2026 Quantum Pioneers Program

We are pleased to announce the winners and finalists from April’s 2026 Quantum Pioneers Program – Hardware Track

Expanding the scope of the existing Quantum Pioneers Program

At Microsoft Quantum, our mission is clear: to build a scalable, fault-tolerant quantum computer capable of solving problems that are intractable for classical systems. Achieving this requires more than incremental progress—it demands breakthroughs in physics, engineering, and computer science. Our approach is rooted in topological quantum computing, which is characterized by inherent error resilience.

To achieve fault tolerance, hardware breakthroughs alone will not be enough. Software and hardware must advance together to build a scalable quantum computer. The compilers, error-correcting codes, algorithms, and architectures will determine how quickly we can translate physical qubits into scientific and industrial impact. Realizing the promise of topological quantum computing—and of fault-tolerant quantum computing more broadly—will require that academic researchers design software in lockstep with hardware advances.

To build on the success of the recent rounds of proposals to the Quantum Pioneers Program, we are soliciting a new round of proposals for the Hardware Track that aligns with the deadlines for the new Software Track. Details on both tracks are below.

Introducing the 2026 Quantum Pioneers Program – Software Track

To accelerate progress on quantum software, we are launching the 2026 Quantum Pioneers Program – Software Track. Through this program, we are inviting leading academic researchers to propose directed research that advances the software foundations of fault-tolerant quantum computing, with a particular emphasis on approaches relevant to topological architecture.

Proposals are solicited in four themes:

• Quantum error correction, with an emphasis on codes, decoders, and protocols suited to topological qubits and measurement-based operation.
• Quantum applications for chemistry and materials, including end-to-end resource analyses and algorithmic improvements that bring scientifically meaningful problems within reach of early fault-tolerant machines.
• Quantum algorithms, including new primitives, speedups, and results that expand the scope of practical quantum advantage.
• Quantum architecture, including compilation, scheduling, control software, fault-tolerant system design, and the interfaces between logical and physical layers of the stack.

We are looking for ambitious, technically rigorous proposals that have a credible path to impact and will benefit from collaboration with Microsoft Quantum.

Read the Hardware Track Official Rules

2026 Microsoft Quantum Pioneers Program –
Software Track

Contest Official Rules

1. SPONSOR

These Official Rules (“Rules”) govern the operation of the Microsoft Quantum Pioneers Program – Software Track Contest (“Software Contest”). Microsoft Corporation, One Microsoft Way, Redmond, WA, 98052, USA, is the Software Contest sponsor (“Sponsor”).

2. DEFINITIONS

In these Rules, "Microsoft", "we", "our", and "us" refer to Sponsor and "you" and "yourself" refers to a Software Contest participant, or the parent/legal guardian of any Software Contest entrant who has not reached the age of majority to contractually obligate themselves in their legal place of residence. By entering, you (your parent/legal guardian if you are not the age of majority in your legal place of residence) agree to be bound by these Rules.

3. ENTRY PERIOD

The Software Contest starts at 12:00 a.m. Pacific Time (“PT”) on June 10, 2026, and ends at 11:59 p.m. PT on July 17, 2026 (“Entry Period”), and will consist of multiple phases, as described below:

4. ELIGIBILITY

This is a trade contest open only to faculty (assistant, associate, full professors, and equivalent research-track faculty) at a university or degree-granting research institution. Applicants may only serve as principal investigator (“PI”) or co-PI on one (1) proposal submitted to Microsoft as part of the Quantum Pioneers Program – Software Track each year. There can be a maximum of two (2) PIs per proposal. You must be twenty-one (21) years of age or older to be eligible. If you are twenty-one (21) years of age or older but have not reached the age of majority in your legal place of residence, then you must have consent of a parent/legal guardian to enter.

Employees and directors of Microsoft Corporation and its subsidiaries, affiliates, advertising agencies, and Software Contest Parties are not eligible, nor are persons involved in the execution or administration of this Software Contest, or the family members of each above (parents, children, siblings, spouse/domestic partners, or individuals residing in the same household). Void in Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Sudan, Syria, Region of Crimea, Russia, and where otherwise prohibited by law.

If you are participating in your capacity as an employee, it is your sole responsibility to comply with your employer’s gift policies. Microsoft will not be party to any disputes or actions related to this matter.

