Introduction: Why Davos Matters to Quantum Teams

Signals from Davos — not just PR

When global economic and technology leaders put AI at the center of the agenda at Davos, this isn't just a PR cycle — it's a set of signals for procurement, standards, and funding roadmaps that trickle down to enterprise technology teams. Quantum computing professionals must translate those signals into practical steps: what partnerships to pursue, which pilots to prioritise, and how to position quantum as a credible hybrid partner to AI initiatives.

What quantum professionals should listen for

Pay attention to three things in sessions and hallway conversations: (1) explicit procurement timelines for AI infrastructure, (2) interoperability and standards talk that could constrain hardware choices, and (3) risk and regulation language that affects data governance models for hybrid quantum-classical systems. These threads often determine where early adopters will place pilots — and which vendors get shortlisted.

How this guide is structured

This definitive guide translates high-level conference discourse into developer-ready actions: pre-conference prep, in-conference tactics, demo design, follow-up playbooks, vendor evaluation criteria, and training recommendations. Throughout, you'll find links to focused resources that bridge events and quantum development practice — for example, our low-cost hardware design primer Building a Low-Cost ‘Quantum HAT’ Concept for hands-on prototyping and a marketing playbook tailored for quantum startups Quantum Startup Marketing in the Age of Gmail AI.

Section 1 — Pre-Event Strategy: Prepare to Convert Executive Noise into Technical Wins

Define your objectives with measurable outcomes

Before you book flights, write down two to three measurable objectives (e.g., identify two enterprise partners for a hybrid AI+quantum pilot, recruit three developers, or validate a procurement timeline with a target customer). Objectives should map to experiments you can start within 60–90 days after the event.

Create differentiated messaging for stakeholders

Executives at Davos think in outcomes and risk mitigation, whereas developers care about APIs and latency. Prepare three one-minute pitches: executive, technical, and partner. Make the executive pitch address business outcomes aligned with AI investments mentioned at Davos; use the technical pitch when speaking with engineering leads. If you run events or workshops, use curriculum patterns from our