Five more finalists advance to Phase II, bringing fresh approaches across quantum chemistry, materials science, and scientific simulation 

The XPRIZE Quantum Applications competition is entering a new phase, with five wildcard finalists selected to join the Phase I cohort in advancing toward deeper technical validation and real-world benchmarking.  

Designed to accelerate the discovery of real-world quantum applications, the XPRIZE Quantum Applications competition challenges teams to demonstrate where quantum computing can deliver meaningful advantage over classical approaches. While Phase I surfaced a strong cohort of finalists through a rigorous evaluation process, the wildcard pathway was introduced to ensure that additional high-potential, execution-ready teams, could compete at the highest level.  

The wildcard round was not an open call for early-stage ideas. Instead, it targeted teams already operating at finalist-level maturity: solutions grounded in clear use cases, supported by technical rigor, and ready for direct comparison against classical benchmarks. From a highly competitive pool of 62 submissions, five teams were selected to move forward: Nature, Neutronium, Pasqal Team algorithmiq, and Q4B. 

 “These teams didn’t just show promise; they showed proof,” said Michael Nayak, Domain Lead, XPRIZE Quantum Applications. “The wildcard round brought in bold, execution-ready ideas that are ready to go head-to-head with the best in the field.” 

 With their selection, these wildcard finalists will now join Phase I finalists as the competition advances into Phase II.  

Judging Criteria and Benchmarks 

Wildcard submissions were evaluated against the same rigorous criteria applied in Phase I, ensuring consistency in how technical merit and real-world impact were assessed across the competition. 

 At a high level, team submissions were expected to: 

Narrow in on a High-Impact Problem  

• Define a specific, real-world problem and clearly defined objectives, rather than broad or generic assertions of quantum advantage. 
• Clearly articulate limitations of current classical approaches and why a quantum method could plausibly help.  

 Pair Technical Novelty with Feasibility & Reasoning 

• Present a credible pathway to quantum advantage, supported by technical reasoning 
• Outline measurable benchmarks for performance and comparison  
• Ensure overall technical coherence and feasibility  

The emphasis was not on theoretical potential, but on demonstrable, testable advantage, a key shift as the competition progresses toward real-world validation. 

 "The judging panel was happy to see a surprisingly strong wildcard turnout,” said Ryan Babbush, Director of Quantum Algorithms & Applications Research at Google. “This included exciting new entrants to the competition as well as familiar Phase I semifinalists strengthening their submissions by incorporating feedback from the prior round." 

 This alignment in judging standards ensures that all advancing teams, whether from Phase I or the wildcard round, enter Phase II on equal footing, held to the same expectations of rigor and proof. 

Application Areas Represented Among Wildcard Finalists 

The five wildcard finalists addressed challenges across several high-impact application areas, including: 

• Materials science and quantum system simulation, where teams explored quantum approaches for modeling complex materials, frustrated magnetic systems, and energy-transfer dynamics that remain difficult to simulate classically  
• Quantum chemistry and drug discovery, focused on molecular simulation, drug metabolism, and biomolecular analysis relevant to therapeutic development 
• Large-scale scientific and industrial simulation, including computationally intensive partial differential equation (PDE) and eigenvalue problems tied to nuclear reactor design and broader scientific modeling

 Several selected teams incorporated hybrid classical-quantum approaches to target narrowly defined problems where classical methods face clear bottlenecks in computational complexity, simulation accuracy, or scalability. 

 Like the Phase I finalists, wildcard teams did not attempt to solve entire industries or scientific domains. Instead, they focused on narrow, well-defined problem areas where current classical methods face clear computational limitations. This reflects a broader shift across the quantum ecosystem toward targeted, measurable applications with credible pathways to real-world impact. 

 What’s Next 

 With the addition of the wildcard finalists, the competition now moves into Phase II. 

 A stage defined by deeper technical validation, benchmarking, and execution, teams will be expected to further develop their solutions with an emphasis on: 

• Realistic hardware assumptions and constraints  
• Direct, quantitative comparison to leading classical methods  
• Clear demonstration of performance improvements and potential for real-world adoption  

 "We are currently at a stage of the competition where teams are actively leveraging solid foundations in quantum algorithms to close the gap toward impactful real-world applications,” said Catherine Lefebvre, Senior Advisor for the Open Quantum Institute at Geneva Science and Diplomacy Anticipator (GESDA). “At GESDA, we are delighted to see outstanding new teams rising to this challenge and driving the field forward." 

 As the competition advances, Phase II represents a critical inflection point—not just for the teams involved, but for the broader quantum ecosystem. By pushing beyond theory into demonstrable impact, the XPRIZE Quantum Applications competition continues to chart a path from promise to proof in one of the most transformative technologies of our time.