PLEASE NOTE: If you are a public sector employee (government and education), all prize awards will be awarded directly to your public sector organization and subject to receipt of a gift letter signed by your agency/institution’s ethics officer, attorney, or designated executive/officer responsible for your organization’s gifts/ethics policy. Microsoft seeks to ensure that by offering items of value at no charge in promotional settings it does not create any violation of the letter or spirit of the entrant’s applicable gifts and ethics rules.

5. HOW TO ENTER

5.1 Phase 1: Submissions

To create an entry, prepare a five (5) page written proposal (a “Proposal”) that includes:

• A description of research covering at least one (1) of the following subjects:
  • Quantum error correction, including codes, decoders, fault-tolerant protocols, and circuit compilation, with an emphasis on topological qubits and measurement-based operation.
  • Quantum applications for chemistry and materials, including new algorithms, end-to-end resource estimation, and benchmark problems of scientific or industrial significance.
  • Quantum algorithms, including new primitives, speedups, lower bounds, and tools for early fault-tolerant and large-scale fault-tolerant regimes.
  • Quantum architecture, including compilation, scheduling, runtime and control software, fault-tolerant system design, and the interfaces between logical and physical layers of the stack.
• A statement of need describing the specific outstanding challenge that is addressed by the research activity, that is, what the award funding will be used for;
• The type and amount of collaboration needed or desired from Microsoft to perform the research activity;
• Desired outcome of the research activity with expected impact on the field;
• Facilities, materials, equipment, software, or other support available and/or needed to complete the proposed research; and
• A short CV of the Principal Investigators (PI), not to exceed one (1) – two (2) pages for each PI, should also be included in the proposal.

To submit an entry, send your written proposal by email to QPP@microsoft.com with “2026 Quantum Pioneers Program – Software Track” in the subject line during the Prize Period. For doing this, you will receive one (1) entry.

5.2 Phase 2: Proposers’ Day Event

During Phase 2, you must prepare a PowerPoint presentation describing your Proposal (each a “Presentation”), to be presented during the Proposers' Day Event. Your Presentation must:

• Describe the challenge your Proposal is addressing;
• Describe the anticipated impact that your Proposal will have on addressing this challenge; and 
• Be no longer than thirty (30) minutes.

The entry limit is one (1) per person. Any attempt by you to obtain more than the stated number of entries by using multiple/different accounts, identities, registrations, logins, or any other methods will void your entries and you may be disqualified. Use of any automated system to participate is prohibited.

We are not responsible for excess, lost, late, or incomplete entries. If disputed, entries will be deemed submitted by the “authorized account holder” of the email address. The “authorized account holder” is the natural person assigned to an email address by an internet or online service provider, or other organization responsible for assigning email addresses.

6. ELIGIBLE ENTRY

To be eligible, an entry must meet the following content/technical requirements:

• Your entry must be your own original work; and
• Your entry cannot have been selected as a winner in any other contest; and
• You must have obtained all consents, approvals, or licenses required for you to submit your entry; and
• To the extent that entry requires the submission of user-generated content such as software, photos, videos, music, artwork, essays, etc., entrants warrant that their entry is their original work, has not been copied from others without permission or apparent rights, and does not violate the privacy, intellectual property rights, or other rights of any other person or entity. You may include Microsoft trademarks, logos, and designs, for which Microsoft grants you a limited license to use for the sole purposes of submitting an entry into this Software Contest; and
• Your entry may NOT contain, as determined by us in our sole and absolute discretion, any content that is obscene or offensive, violent, defamatory, disparaging or illegal, or that promotes alcohol, illegal drugs, tobacco or a particular political agenda, or that communicates messages that may reflect negatively on the goodwill of Microsoft.

7. USE OF YOUR ENTRY

We are not claiming ownership rights to your entry. However, by submitting an entry, you grant us an irrevocable, royalty-free, worldwide right and license to use, review, assess, test and otherwise analyze your entry and all its content in connection with this Software Contest and use your entry in any media whatsoever now known or later invented for any non-commercial or commercial purpose, including, but not limited to, the marketing, sale or promotion of Microsoft products or services, without further permission from you. You will not receive any compensation or credit for use of your entry, other than what is described in these Official Rules.

By entering you acknowledge that we may have developed or commissioned materials similar or identical to your entry and you waive any claims resulting from any similarities to your entry. Further, you understand that we will not restrict work assignments of representatives who have had access to your entry, and you agree that use of information in our representatives’ unaided memories in the development or deployment of our products or services does not create liability for us under this agreement or copyright or trade secret law.

