[photo credit: Eventbrite]
Quantum Day Pasadena, scheduled from 2:00 to 6:00 p.m. at the Hameetman Auditorium in Caltech’s Cahill Center, falls on World Quantum Day — an annual international observance held on April 14 because the date mirrors 4.14, the rounded first three digits of the Planck constant, a fundamental value in quantum physics. The event is part of Innovate Pasadena’s Connect Week spring series.
The afternoon is built around networking, presentations, and demonstrations by local quantum startups rather than a traditional lecture format, according to the Eventbrite event listing. Doors open at 1:30 p.m.
Nardo Manaloto, managing partner of Qubits Ventures, will open the program. Doug Finke, publisher and managing editor of the Quantum Computing Report — a market analysis site he founded in 2015 — will follow with a presentation titled “The Quantum Leap: Basics for Innovators,” described on Eventbrite as a high-level, accessible overview of quantum and deep tech. A session called “Building a Quantum Ecosystem,” featuring Lin Yi and Manaloto, rounds out the early agenda.
Qubits Ventures, founded in 2021, invests in early-stage quantum computing, artificial intelligence, and next-generation computing infrastructure startups globally, according to the firm’s website. Manaloto is a computer scientist with more than two decades of experience in applied artificial intelligence and emerging technologies, according to Inside Quantum Technology.
Caltech’s IQIM, a National Science Foundation Physics Frontiers Center, is sponsoring the venue. The institute traces its origins to 2000, when Caltech founded its Institute for Quantum Information, which expanded and was renamed in 2011. In 2023, the NSF awarded IQIM $13.8 million to fund six more years of operations, according to a Caltech announcement.
World Quantum Day was launched in 2021 by an international group of scientists to promote public understanding of quantum science. The 2022 observance drew more than 200 events across 40 countries, according to a Wikipedia entry citing the initiative’s organizers.
Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP is sponsoring snacks and a happy hour. TriNet is supporting incidentals. HKA Marketing Communications, which describes itself as the first public relations agency dedicated to the global quantum industry, is providing PR support, according to the event listing.
The event falls during Connect Week, April 12–16, a series organized by the City of Pasadena Economic Development Division and Innovate Pasadena that highlights the city’s role in deep tech, life sciences, climate innovation, and quantum computing, according to a city press release.
“From students and startups to established companies and world-class research institutions, this week showcases the community that makes Pasadena a unique innovation hub,” Mike Giardello, chairman of Innovate Pasadena, said in the press release.
Connect Week also includes a Monday pitch competition featuring students from Pasadena City College, Caltech, and ArtCenter College of Design; a Tuesday discussion on the climate cost of artificial intelligence; a Wednesday biotech crawl; and a Thursday tech happy hour, according to the city’s announcement.
Quantum Day Pasadena is open to all ages. Parking is paid. Registration is available through the event’s Eventbrite page. Disability accommodations can be requested through the organizer at least 10 working days before the event.
“These events highlight the collaboration and talent that make Pasadena a hub for meaningful innovation,” David Klug, the city’s economic development director, said in the press release.
CONNECT WEEK 2026: WORLD QUANTUM DAY Date & Time: Tuesday, April 14, 2026, 2:00–6:00 p.m. Venue/Sponsor Address: 1216 East California Boulevard, Pasadena, CA 91125 Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman (Caltech Hameetman Auditorium at the Cahill Center). Venue/Sponsor Website: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/quantum-day-pasadena-tickets-1983915168675
