Few would deny that 2025 was a momentous year for the quantum tech industry.
Whether you measure technological advancements, capital pouring into both established and startup companies, or the many worldwide events tied to UNESCO’s 2025 International Year of Quantum Science & Technology (IYQ), tremendous growth was obvious everywhere.
Our PR agency, HKA, has been the strategic PR partner of IYQ this past year. Many good things have come our way, as we met dynamic new people and communicated with media around the world about IYQ.
IYQ 2025 is actually ending this year, with the closing ceremony of IYQ 2025 this very week (Feb 10 and 11) on the African continent, in the city of Accra, capital of Ghana.
Reflecting on this past year, nothing was more rewarding than connecting with, and forming friendships, with the Africa Quantum Consortium (AQC). This organization took shape in 2025, gathering steam as the year progressed. Enthusiasm and excitement were the earmarks of every social media post and every informal virtual “happy hour” on Fridays. Their signature event, Pan-Africa: Hack the Horizon, was much more than just a hackathon, it was a call to action among quantum practitioners and enthusiasts across Africa and throughout the African diaspora.
Hack the Horizon broke new ground in several areas and we were glad to share this with media. It demonstrated resoundingly that quantum is not bound by geographic boundaries or languages. There were 39 countries represented, both mentees and mentors, with 26 countries coming from the African continent. Surprisingly, 27% of the participants were women, a much higher percentage than normally seen in deep tech events. IYQ2025 was inspirational in so many ways.
The AQC also produced a groundbreaking white paper, Africa’s Quantum Horizon, a treasure trove of facts and ambitious plans, “A Unified Strategy for Sovereign and Sustainable Development.” The paper, now available in English, soon will also be translated into French, Swahili and Arabic. It is a call to action.
The 51-page white paper includes this reflection: “A candid assessment of Africa’s quantum landscape reveals a dynamic but fragmented ecosystem characterized by pockets of excellence, a nascent but growing talent pipeline, significant infrastructural deficits and a patchwork of policy progress.” The median age in Africa is 19, lower than any other region of the world.
It’s time not only for a pan-Africa approach, but also for the global quantum ecosystem to recognize the opportunities and potential there. IYQ 2025 has invigorated this initiative, and we look forward to the certain growth that will follow.
It is fitting, then, for IYQ 2025 to end up in Ghana. While none of us from HKA are going to the event, we will be streaming from work or home this week, following the talks and festivities. You can, too, here is the link to the stream on YouTube.
The speakers, including local Ghana officials and many others journeying to Ghana from all over the world, will provide valuable content. But I admit I’m most interested to hear the plans to continue building on the solid foundation laid in 2025. I don’t think IYQ2025 will be viewed as one-and-done in the years ahead; instead, it will be viewed as the international springboard into a worldwide quantum future.
