Quantum Summits and Events Calendar: What Is Coming in 2026 and 2027
Why events matter
Quantum companies save their biggest announcements for stages. Chips, roadmaps, partnerships and benchmark results often land during conference weeks, and the news cycle follows. That makes the calendar a good way to know when the quantum story gets loud.
The calendar
| When | Event | Where | Why watch |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 11 to 13, 2026 | IBM Quantum Developer Conference | Chicago | IBM's yearly hardware and software updates. See IBM's roadmap. |
| Dec 8 to 10, 2026 | Q2B26 x Chicago Quantum Summit | Chicago Marriott Marquis | Industry and enterprise focus, the "roadmap to quantum value" crowd. |
| Jan 1, 2027 | NSA CNSA 2.0 acquisition date | US | Not a conference, but new national security purchases must be post-quantum compliant. See deadlines. |
| Jan 30 to Feb 4, 2027 | SPIE Photonics West | San Francisco | Photonic and laser hardware, relevant to photonic and ion approaches. |
| Feb 20 to 26, 2027 | QIP 2027 | Singapore | The main theory conference: algorithms and error correction. |
| Mar 31 to Apr 2, 2027 | NQCC Quantum Computing Scalability Conference | Oxford | UK national centre, scaling hardware. |
| April 2027 | APS Global Physics Summit | Atlanta (April 11 to 16 on APS's page; some pages list April 12 to 16) | Largest physics meeting, many quantum hardware results. |
Just happened
IEEE Quantum Week 2026 ran September 13 to 18 in Toronto and Quantum World Congress ran September 22 to 24 near Washington, per organizer listings. Expect the recaps and papers to keep surfacing.
Government dates to put next to them
- EU Quantum Act proposal: late 2026 or 2027. See EU strategy.
- US reauthorization and the defense bill. See the reauthorization guide.
How to use this
Pair the calendar with the catalysts guide and follow the people in the people guide. Events can lift attention for quantum themed assets, but no one can say if or how much. This is not financial advice.
What changed in the last 90 days
Two big events finished: IEEE Quantum Week (September 13 to 18, Toronto) and Quantum World Congress (September 22 to 24). A major research result landed outside a conference: on July 30, 2026, IBM and the University of Chicago announced a verified logical-qubit run they call quantum advantage. IBM's own technology page now says advantage was delivered as promised in 2026, though independent confirmation of the classical-runtime claims was not found in our reading.
How to get the most from a conference week
- Read the agenda a week ahead and pick two talks from primary sources, not just keynotes.
- Expect company announcements to be dated and phrased as targets. See how to follow quantum news.
- Within a few days, look for the paper or filing behind each claim.
A worked example: planning a month
For November 2026 you might block November 11 to 13 for IBM's developer conference. Before it, re-read IBM's roadmap page. After it, compare what was announced with the roadmap's earlier dates to see what was on time. Do the same for Q2B on December 8 to 10. That habit turns noisy news into a scorecard.
Which event for which interest
| You care about | Go to |
|---|---|
| Hardware roadmaps | IBM Quantum Developer Conference, NQCC scalability conference |
| Business use cases | Q2B and the Chicago Quantum Summit |
| Theory and error correction | QIP 2027 |
| Physics results | APS Global Physics Summit |
Questions people ask before choosing
Do I need to be a physicist? No, Q2B and developer conferences welcome beginners. Is it free? Prices differ, so check each site. Can I just read the slides later? Often yes, but the hallway announcements and Q and A are where news breaks first.
Sources and further reading
- IBM: Quantum Developer Conference 2026
- Q2B26 x Chicago Quantum Summit
- QIP 2027
- APS Global Physics Summit 2027
- NQCC Scalability Conference 2027
- IEEE Quantum Week 2026
- IBM: quantum technology page (read for the 2026 advantage statement)
- The Quantum Insider: IBM and UChicago result
Dates as listed 2026-10-09. Conferences move, so confirm on the organizer's site before planning.
Frequently asked questions
What is the next big quantum conference?
The IBM Quantum Developer Conference, November 11 to 13, 2026 in Chicago, followed by Q2B26 with the Chicago Quantum Summit on December 8 to 10, 2026.
When is the APS Global Physics Summit 2027?
April 2027 in Atlanta. APS's event page lists April 11 to 16, while some sponsor pages show April 12 to 16, so confirm on aps.org.
Do conferences move quantum prices?
They can increase attention, but no price outcome is predictable. This is not financial advice.
Is there a Q2B Silicon Valley in 2026?
We found the 2026 edition listed in Chicago. The Silicon Valley edition we found was December 2025.
Can I follow events online?
Many conferences offer virtual passes or post talks later. Check each organizer's site.
Which event is best for beginners?
Industry events like Q2B explain use cases in plain terms, while QIP is aimed at researchers.
Do the dates ever change?
Yes. Confirm with the organizer before booking travel.
Keep reading
- Quantum Catalysts to Watch 2026 to 2030: When the Story Gets Loud
The milestones, deadlines and events that could crank up the quantum narrative through 2030, from IBM's 2026 advantage target to the 2030 cryptography cutoffs. - How to Follow Quantum News Without Getting Fooled by Hype
The best primary sources, trade outlets and habits for tracking quantum computing news, plus red flags for exaggerated claims. - IBM's Quantum Roadmap: From Nighthawk to Starling in 2029
IBM's published plan for fault tolerant quantum computing: processors per year, the Starling system, and what to watch in 2026 and 2027. - The People Leading the Charge in Quantum Computing
Researchers and executives who shaped quantum computing: Neven, Gambetta, Hazra, Devoret, Martinis, Shor, Preskill, Nayak, O'Brien, Gidney, Aspect and more.
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