ML4Q Career & Technology Day 2026
are glad to announce
ML4Q Career & Technology Day 2026
This event brings together early-career researchers, ML4Q alumni, and representatives from the quantum technologies industry to connect, exchange ideas, and explore new opportunities. This year’s event is hosted by ML4Q, EIN Quantum NRW, Gateway Exzellenz Start-up Centre (University of Cologne) and enaCom Transfer Centre (University of Bonn).
In the morning session, Alumni Career Talks will give students and postdocs the opportunity to explore diverse career paths in quantum technologies and learn how to prepare for opportunities beyond academia. In the afternoon, we will focus on the unique challenges faced by quantum technology companies of all sizes – from startups to established players. Confirmed participants include representatives from IBM, Arque Systems, and duotec. The discussion will offer practical insights into overcoming these challenges while fostering collaboration across the ecosystem. Young scientists will gain valuable perspectives on how their research can translate into impactful solutions within this rapidly evolving industry. More information about the program can be found below.
Date and time: February 27, 10:00 to 16:00, Lecture Hall at Pohligstr 3, 50969 Cologne (access via Höninger Weg 100).
Target audience: This event is aimed at students, early career researchers and senior scientist interested in knowledge & technology transfer.
To attend the event, please register using the form below by February 18. If you have any questions please drop a line to the ML4Q Office.
Program
Morning session – Career options & getting ready for next steps
10:05 – 10:35 From academia to industry and back Pascal Cerfontaine (Professor for Artificial Intelligence Engineering, TH Köln)
10:35 – 11:05 Research outside academia Sascha Heußen (Researcher at neQxt)
11:05 – 11:30 Coffee break
11:30 – 12:00 Being a system engineer in the field of autonomous driving systems Kathrin Dorn (System Engineer at Aptiv)
12:00 – 12:30 Preparing for career outside academia – personal lessons & practical advice Daniel Stadler (EIN Quantum NRW)
12:30 – 14:00 Lunch & Networking
Afternoon session – Challenges in Quantum Technologies Industry – how can scientists contribute to finding solutions?
14:00 – 14:50 IBM Quantum for Academia: Opportunities, Challenges, and Use Cases Büsra Kösoglu-Kind (IBM Senior Quantum Ambassador & IT-Architect)
15:00 – 16:00 Panel Discussion: What are the challenges that scientists could help with ?
Panelists:
Büsra Kösoglu-Kind (IBM)
David Groß (University of Cologne, ML4Q)
Representative of Arque Systems
Representative of duotec
Daniel Stadler (EIN Quantum NRW) – moderation