Anderon finalizes CHIPS award of up to $1 billion for U.S. quantum foundry

The U.S. Department of Commerce on September 16 finalized a CHIPS and Science Act research and development award of up to $1 billion for Anderon, a newly formed IBM subsidiary. The agreement provides federal backing for the Albany, New York-based company’s work on a quantum-wafer foundry.

The final award moves the funding beyond the proposal outlined in a May 21 letter of intent. In its federal announcement, Commerce described the agreement as an award of up to $1 billion; IBM’s announcement called it a finalized $1 billion award. Neither release disclosed the precise amount ultimately payable or the conditions governing disbursement.

IBM says Anderon operates a 300-millimeter pure-play quantum wafer foundry, giving customers across the quantum ecosystem access to manufacturing. According to the company, the facility can produce wafers for superconducting qubit arrays, quantum input/output signaling and readout signal-chain components, with plans to support other quantum technologies.

The foundry adds a manufacturing component to IBM’s wider quantum work, which includes a Swiss quantum innovation hub with Lockheed Martin. That separate project centers on access to IBM quantum systems, while Anderon focuses on wafer fabrication.

IBM also said it is investing an additional $1 billion in Anderon. The May announcement described IBM’s contribution as $1 billion in cash alongside intellectual property, assets and skilled workers.

Anderon CEO Mukesh Khare said the federal agreement strengthens the company’s ability to provide the manufacturing scale the quantum industry needs. Anderon also says its first quantum wafers are moving through the facility, an operating milestone that was not independently documented in the opened federal release.

The final-award releases did not specify payment timing, performance milestones, disbursement mechanics, clawback provisions or any federal equity, governance or ownership terms.