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As part of QCHack 2022, IBM Quantum is providing the following challenge for all hackathon participants. IBM Quantum strongly suggests approaching this project with a team. You and your team should open an issue on this page which contains info about who you are, what your project is, and most importantly a link to your GitHub page where you will be building or maintaining the code for your project.

In order for a project to be eligible for review, it must be submitted directly to QCHack on Sunday, April 10th before the deadline of 10am ET. If you do not submit your project to the organizers before the deadline, it is disqualified.

Click here to see the PDF of the IBM Quantum Challenge at QCHack 2022

Get Prepared

Check the prep document note for things to do before the hackathon.

IBM Quantum offers a variets of learning materials around Qiskit. First - check out the replay of Abby Mitchell's QCHack Qiskit tutorial here. Next, explore the Qiskit Textbook which has chapters on nearly every side of quantum computing. Finally, watch some videos on the Qiskit YouTube page.

All the proposed projects should make use of some part of Qiskit (including the backends). They can also extend Qiskit or analyze it in some way. See the full challenge document for details.

I'm already on a team

Great! We think teams of 3 to 5 people would be best suited for the IBM Challenge.

I don't have a team yet

That's ok! Make sure you post in the Discord channel letting others know which challenge you're interested in working on, and a little bit about yourself. Everyone signed up for QCHack shares the same drive as you do to build something awesome, so it'll be hard to go wrong. Some things that you may want to consider are time zones and interests of each team member. Aligning on those factors may leads to a more seamless experience.

I'd prefer to work on this alone

That's ok, but the IBM Challenge is definitely aimed at teams in terms of the amount of work expected within just 24 hours. It's very possible for someone to complete the challenge alone, but all final projects will be judged against each other regardless of team size.

My team is ready. Let's hack!

IBM Quantum will have a few team members around on Saturday morning and early afternoon to help answer questions or provide guidance, but then the rest is up to you. Some general tips for success:

  - Set small goals and continue to iterate
  - If something isn't working, don't waste too much time trying to fix it
  - Communicate constantly with your teammates 
  - Have fun
  - Seriously, have fun! 

If you find you still need help with aspects of Qiskit or project design in general, we recommend you explore the numerous YouTube resources or Qiskit documentation. IBM Quantum believes that Hackathons are meant to be challenging, educational events. We're expecting most participants will need to do some research or explore new tools in order to finish their project. If your team is still stuck, try joining the Qiskit Slack and asking there.

Remember, all projects must be submitted through QCHack. Check the Discord for full submission details. If you are submitting a Tier 2 project we also expect you to submit a presentation alongside. Your project presentation can either be a YouTube video (no longer than 5 minutes) or a powerpoint slideshow (no more than 12 slides). Our judges will be reviewing your projects next week, so make sure your presentation clearly outlines the project you built, your team members, and everything you're proud of.

This article has good advice that coaches and judges have been collecting during past Qiskit Hackathons. Remember, presentations are only needed for a Tier 2 submission.

There is a wide range of projects that can be built within the IBM Quantum challenge. It's important to note that our judges prioritize QUALITY of the project over quantity of modifications your team added. A well-built project with clever design and unique implementation would be scored better than a project that rushed to include every possible extra feature.