SkyWater Technology, a semiconductor manufacturing company that works with clients across the sensors and IoT communities, is being acquired by IonQ, a vertically integrated, full-stack quantum technology firm, in a $1.8 billion deal.
Minnesota-based SkyWater has worked in the area of MEMS for sensors and switches and mixed signal ASICs for industrial IoT applications, as well as other sensors-relevant segments. At the same time, it has been positioning itself in recent years as a “quantum foundry” that serves quantum computing companies with a “technology-as-a-service” platform that provides integrated design, engineering, testing, and more to help them develop, test, and eventually produce quantum processing units (QPUs).
IonQ is not buying SkyWater just for its quantum capabilities, however. It said SkyWater will continue to support existing customers across a variety of markets and disciplines.
Specifically, College Park, Maryland-based IonQ pledged in its statement on the deal that SkyWater will “continue as a pure-play global semiconductor foundry and merchant supplier, providing new and existing customers with the same high-quality standards they have come to expect. SkyWater will also deliver essential technology building blocks to other companies that are focused on advancing artificial intelligence, quantum computing, electrification, IoT, health diagnostics, and more.”
In addition, IonQ sees SkyWater as a channel to supply its own quantum sensing and quantum networking technologies to other SkyWater customers, some of whom could be other quantum companies.
Neither IonQ nor SkyWater see any concerns developing around conflict of interest. As SkyWater CEO Thomas Sonderman explained on a conference call convened to announce the acquisition, “We have created the compartmentalization, the protocols, the IP protections that will allow our customers to continue to operate within our foundry model. This combination doesn't detract from that; it enhances it because now we will have an ability to drive the [semiconductor engineering] that this stage of quantum technology evolution requires… That capability of a highly functional foundry model is something that we're very proud of at SkyWater, and IP and IP protection is essential to a foundry business, and none of that will be jeopardized as we go forward.”
IonQ had already started down the road of developing its own quantum sensor technologies when it acquired quantum sensing company Vector Atomic last September. That acquisition brought with it a US Department of Defense contract and a boatload of patents related to quantum sensors, gravimeters, atomic clocks, and related technologies. IonQ also acquired a company called Capella Space last year that was behind the company’s announcement that it plans to build a space-based quantum network supporting numerous capabilities, including quantum sensing.
In addition, IonQ introduced a federal government business unit last year, and has its own growing share of US government contracts. Acquiring SkyWater will strengthen its case for more government work, according to IonQ Chairman and CEO Niccolo de Masi.
“We expect IonQ will be positioned as a central quantum computing, quantum networking, quantum security,and quantum sensing provider for the US government, our allies and partners,” de Masi said on a conference call arranged to explain the SkyWater acquisition.
“Over the last few years, we strategically added capabilities to our platform. Our acquisition of SkyWater gives IonQ true vertical integration across quantum computing, quantum networking, quantum security, and quantum sensing technologies for land, sea, air and space.”