IonQ, SDT Expand Partnership Into Quantum Hardware Manufacturing
IonQ and South Korean quantum company SDT have forged a multi-year strategic partnership encompassing hardware, quantum memory, and regional manufacturing in South Korea. This agreement expands their previous cloud-software collaboration into physical system production and resale, strengthening IonQ’s commercial presence across the Asia-Pacific region. IonQ announced the deal on September 21, as detailed in its investor relations release.
Partnership details
Under the terms of the collaboration, IonQ will provide SDT with a Superion 256 quantum computer and IonQ’s silicon-vacancy quantum memory module. Meanwhile, the Superion 256 system will deploy with an undisclosed SDT customer in South Korea, where the two companies plan to establish a hybrid quantum-classical data center.
IonQ CEO Niccolo de Masi noted the growing global demand for the Superion 256, highlighting this deal as another instance of clients integrating IonQ computers with its networking and memory products. SDT, a Korea-based quantum technology and software company, was recognized as a World Economic Forum Technology Pioneer in 2026, according to a summary of the announcement on X. The agreement builds upon their initial cloud-based software integration to include hardware production, assembly, and a regional resale arrangement.
Manufacturing in Gumi and cancer research
SDT intends to establish a dedicated quantum manufacturing and system-integration facility in Gumi, South Korea. This site will handle the packaging and manufacturing of IonQ’s silicon-vacancy quantum memory, along with system assembly, integration, and commissioning. SDT CEO Jiwon Yune stated that the Gumi facility aims to serve as an operational hub for IonQ’s global supply chain and regional deployments.
Yune also mentioned a separate in-country cancer center project, where SDT and IonQ plan to develop hybrid quantum-classical infrastructure for medical and biomedical research. This collaboration enhances IonQ’s existing relationships in Korea, which include KISTI, SK Telecom, Hyundai Motor Company, Seoul National University, and Sungkyunkwan University.
This announcement coincides with a flurry of Asia-Pacific and cross-border quantum activity, such as the Chulalongkorn and Qunova MoU reported on the same day. Concurrently, software vendors continue to open their platforms, exemplified by Fujitsu’s OpenQARP open-source release.