8. WINNER SELECTION AND NOTIFICATION

8.1 Phase 1: Submissions

Pending confirmation of eligibility, potential finalists (each a “Finalist”) will be selected by Microsoft, our designated agent, or a qualified judging panel from among all eligible entries received based on the following judging criteria (the “Judging Criteria”):

• 33% – Faculty Merit: Faculty is accomplished in research and community engagement.
• 33% – Research Merit: Faculty's proposed research is aligned with Microsoft Quantum interests, innovative, and likely to have a significant impact on the field.
• 33% – Proposal Quality: The research proposal is clear, focused, and well-organized, and it demonstrates the team's ability to successfully execute the research and achieve a significant impact.

Fourteen (14) potential Finalists will be selected within twenty-one (21) days following the end of Phase 1. In the event of a tie between any eligible entries, an additional judge will break the tie based on the judging criteria described above. The decisions of the judges are final and binding. If we do not receive enough entries meeting the entry requirements, we may, at our discretion, select fewer Finalists than the number of described above. If a selected Finalist cannot be contacted, is ineligible, fails to claim a prize or fails to return any Forms, the selected Finalist will forfeit their place and an alternate Finalist will be selected. If you are a potential Finalist and you are twenty-one (21) years of age or older but have not reached the age of majority in your place of legal residence, we may require your parent/legal guardian to sign all required forms on your behalf. Only three (3) alternate Finalists will be selected, after which unclaimed places will remain unfilled.

Potential Finalists will be notified via the contact information provided during entry no more than seven (7) days following the selection of Finalists. Finalists will be invited to attend the Proposers’ Day Event on August 14, 2026.

8.2 Phase 2: Proposers’ Day Event

During Phase 2 of this Software Contest, the Finalists must attend the Proposers' Day Event, either in person or virtually via Microsoft Teams, and present their Presentation to the judging panel during their allotted time. After completing their Presentation, each Finalist will have time to answer questions about their Proposal.

One (1) potential winner will be selected within twenty-one (21) days following the end of Phase 2 from among the Finalists by Microsoft, our designated agent, or a qualified judging panel from among all eligible entries received based on the Judging Criteria. Potential winners will be announced no more than seven (7) days following the Proposers' Day Event, and will be contacted via the contact information provided during entry with prize claim instructions, including submission deadlines. If a selected winner cannot be contacted, is ineligible, fails to claim a prize or fails to return any Forms, the selected winner will forfeit their prize and an alternate winner will be selected. If you are a potential winner and you are twenty-one (21) years of age or older but have not reached the age of majority in your place of legal residence, we may require your parent/legal guardian to sign all required forms on your behalf. Only three (3) alternate winners will be selected, after which unclaimed prizes will remain unawarded.

9. PRIZES

The following prizes will be awarded:

At least one (1)* Grand Prize. Each winner will receive:

A cash prize, to be awarded as a check to the winner’s educational institution (or to the winner, if the winner is not affiliated with any institution) for the purpose of pursuing the research described in the winner’s submission. Approximate Retail Value (ARV) $200,000.00 USD.

*Microsoft may decide, in its sole and absolute discretion, to award up to four (4) additional prizes in the Entry Period for any reason.

PLEASE NOTE: If you are a public sector employee (government and education), your prize will be awarded as a research grant directly to your public sector organization and subject to receipt of a gift letter signed by your agency/institution’s ethics officer, attorney, or designated executive/officer responsible for your organization’s gifts/ethics policy. The ARV of electronic prizes is subject to price fluctuations in the consumer marketplace based on, among other things, any gap in time between the date the ARV is estimated for purposes of these Official Rules and the date the prize is awarded or redeemed. We will determine the value of the prize to be the fair market value at the time of prize award.

The total Approximate Retail Value (ARV) of all prizes is between $200,000.00–$1,000,000.00 USD, depending on the number of additional prizes awarded.

We will only award one (1) prize per person during the Entry Period. No more than the stated number of prizes will be awarded. No substitution, transfer, or assignment of prize permitted, except that Microsoft reserves the right to substitute a prize of equal or greater value in the event the offered prize is unavailable. Prizes are awarded “AS IS” and WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, express or implied (including but not limited to, any implied warranty of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, or non-infringement); you assume the entire risk of quality and performance, and should the prizes prove defective, you assume the entire cost of all necessary servicing or repair.

