$1 Billion CHIPS Award Backs IBM’s Quantum Foundry Build
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A combined investment of 1 billion from the U.S. Department of Commerce and IBM will establish Anderon, America’s first pure-play quantum foundry, to accelerate domestic innovation in a rapidly evolving field. The new company, headquartered in Albany, New York, will focus exclusively on the advanced manufacturing of 300-millimeter quantum wafers, a critical step toward securing U.S. leadership in quantum technology and potentially capturing a share of the estimated 850 billion quantum market. Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick said that the CHIPS Research and Development investments in quantum computing will support this effort. IBM’s Arvind Krishna added that the initiative will fuel America’s fast-growing quantum technology industry by leveraging the company’s decades of experience in quantum computing and wafer fabrication. 1 Billion CHIPS Award Fuels Anderon Quantum Foundry Creation The establishment of Anderon, a new quantum chip foundry, signifies a substantial commitment to domestic quantum technology manufacturing, backed by a combined investment of 2 billion. This initiative, funded by a proposed 1 billion in CHIPS incentives from the U.S. Department of Commerce and 1 billion from IBM, will establish America’s first pure-play quantum foundry, concentrating exclusively on the complex process of quantum wafer production for a diverse range of companies. Central to Anderon’s manufacturing approach is the utilization of 300-millimeter quantum wafers, a larger format intended to increase production efficiency and potentially lower costs compared to smaller wafer sizes currently in use. Bill Frauenhofer, Executive Director of Semiconductor Investment and Innovation, highlighted the broad implications of quantum computing, noting its significance for national defense, advanced materials and biopharmaceutical discovery, financial modeling, and energy systems. Anderon’s initial focus will be on superconducting qubit wafers and supporting electronics, with plans to expand into other quantum modalities, establishing a national ecosystem for quantum wafer manufacturing and ensuring a secure, U.S.-based supply chain. IBM and DoC Partnership Secures U.S.
Quantum Leadership Competition in quantum computing is rapidly intensifying, with existing players like Google, IonQ, and Rigetti already fielding increasingly powerful processors; however, a critical gap remains in domestic manufacturing capacity for the specialized components underpinning these systems. To address this, IBM and the U.S. Department of Commerce are collaborating to establish Anderon, a new company poised to become America’s first dedicated quantum foundry. This venture is about creating a self-sufficient supply chain for advanced quantum wafers, a foundational element currently reliant on overseas sources. The financial commitment is substantial, totaling 2 billion with 1 billion in proposed CHIPS incentives from the Department of Commerce and 1 billion from IBM, alongside significant intellectual property and a skilled workforce, to provide U.S.-based supply for hardware vendors. The Department of Commerce’s incentives strengthen and accelerate U.S. quantum leadership and technological resilience. Bill Frauenhofer, Executive Director of Semiconductor Investment and Innovation Anderon’s 300-Millimeter Wafer Fabrication Capabilities IBM’s commitment to advancing quantum computing extends to the physical infrastructure required for its development; the company, in collaboration with the U.S. Department of Commerce, is establishing Anderon, a new entity focused on 300-millimeter quantum wafer fabrication. This specialized foundry will not simply add to existing capacity, but rather represent a dedicated approach to quantum wafer production, a critical step toward securing domestic control over a vital technology. The scale of production is signaled by the choice of 300-millimeter wafers, a size indicating a move toward higher volumes and more advanced manufacturing techniques compared to smaller formats. “With CHIPS Research and Development investments in quantum computing,” Howard Lutnick said, “the Secretary of Commerce is leading the world into a new era of American innovation.” He continued that these strategic quantum technology investments will build on the domestic industry, creating thousands of high-paying American jobs while advancing American quantum capabilities. Anderon’s processes are designed for rapid iteration and scalability, incorporating dedicated process design kits, in-line wafer testing, and established baseline routes, and the foundry aims to serve as an anchor for a national ecosystem, ensuring both IBM and other quantum hardware vendors have a secure, U.S.-based supply of wafers. With today’s CHIPS Research and Development investments in quantum computing, the Trump administration is leading the world into a new era of American innovation. Quantum Computing’s Potential for Economic and National Impact The establishment of Anderon, America’s first dedicated quantum foundry, signals a decisive shift toward realizing the substantial economic benefits anticipated from quantum computing; projections suggest this emerging industry could generate up to 850 billion in economic value. The U.S. Department of Commerce and IBM’s combined investment totals 2 billion, with 1 billion from the DoC and $1 billion from IBM. This isn’t simply about technological advancement, but about securing domestic manufacturing capabilities for a technology poised to reshape multiple sectors. Unlike existing facilities that may also produce quantum wafers, Anderon will exclusively focus on this specialized manufacturing, concentrating on 300-millimeter wafers, a size indicative of advanced production techniques and the potential for increased output. This focus on wafer fabrication is critical because it addresses a key vulnerability in the quantum supply chain; currently, much of the specialized hardware relies on overseas manufacturing. IBM intends to leverage its decades of experience in silicon wafer fabrication to ensure a secure, U.S.-based supply of quantum wafers for a diverse range of hardware vendors. IBM has pioneered quantum computing for decades. Our work in silicon wafer fabrication has been a key to IBM’s success and will be critical to enable a broader quantum technology landscape that will reshape global innovation and economic competitiveness. Arvind Krishna, Chairman and CEO of IBM Source: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/ibm-and-us-department-of-commerce-announce-americas-first-purpose-built-quantum-foundry-supported-by-proposed-1-billion-chips-award-302778864.html Stay current. See today’s quantum computing news on Quantum Zeitgeist for the latest breakthroughs in qubits, hardware, algorithms, and industry deals. Tags: