IQM Quantum Computers and Finders Seekers make Finnish employer branding history with three awards in London
Our Employer Branding Team: Karelle, Petra & Vivi in London, with the IQM Talent & Brand Team.
HELSINKI, FINLAND — 29 September 2026
The recognition comes as the global race to develop quantum computing accelerates. But building the technology requires something equally difficult to secure: the people capable of building it.
The awards place the Finnish collaboration alongside employer-brand work from major international organisations recognised across the 2026 programme, including Netflix, Sony Music, Rolls-Royce and BCG.
For IQM, competing globally for physicists, engineers, software specialists and other highly specialised professionals, talent has become part of the scaling challenge.
Together with Finders Seekers, IQM has approached that challenge by building an employer brand that connects the promise made to talent with recruitment, leadership, learning and the employee experience.
At the Employer Brand Management Awards 2026, the work received:
Gold — Best Communication of the Employer Brand to the External Audience
Gold — Best Employer Brand Management from the Engineering and Manufacturing Sector
Silver — Best Alignment of the Employer Value Proposition with Corporate Brand Values
“Deep tech companies are competing for people who are already highly sought after globally and who can interrogate an employer’s claims very quickly,” says Karelle Bélanger, Senior Employer Branding Strategist and Partner at Finders Seekers.
“You have to show people what they can actually build, learn and influence and make sure the organisation can deliver on that promise once they arrive.”
"Give quantum a heartbeat
IQM builds superconducting quantum computers, requiring expertise across physics, engineering, fabrication and software.
Its corporate story had naturally been dominated by the technology. The employer branding challenge was to make the people behind it equally visible without losing the technical credibility that matters in deep tech.
The result was Give quantum a heartbeat, an employer proposition connecting IQM’s technology and mission with the people turning quantum computing into working systems.
The Employer Brand Management Awards judges described the work as a “masterclass in deep tech talent attraction” and praised Give quantum a heartbeat for making highly complex technology feel human without losing technical credibility.
Talent is part of the scaling equation
For Finders Seekers, the work points to a wider challenge for Europe’s deep tech sector.
“Europe talks a lot about investment, research infrastructure and technological sovereignty in deep tech. But none of those ambitions happen without people,” Bélanger says.
“The ability to attract, develop and lead the people capable of building the technology is part of the ability to scale the technology itself.”
“Deep tech doesn't need another generic employer-branding playbook,” Bélanger says. “The science is different, the talent markets are different, and often the company is scaling while the entire industry around it is still being created.”
If Europe wants to build world-leading deep tech companies, we also need to become world-class at attracting and developing the people who will build them.
About IQM Quantum Computers
IQM Quantum Computers builds superconducting quantum computers and provides on-premises full-stack quantum systems and cloud access to quantum computing. Headquartered in Finland, IQM operates internationally across major quantum markets.
IQM’s mission is to build world-leading quantum computers for the well-being of humankind.
About Finders Seekers
Finders Seekers is a Finnish talent partner specialising in technology and deep tech organisations, connecting employer brand, talent acquisition and people strategy with business growth.
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Sofia Pohls
Founder
Finders Seekers
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sofia@findersseekers.io