Prizes will be sent no later than twenty-eight (28) days after winner selection. Prize winners may be required to complete and return prize claim and/or tax forms (“Forms”) within the deadline stated in the winner notification. Taxes on the prize, if any, are the sole responsibility of the winner, who is advised to seek independent counsel regarding the tax implications of accepting a prize. By accepting a prize, you agree that Microsoft may use your entry, name, image and hometown online and in print, or in any other media, in connection with this Software Contest without payment or compensation to you, except where prohibited by law.

10. ODDS

The odds of winning are based on the number of eligible entries received.

11. GENERAL CONDITIONS AND RELEASE OF LIABILITY

To the extent allowed by law, by entering you agree to release and hold harmless Microsoft and its respective parents, partners, subsidiaries, affiliates, employees, and agents from any and all liability or any injury, loss, or damage of any kind arising in connection with this Software Contest or any prize won.

All federal, state, and local laws and regulations apply. In the event of a dispute, the decisions of Microsoft are final and binding.

We reserve the right to cancel, change, or suspend this Software Contest for any reason without prior notice, including but not limited to, cheating, technology failure, catastrophe, war, or any other unforeseen or unexpected event that affects the integrity of this Software Contest, whether human or mechanical. If the integrity of the Software Contest cannot be restored, we may select winners from among all eligible entries received before we had to cancel, change or suspend the Software Contest.

If you attempt or we have strong reason to believe that you have compromised the integrity or the legitimate operation of this Software Contest by cheating, hacking, creating a bot or other automated program, or by committing fraud in any way, we may seek damages from you to the full extent of the law and you may be banned from participation in future Microsoft promotions.

12. GOVERNING LAW

This Software Contest will be governed by the laws of the State of Washington, and you consent to the exclusive jurisdiction and venue of the courts of the State of Washington for any disputes arising out of this Software Contest.

13. PRIVACY

Personal data you provide while entering this Software Contest will be used by Microsoft and/or its agents and prize fulfillers acting on Microsoft’s behalf only for the administration and operation of this Software Contest and in accordance with the Microsoft Privacy Statement (https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=521839).

14. WINNERS LIST

Send an email to QPP@microsoft.com with the subject line “Quantum Pioneers Program – Software Track Contest winners” within thirty (30) days of August 14, 2026 to receive a list of winners that received a prize worth $25.00 USD or more.

2026 Microsoft Quantum Pioneers Program –
Hardware Track

Contest Official Rules

1. SPONSOR

These Official Rules (“Rules”) govern the operation of the Microsoft Quantum Pioneers Program – Hardware Track Contest (“Hardware Contest”). Microsoft Corporation, One Microsoft Way, Redmond, WA, 98052, USA, is the Hardware Contest sponsor (“Sponsor”).

2. DEFINITIONS

In these Rules, "Microsoft", "we", "our", and "us" refer to Sponsor and "you" and "yourself" refers to a Hardware Contest participant, or the parent/legal guardian of any Hardware Contest entrant who has not reached the age of majority to contractually obligate themselves in their legal place of residence. By entering, you (your parent/legal guardian if you are not the age of majority in your legal place of residence) agree to be bound by these Rules.

3. ENTRY PERIOD

The Hardware Contest starts at 12:00 a.m. Pacific Time (“PT”) on June 10, 2026, and ends at 11:59 p.m. PT on July 17, 2026 (“Entry Period”).

4. ELIGIBILITY

This is a trade contest open only to faculty (assistant, associate, full professors, and equivalent research-track faculty) at a university or degree-granting research institution. Applicants may only serve as principal investigator (“PI”) or co-PI on one (1) proposal submitted to Microsoft as part of the Quantum Pioneers Program – Hardware Track each year. There can be a maximum of two (2) PIs per proposal. You must be twenty-one (21) years of age or older to be eligible. If you are twenty-one (21) years of age or older but have not reached the age of majority in your legal place of residence, then you must have consent of a parent/legal guardian to enter.

Employees and directors of Microsoft Corporation and its subsidiaries, affiliates, advertising agencies, and Hardware Contest Parties are not eligible, nor are persons involved in the execution or administration of this Hardware Contest, or the family members of each above (parents, children, siblings, spouse/domestic partners, or individuals residing in the same household). Void in Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Sudan, Syria, Region of Crimea, Russia, and where otherwise prohibited by law.

If you are participating in your capacity as an employee, it is your sole responsibility to comply with your employer’s gift policies. Microsoft will not be party to any disputes or actions related to this matter.

