This September, Prince George’s County will welcome leaders from around the world as Quantum World Congress 2026 brings the global quantum ecosystem to College Park for three days of innovation, investment, commercialization, and international collaboration.
Taking place September 23–25, 2026, at The Hotel at the University of Maryland, Quantum World Congress will convene leaders from science, industry, academia, investment, and government to explore the technologies and partnerships shaping the rapidly emerging quantum economy. After debuting in Washington, D.C., and spending three years in Tysons, Virginia, the international gathering is moving to College Park and the heart of Prince George’s County’s growing quantum innovation ecosystem.
The move represents another important milestone for Prince George’s County as it continues establishing itself as a destination for advanced technology, research, commercialization, and next-generation industries.
The Global Quantum Community Comes to College Park
Quantum World Congress is designed to connect breakthrough research with real-world applications and commercialization. The 2026 program will include global keynotes, startup showcases, workshops, networking, investment conversations, and cross-sector partnerships focused on moving quantum technologies from research into the marketplace.
College Park provides a fitting backdrop.
The University of Maryland anchors a significant concentration of quantum research through assets including the Joint Quantum Institute, Joint Center for Quantum Information and Computer Science, and Quantum Technology Center. The surrounding Discovery District is also home to quantum computing company IonQ, while Microsoft is establishing a new quantum research center in the district and DARPA has partnered with Maryland to establish the Capital Quantum Benchmarking Hub in College Park.
Bringing Quantum World Congress to this ecosystem creates an opportunity for global visitors to experience firsthand the research, companies, talent, infrastructure, and partnerships developing in Prince George’s County.
International Collaboration Begins Before the Congress
The global reach of Quantum World Congress will be evident even before the main conference begins.
On September 22, the Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO), G-QuAT, Q-STAR, and NEDO will host the Japan-U.S. Quantum Innovation Exchange at The Hotel at the University of Maryland as an official side event of Quantum World Congress 2026.
The exchange will bring Japanese and American quantum stakeholders together for company pitches, networking, and pre-arranged one-on-one business matchmaking meetings. Participants are expected to include startups, corporations, investors, research organizations, and quantum ecosystem partners.
Japanese companies currently scheduled to participate represent technologies ranging from quantum communications and photonic quantum computing to neutral-atom hardware, optimization, quantum networking, and quantum computer control systems. The program is specifically designed to encourage R&D partnerships, investment, joint development, pilot projects, and commercialization opportunities between Japanese and U.S. organizations.
That international business activity is significant for Prince George’s County.
For several days, College Park will become a meeting place where international companies can connect with American technology leaders, investors, researchers, government representatives, and potential partners—creating the kinds of relationships that can ultimately lead to investment, business expansion, commercialization, and new economic opportunities.
From Quantum Research to Quantum Economy
Quantum World Congress arriving in Prince George’s County also reinforces a larger economic development story: quantum technology is increasingly moving beyond scientific research toward commercialization.
The 2026 Congress will focus on areas including workforce development, entrepreneurship, investment access, applied innovation, cybersecurity, commercialization, and industry collaboration.
For Prince George’s County, hosting an international event of this caliber provides more than visibility. It creates an opportunity to demonstrate how the County’s combination of university research, federal proximity, private-sector innovation, transportation access, talent, and available business infrastructure can support companies working at the frontier of emerging technology.
It also brings international decision-makers directly into the County rather than requiring Prince George’s County to tell its innovation story from afar.
Prince George’s County on the Global Innovation Stage
The Prince George’s County Economic Development Corporation continues working to position the County as a destination where innovative companies can start, grow, invest, and commercialize new technologies.
Quantum World Congress 2026 provides an international platform for that message.
As researchers, entrepreneurs, investors, corporations, government leaders, and international delegations converge in College Park this September, they will not simply be attending a global technology conference.
They will be experiencing firsthand an innovation ecosystem that is helping build the future of the quantum economy, right here in Prince George’s County.
Quantum World Congress 2026
September 23–25, 2026
The Hotel at the University of Maryland
College Park, Maryland
Registration and program information are available through the Quantum World Congress 2026 website.
The Japan-U.S. Quantum Innovation Exchange will take place September 22, 2026. Additional information is available through JETRO.