The 2026 Frontiers of Innovation Conference in photos

The University of Toronto (U of T) Institute for Management & Innovation (IMI), in collaboration with the Centre for Quantum Information and Quantum Control (CQIQC), recently hosted the 2026 Frontiers of Innovation Conference.

Titled 'Quantum Computing: Fact, Fiction, and the Human Factor,' the conference set out to provide a clear and candid look at how the speed and capability of quantum computing are poised to influence how organizations compete and how people will live and work.

Through talks, a panel, and poster presentations, people from all academic and professional backgrounds learned about and discussed quantum science and technology, emerging applications and commercialization efforts.

The conference comes at a time when most industrialized nations, including Canada, are enhancing their quantum strategies, said CQIQC's Anna Dyring in her welcome remarks.

"I believe this is a pivotal moment in time for quantum," Dyring said. "Following 100 years of theoretical and experimental advancements as well as some applications, we are now seeing major breakthroughs, investments, and broad conversations in Canada and globally."

The following selection of conference photos highlights how Frontiers of Innovation 2026 fostered real-world discussion and exploration.

Conference co-chairs give welcome remarks to start the conference. Top photo: Kevin Yousie,
associate professor, Institute for Management & Innovation (IMI), University of Toronto Mississauga (UTM). Bottom photo: Anna Dyring,
quantum strategic initiative lead, CQIQC, U of T.

Daniel F. V. James, a professor in U of T's Department of Physics and CQIQC member, presents a thorough
yet accessible background look at quantum computing in the talk, 'An Introduction and Overview of Quantum Computing.'

Luke Govia, manager, quantum technologies at CMC Microsystems, provides a forward-looking update on the state of the
quantum computing industry as part of his talk, 'The Future of Quantum Computing.'

Panelists came from various parts of the quantum ecosystem including academia, industry and venture financing to discuss quantum computing's impact on society and citizens and the progress of quantum commercialization. From left to right: Albert Chen, partner, Two Small Fish Ventures; Isabelle Lacroix, vice-dean for development and international affairs and director, School of Applied Politics, Faculty of Arts and Humanities, University of Sherbrooke; Hemavathi Santhanam, solution architect (watsonx Data & AI), IBM Canada Lab; Daniel Nino, research engagement lead, Xanadu; and moderator Andrew Petersen, professor, Department of Mathematical and Computational Sciences, UTM.

A student poster session highlighted various technical and non-technical aspects of quantum computing. Pictured are the three winning posters. Top photo: Michael Silver presents, "Q-DICE: Quantum Distributed Interconnect Compiler and Emulator." Middle photo: Lucy Hao, Praveen Jayakumar and Shashank Mehendale present "Quantum Chemistry on a Quantum Computer." Bottom photo: Khai Tan Nguyen and Daniel Alejandro Gómez Bustos present, "Computational Investigation of FLPs Binding Energies via Quantum Simulations on Noisy Quantum Computers."

All photos by the Institute for Management & Innovation, UTM.