Bipolaron formation in a two-dimensional lattice with harmonic confinement, representing a simplified model for a quantum dot, is investigated by means of quantum Monte Carlo simulations. This method treats all interactions exactly and takes into account quantum lattice fluctuations. Calculations of the bipolaron binding energy reveal that confinement opposes bipolaron formation for weak electron-phonon coupling, but abets a bound state at intermediate to strong coupling. Tuning the system from

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... weak to strong confinement gives rise to a small reduction of the minimum Frohlich coupling parameter for the existence of a bound state.