PLEASE NOTE: If you are a public sector employee (government and education), all prize awards will be awarded directly to your public sector organization and subject to receipt of a gift letter signed by your agency/institution’s ethics officer, attorney, or designated executive/officer responsible for your organization’s gifts/ethics policy. Microsoft seeks to ensure that by offering items of value at no charge in promotional settings it does not create any violation of the letter or spirit of the entrant’s applicable gifts and ethics rules.

5. HOW TO ENTER

To create an entry, prepare a five (5) page written proposal for research related to measurement-based quantum computing (a “Proposal”) that includes: 

• At least one (1) of the following subject matter areas:
  • Novel simulation approaches to topological qubit dynamics
  • Explorations of novel readout and control techniques and components
  • Quantum error correction and circuit compilation for measurement-based approaches
  • Early fault-tolerant and NISQ experiments for measurement-based approaches
  • Measurement-based methods for quantum characterization, verification, and validation (MB-QCVV)
• A statement of need describing the specific outstanding challenge that is addressed by the research activity, that is, what the award funding will be used for
• The type and amount of collaboration needed or desired from Microsoft to perform the research activity
• Desired outcome of the research activity with expected impact on the field
• Facilities, materials, equipment, or other support available and/or needed to complete the proposed research; and
• A short CV of the Principal Investigators (PI), not to exceed one (1) – two (2) pages for each PI, should also be included in the proposal.

To submit an entry, send your written proposal by email to QPP@microsoft.com with “2026 Quantum Pioneers Program – Hardware Track” in the subject line during the Prize Period. For doing this, you will receive one (1) entry.

6. ELIGIBLE ENTRY

To be eligible, an entry must meet the following content/technical requirements:

• Your entry must be your own original work; and
• Your entry cannot have been selected as a winner in any other contest; and
• You must have obtained all consents, approvals, or licenses required for you to submit your entry; and
• To the extent that entry requires the submission of user-generated content such as software, photos, videos, music, artwork, essays, etc., entrants warrant that their entry is their original work, has not been copied from others without permission or apparent rights, and does not violate the privacy, intellectual property rights, or other rights of any other person or entity. You may include Microsoft trademarks, logos, and designs, for which Microsoft grants you a limited license to use for the sole purposes of submitting an entry into this Hardware Contest; and
• Your entry may NOT contain, as determined by us in our sole and absolute discretion, any content that is obscene or offensive, violent, defamatory, disparaging or illegal, or that promotes alcohol, illegal drugs, tobacco or a particular political agenda, or that communicates messages that may reflect negatively on the goodwill of Microsoft.

7. USE OF YOUR ENTRY

We are not claiming ownership rights to your entry. However, by submitting an entry, you grant us an irrevocable, royalty-free, worldwide right and license to use, review, assess, test and otherwise analyze your entry and all its content in connection with this Hardware Contest and use your entry in any media whatsoever now known or later invented for any non-commercial or commercial purpose, including, but not limited to, the marketing, sale or promotion of Microsoft products or services, without further permission from you. You will not receive any compensation or credit for use of your entry, other than what is described in these Official Rules.

By entering you acknowledge that we may have developed or commissioned materials similar or identical to your entry and you waive any claims resulting from any similarities to your entry. Further, you understand that we will not restrict work assignments of representatives who have had access to your entry, and you agree that use of information in our representatives’ unaided memories in the development or deployment of our products or services does not create liability for us under this agreement or copyright or trade secret law.

8. WINNER SELECTION AND NOTIFICATION

Pending confirmation of eligibility, potential winners will be selected by Microsoft, our designated agent, or a qualified judging panel from among all eligible entries received based on the following judging criteria (the “Judging Criteria”):

• 33% – Faculty Merit: Faculty is accomplished in research and community engagement.
• 33% – Research Merit: Faculty's proposed research is aligned with Microsoft Quantum interests, innovative, and likely to have a significant impact on the field.
• 33% – Proposal Quality: The research proposal is clear, focused, and well-organized, and it demonstrates the team's ability to successfully execute the research and achieve a significant impact.

In the event of a tie between any eligible entries, an additional judge will break the tie based on the judging criteria described above. The decisions of the judges are final and binding. If we do not receive enough entries meeting the entry requirements, we may, at our discretion, select fewer winners than the number of described above. Potential winners will be announced no more than seven (7) days following the Entry Period, and will be contacted via the contact information provided during entry with prize claim instructions, including submission deadlines. If a selected winner cannot be contacted, is ineligible, fails to claim a prize or fails to return any Forms, the selected winner will forfeit their prize and an alternate winner will be selected. If you are a potential winner and you are twenty-one (21) years of age or older but have not reached the age of majority in your place of legal residence, we may require your parent/legal guardian to sign all required forms on your behalf. Only three (3) alternate winners will be selected, after which unclaimed prizes will remain unawarded.

