareef

Acting Managing Director and Board Secretary, C4IR Saudi Arabia

Previous World Quantum Days  

World Quantum Day 2025

Saudi Arabia joined the global celebrations for World Quantum Day (WQD) 2025 on 14 April with an event hosted by C4IR Saudi Arabia. The event concluded the Quantum for Society UpLink Challenge, a collaboration between the Centre and the World Economic Forum’s UpLink, selecting 10 top innovators from 100 global submissions.

WQD 2025 also announced “Quantum Valley”, an initiative by King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology, Aramco, and Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority to operate the Kingdom’s first quantum computer in partnership with Pasqal and IBM.

World Quantum Day 2024

For the first time, on 17–18 April 2024, C4IR Saudi Arabia, in collaboration with global and local partners, hosted World Quantum Day. A historic milestone, as it was the first Saudi event officially listed on the World Quantum Day website.

Explore C4IR Saudi Arabia's Quantum Economy Project

This project aims to establish a national roadmap for developing a robust quantum ecosystem in Saudi Arabia, aligned with the Forum’s Quantum Economy Blueprint. It seeks to strengthen research, commercialization, and talent development, while supporting policymakers, industry, and academia in building a globally competitive quantum sector.

C4IR Saudi Arabia

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