Quantum Computing Hackathon at FreeYa Mind Campus, Iași, Romania
Part of the Qiskit Fall Fest 2025
Supported by IBM Quantum
Between October 24–26, 2025, FreeYa Mind Campus hosted the Quantum Computing Hackathon in Iași, Romania, as part of the Qiskit Fall Fest 2025, an international series of events supported by IBM Quantum.
Prior to the hackathon, on October 23rd, FreeYa Mind Campus organized a Qiskit Activation Workshop, facilitated by Marcel V. Pfaffhauser, IBM Quantum Community and Education Developer. The workshop served as an introduction to quantum programming and as a preparatory event for the hackathon.
Overview
The Qiskit Fall Fest brought together participants from across the country to explore the principles and practical applications of quantum computing. Over the course of three days, teams collaborated, coded, and developed innovative projects addressing real-world challenges using Qiskit, IBMʼs open-source quantum software development framework.
The event reflected the rapid evolution of the quantum industry, which is on track to achieve quantum advantage by 2026, and highlighted the importance of education and community engagement in shaping the next generation of quantum professionals.
Participants and Results Winners of the 2025 FreeYa Mind Campus Quantum Hackathon
The hackathon gathered talented students and young professionals who demonstrated creativity, teamwork, and innovation throughout the competition.
- Naomi Laura Badelita
- Carla Cotea
- Alexandru Picioroagă
- Constantin Ciobanu
- Vlad Ciripescu
- Ionuț-Cristian Toma
- Raluca Mocanu
- Cosmin Pandelea
- Șerban George Prepeliță
- Sebastian Florin Tănase
Acknowledgements
FreeYa Mind Campus extended its appreciation to Marcel V. Pfaffhauser for his on-site participation and support, and to Dr. Voica Rădescu, IBM Quantum Innovation Centers | EMEA and APAC Leader, for her guidance throughout the event.
Special thanks were also given to Simona Caraiman and the Faculty of Automatic Control and Computer Engineering, “Gheorghe Asachi” Technical University of Iași, for their essential logistical assistance.
Additional gratitude was expressed to the mentors and jury members whose expertise and mentorship were instrumental to the hackathonʼs success:
- Doru Chirica (@tranzy.ai)
- Assoc. Prof. Andreea-Valentina Arusoaie (Bucur)
- Ștefan Bălăucă
- Dragoș Lucian Isac
- Vasiliu Tudor
- Petru Tîrnovan
- Daniel Onișoru
- Tudor-Constantin Pricop
- Alexandru-Gabriel Tudorache
- Adrian Prodan
- Prof. Univ. Dr. Adrian Iftene
FreeYa Mind Campus also acknowledged the continued partnership with “Gheorghe Asachi” Technical University of Iași and “Alexandru Ioan Cuza” University of Iași, whose collaboration remains essential to advancing quantum education and research in Romania.
Conclusion
The 2025 edition of the FreeYa Mind Campus Quantum Computing Hackathon marked a significant milestone for Romaniaʼs emerging quantum ecosystem. The event demonstrated that quantum innovation in Romania is strong, vibrant, and accelerating, and reinforced FreeYa Mind Campusʼs long-term commitment to developing the next generation of quantum specialists through education, collaboration, and applied research.
