Quantum Universe EXPO

From March 3 to 5, 2026, we held a three-day workshop on gate-based quantum computing at the University of Helsinki in Finland.

When people hear "quantum computer," they often associate it with a long list of things that must be learned first: undergraduate-level physics and mathematics such as quantum mechanics and linear algebra, understanding the behavior of quantum gates and algorithms, and even programming for implementation. As a result, there is still a high barrier before learners feel able to casually apply quantum computing to problems around them.

In this workshop, we therefore designed a three-day program in which even participants with no prior knowledge of quantum science could work through the full process of identifying a problem, formulating it, implementing it, and solving it in relation to everyday issues or topics from their own fields.

Another defining feature of the workshop was its emphasis on acquiring understanding by actively working through problems rather than passively receiving explanations. In addition to interactive lectures built around slides and demonstrations, we incorporated many hands-on exercises in which participants thought, experimented, and refined their ideas throughout each session. This structure was intended to develop both conceptual understanding and practical skills at the same time.

More specifically, we focused on Grover's algorithm, one of the FTQC algorithms that is mathematically expected to offer a significant speedup over conventional algorithms for certain tasks. We set the goal of having participants devise their own social issues that could be reduced to the graph coloring problem solvable by Grover's algorithm, and then carry those ideas through formulation and solution. Along the way, we attempted to explain the necessary algorithmic concepts and the roles of quantum gates without using any mathematical formulas.

As one example of the formula-free materials we created, we introduced the part of the workshop that explains quantum circuits. A quantum circuit consists of multiple elements called quantum gates, each of which manipulates a quantum state. These operations are usually described as matrix actions in linear algebra, but in this workshop we avoided mathematics entirely. Instead, we represented quantum states using a visual method called circle notation.

More specifically, superposition states of 0 and 1 were drawn using circles and lines, allowing participants to see visually how the state changes as it passes through a quantum gate. By tracing qubit state transitions through these diagrams, participants were able to build an intuitive understanding of the quantum circuits corresponding to Grover's algorithm.

Holding this workshop in Finland also had important significance. Finland hosts a concentration of companies and research institutions related to quantum technologies, including IQM, which develops quantum computers, and this has created an ecosystem aimed at the practical deployment of quantum technology.

For this workshop, IQM supported us as a collaborator and also provided an opportunity for participants to use actual quantum hardware. On the first day, Juha Vartiainen, one of IQM's co-founders, joined us as a speaker and shared a message for participants who were thinking about practical use cases for quantum computers.

By holding the workshop in such an environment, we believe we not only gave participants a chance to feel closer to cutting-edge technology, but also offered local researchers and engineers one example of how education and outreach can help broaden the base of quantum technology. In that sense, this initiative was more than an educational event: it was also an attempt to contribute to both talent development and community expansion in the quantum field.

On the first day, we began with introductory questions such as "What kinds of things can quantum computers do?" and "How are they different from conventional computers?" We then gave foundational lectures on quantum computation, qubits, and quantum gates. In these lectures, we placed special emphasis on intuitive explanations using visual figures rather than mathematics.

We also held a hands-on session in which participants implemented what they had learned in the lectures themselves, helping them experience directly that these ideas were not only understandable but also something they could implement and use on their own.

On the second day, building on the foundations learned on day 1, we explained quantum algorithms with a focus on Grover's algorithm. This time, we focused on the graph coloring problem and used it to show participants how the algorithm can actually be applied to solve a concrete problem. Through the hands-on session, they also had a chance to experience running the algorithm for themselves.

Finally, participants split into groups and discussed problems they would like to solve using this quantum algorithm. They considered questions such as "What kinds of problems are quantum computers well suited for?" and "What is the benefit of solving this with a quantum computer rather than a classical one?" Through trial and error, they practiced the full workflow of problem posing, formulation, implementation, and solution.

On the final day, participants gave presentations on their outcomes. Each group presented the problem they had worked on using slides. Although the schedule was tight for just three days, participants came from a wide range of backgrounds, not only computer science, and each group presented an original problem and approach shaped by its own creativity.

Scenes from the final presentations by each group
The slide contents are obscured to protect copyright.

• I had not properly studied anything related to quantum computing before, so this workshop was really enlightening for me. It only lasted 3 days but I personally got a lot out of it and the organizers were professional and helpful. This experience was very interesting. Thank you very much.
• I really enjoyed this workshop. I could gather knowledge of quantum computing, and the workshop made it more approachable. I really liked that we could give presentations. The staff were all helpful and I enjoyed my time here! :3
• It was fun. I think it would have been nice to have one more day and maybe some more exercises. The presentations were challenging to do in a short time, but it was good practice. Thank you so much for organizing this workshop!

Suzuki

"Designing a workshop that uses no mathematics at all and requires almost no coding knowledge was extremely difficult, but we addressed that challenge through various ideas, such as developing a tool that allows graph problems to be defined interactively. In the end, even participants from outside STEM fields were able to come up with use cases for quantum computing on their own and carry them through to the final presentations. I feel we were able to create one workable model for workshops that can support the future integration of quantum technology with a wide range of disciplines."

Kimata

"This time, we organized the workshop around the challenging theme of discovering use cases for FTQC-oriented algorithms. By limiting idea generation to FTQC algorithms, we aimed to help participants imagine more concretely what could become possible in a future where FTQC is realized. At the same time, I think the workshop also gave them a practical understanding of the limits of what today's real quantum hardware and classical simulators can and cannot do, making it a fairly rare kind of experience. I hope this kind of initiative will continue to spread as one possible format for quantum computing workshops."

Hosokawa

"In a short amount of time, each group produced unique ideas and even thought about why those problems should be solved with quantum computing and how the problems could be developed further. I was happy to feel that the intention of the workshop had truly come across to the participants."

Urayama

"This workshop made quantum computers, which many people see as difficult and hard to approach, understandable in an intuitive way without using any mathematics, lowering the barrier for everyone. It was a kind of democratization of quantum computing. I feel a great sense of accomplishment and joy in having contributed to the further development of quantum education."

Onodera

"Many of the participants were bright and open-minded, and it was great to see them communicate smoothly not only with one another but also with the members of the organizing team."