Quantum computing is moving from theory into applied practice. The shift isn’t just about hardware capacity; it’s about whether teams can test models end-to-end in environments that reflect real data, real constraints, and real implementation pathways.
This year, the City of London Corporation and IBM ran a quantum computing hackathon to explore exactly that. NayaOne provided the secure environment where fifteen teams developed, refined, and executed their quantum workloads using IBM’s Qiskit SDK and NayaOne synthetic datasets, before running on IBM’s quantum hardware.
The aim was clear: make progress measurable.
Not just whitepapers.
Not just simulation.
But working prototypes, tested end-to-end.
A Framework for Practical Experimentation
The hackathon was not structured as a theoretical challenge. Participants needed to progress from simulation to execution on IBM’s quantum hardware, using Qiskit to design, refine, and test their models. This required an environment where teams could iterate safely, access representative data, collaborate, and produce results that could be reviewed and compared.
To support this, the teams worked in NayaOne’s secure sandbox environment. The platform provided controlled workspaces, access to synthetic datasets that reflect real financial workflows, and integrated tooling for running workloads using IBM’s Qiskit SDK. This allowed teams to move beyond conceptual modelling and test how their approaches performed under real-world constraints, without exposing sensitive data or relying on isolated research setups.
The result was not just working prototypes, but evidence. Teams could demonstrate performance, trace approaches, and identify where quantum methods created real advantage. This structure is essential for any emerging technology attempting to move from exploration to enterprise use.
Recognition of Practical Capability
The winning team, WarwiQC, demonstrated a solution that combined quantum modelling techniques with a clear pathway to operational applicability. Their work stood out because it showed how quantum methods could be introduced into existing analytical workflows rather than requiring systems to be redesigned around the technology. The judges noted that the approach was both technically credible and practically scalable, which is a key threshold for any emerging capability aiming for enterprise adoption.
This matters because success was not measured on novelty alone. The focus was on results that could be demonstrated, repeated, and developed further. That is the same standard that banks, insurers, and public-sector organisations apply when evaluating any new technology.
Why This Matters for Enterprise Innovation
Financial institutions, insurers, and public sector organisations face similar challenges when evaluating new technologies, whether quantum computing or GenAI. The barriers tend to look the same:
- Difficulty testing in realistic environments without access to production data
- Long validation cycles driven by risk controls and integration requirements
- Heavy reliance on vendor-led demonstrations that do not reflect actual conditions
- Limited repeatability, making it hard to compare solutions or justify investment
The hackathon showed a different approach. When experimentation happens in a controlled, realistic, and repeatable environment, progress becomes measurable. Teams learn faster. Stakeholders can review evidence. Decisions can be made with confidence.
This is the foundation of responsible adoption. Not hype, not isolated research, but measurable progress under real constraints.
What Happens Next
The prototypes developed in the hackathon are an early signal of what becomes possible when emerging capabilities are tested at pace in environments designed for safe experimentation. The same approach applies to model evaluation, payments testing, fraud signal analytics, digital identity, and other frontier areas where new techniques are advancing faster than validation frameworks.
If your organisation is exploring quantum computing, GenAI, or advanced analytical methods and needs a way to test them in realistic but secure conditions, we are happy to share how this environment was structured in partnership with City of London Corporation and IBM.
The goal is the same: support progress that can be demonstrated, repeated, and scaled.
Book a 30-minute sandbox walkthrough with a solutions architect.
