The IBM Quantum Developer Conference will be held November 11, 13 at the Sheraton Grand Riverwalk in Chicago, Illinois, bringing together researchers and innovators focused on a pivotal shift in the field. Applications opened this week for the exclusive three-day event, designed to explore the move “from quantum usefulness to quantum advantage,” according to IBM. The conference will offer attendees an in-depth look at the latest breakthroughs, including updates from the IBM Quantum Roadmap and advantage claims from the wider community. Prospective attendees must apply for consideration, with the application window closing September 21, and first-round acceptance letters scheduled to be sent August 10, prioritizing active Qiskit users with relevant research experience. IBM Quantum Developer Conference 2026: Application Timeline & Details Prospective participants must submit their applications by September 21, and invitations will begin to be sent on August 10. Final acceptance letters will follow on October 12, completing the selection process before the conference commences November 11, 13. This year’s conference focuses on the transition “from quantum usefulness to quantum advantage,” signaling a deliberate shift toward demonstrable results and practical applications of quantum computing. Attendees will gain access to lectures, demos, and hands-on workshops covering innovations in areas like Hamiltonian simulation, optimization, and the expanded Qiskit functions catalog. IBM experts will be available for direct guidance, aiming to help attendees translate insights into real-world computational workflows. The conference is geared toward an active quantum community; the review team will prioritize applicants who are active Qiskit users with research or development experience in relevant quantum fields. IBM states that attendees will know how to apply these developments to their own projects and make real-world impacts across domains, and recordings of all presentations will be published on the IBM Quantum Platform following the event for those unable to attend in person.