GlobalFoundries Finalizes $375M CHIPS Award for Quantum R&D
GlobalFoundries has finalized an agreement with the U.S. Department of Commerce’s CHIPS Research and Development Office for a $375 million award. This five-year award, confirmed by the company’s investor relations office, ties to GlobalFoundries’ Quantum Technology Solutions business. Its disbursement will base on specific milestones, aiming to boost domestic quantum semiconductor R&D and manufacturing capabilities. This marks a significant development as it channels public funds into quantum-capable manufacturing at a commercial foundry.
Details of the $375M Award
This is a definitive agreement, which makes GlobalFoundries eligible for up to $375 million over five years. Payments are contingent upon achieving undisclosed milestones. GlobalFoundries states the funding will accelerate its Quantum Technology Solutions unit and enhance access to advanced manufacturing. This will enable quantum computing companies to transition from prototyping to commercial-scale production.
Technologically, GlobalFoundries’ quantum roadmap focuses on cryogenic CMOS, advanced packaging, and heterogeneous integration. The company also disclosed a separate $300 million letter of intent with the same CHIPS office for silicon photonics R&D.
Nicholas Sergeant, who leads Quantum Technology Solutions at GlobalFoundries, described the agreement as “another important milestone,” and noted increased customer and partner engagement since the unit’s launch. The government’s perspective on this is based on GlobalFoundries’ characterization.
Quantum Foundry Demand Landscape
Other companies are also working to secure their own manufacturing capabilities and silicon control. IonQ, for example, completed its acquisition of foundry SkyWater in mid-2026, providing the quantum platform company with its own fabrication line. This move was announced alongside record second-quarter revenue growth. Meanwhile, error-correction provider Riverlane validated its QEC Interface on Altera Agilex 7 FPGAs, leveraging commercial silicon rather than custom components.
Software adoption is also expanding, with Fujitsu open-sourcing its OpenQARP quantum application package. This varied demand underscores the significance of a foundry commitment. Regarding the GlobalFoundries award, the next indicators to watch will be which milestones trigger the first disbursement and how much of the funding the company allocates to quantum-specific work.