9. PRIZES

The following prizes will be awarded:

At least one (1)* Grand Prize. Each winner will receive:

A cash prize, to be awarded as a check to the winner’s educational institution (or to the winner, if the winner is not affiliated with any institution) for the purpose of pursuing the research described in the winner’s submission. Approximate Retail Value (ARV) $200,000.00 USD.

*Microsoft may decide, in its sole and absolute discretion, to award up to four (4) additional prizes in the Entry Period for any reason.

PLEASE NOTE: If you are a public sector employee (government and education), your prize will be awarded as a research grant directly to your public sector organization and subject to receipt of a gift letter signed by your agency/institution’s ethics officer, attorney, or designated executive/officer responsible for your organization’s gifts/ethics policy. The ARV of electronic prizes is subject to price fluctuations in the consumer marketplace based on, among other things, any gap in time between the date the ARV is estimated for purposes of these Official Rules and the date the prize is awarded or redeemed. We will determine the value of the prize to be the fair market value at the time of prize award.

The total Approximate Retail Value (ARV) of all prizes is between $200,000.00–$1,000,000.00 USD, depending on the number of additional prizes awarded.

We will only award one (1) prize per person during the Entry Period. No more than the stated number of prizes will be awarded. No substitution, transfer, or assignment of prize permitted, except that Microsoft reserves the right to substitute a prize of equal or greater value in the event the offered prize is unavailable. Prizes are awarded “AS IS” and WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, express or implied (including but not limited to, any implied warranty of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, or non-infringement); you assume the entire risk of quality and performance, and should the prizes prove defective, you assume the entire cost of all necessary servicing or repair.

Prizes will be sent no later than twenty-eight (28) days after winner selection. Prize winners may be required to complete and return prize claim and/or tax forms (“Forms”) within the deadline stated in the winner notification. Taxes on the prize, if any, are the sole responsibility of the winner, who is advised to seek independent counsel regarding the tax implications of accepting a prize. By accepting a prize, you agree that Microsoft may use your entry, name, image and hometown online and in print, or in any other media, in connection with this Hardware Contest without payment or compensation to you, except where prohibited by law.

10. ODDS

The odds of winning are based on the number of eligible entries received.

11. GENERAL CONDITIONS AND RELEASE OF LIABILITY

To the extent allowed by law, by entering you agree to release and hold harmless Microsoft and its respective parents, partners, subsidiaries, affiliates, employees, and agents from any and all liability or any injury, loss, or damage of any kind arising in connection with this Hardware Contest or any prize won.

All federal, state, and local laws and regulations apply. In the event of a dispute, the decisions of Microsoft are final and binding.

We reserve the right to cancel, change, or suspend this Hardware Contest for any reason without prior notice, including but not limited to, cheating, technology failure, catastrophe, war, or any other unforeseen or unexpected event that affects the integrity of this Hardware Contest, whether human or mechanical. If the integrity of the Hardware Contest cannot be restored, we may select winners from among all eligible entries received before we had to cancel, change or suspend the Hardware Contest.

If you attempt or we have strong reason to believe that you have compromised the integrity or the legitimate operation of this Hardware Contest by cheating, hacking, creating a bot or other automated program, or by committing fraud in any way, we may seek damages from you to the full extent of the law and you may be banned from participation in future Microsoft promotions.

12. GOVERNING LAW

This Hardware Contest will be governed by the laws of the State of Washington, and you consent to the exclusive jurisdiction and venue of the courts of the State of Washington for any disputes arising out of this Hardware Contest.

13. PRIVACY

Personal data you provide while entering this Hardware Contest will be used by Microsoft and/or its agents and prize fulfillers acting on Microsoft’s behalf only for the administration and operation of this Hardware Contest and in accordance with the Microsoft Privacy Statement (https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=521839).

14. WINNERS LIST

Send an email to QPP@microsoft.com with the subject line “Quantum Pioneers Program – Software Track Contest winners” or “Quantum Pioneers Program – Hardware Track Contest winners” within thirty (30) days of August 14, 2026 to receive a list of winners that received a prize worth $25.00 USD or more.