GlobalFoundries to Receive $375M to Build Quantum Manufacturing

GlobalFoundries is receiving $375 million in a letter of intent from the U.S. Department of Commerce to expand its Quantum Technology Solutions business, a move designed to scale domestic manufacturing for quantum computing. Building on more than a decade of collaboration with the U.S. Government in semiconductor technologies, GlobalFoundries has developed the industrial layer of cryogenic CMOS, advanced packaging, and materials science, positioning the company to manufacture the entire quantum hardware solution, from quantum processor units to interconnects. “With the CHIPS Research and Development investments in quantum computing, the U.S. Department of Commerce is leading a new era of American innovation,” said Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick. This effort reflects the national-security importance of a domestic quantum manufacturing base and marks GlobalFoundries’ entry into high-performance computing.

GlobalFoundries Launches Quantum Technology Solutions

GlobalFoundries has entered the quantum computing arena with the launch of Quantum Technology Solutions, a dedicated business unit focused on scaling domestic manufacturing capabilities for the emerging field. This move broadens the company’s role beyond traditional semiconductor fabrication, positioning it to produce the complete quantum hardware stack, from quantum processor units (QPUs) to the specialized control and readout integrated circuits and interconnects necessary for functional quantum systems. The U.S. Department of Commerce intends to award $375 million, reflecting the national-security importance of a domestic quantum manufacturing base. The company asserts it has built the industrial layer of the capabilities required for full-scale quantum hardware production, rather than simply adding quantum components to an existing line. Quantum hardware is moving from lab-scale to industrial scale, and that transition can only happen inside an advanced semiconductor manufacturing environment.

This transition is crucial because the past decade of high-performance computing focused on CPUs and GPUs, while the next generation will center on realizing practical quantum computation. The company’s approach is manufacturing-led, intending to utilize its U.S. fabrication facilities to support the foundational needs of the quantum industry. GlobalFoundries’ FDX platform delivers the cryogenic CMOS that will be central to producing the sensing, control, and readout functions required for quantum systems. The company is developing manufacturing platforms capable of building QPUs across diverse qubit modalities, including superconducting, trapped ion, photonic, topological, and spin, along with the advanced interconnects to integrate these components. This broad scope distinguishes GlobalFoundries from many competitors focused solely on specific quantum components. Support from key players in the quantum ecosystem is already evident.

Diraq’s Andrew Dzurak stated, “Diraq’s work with GlobalFoundries on FDX has been central to advancing our cryogenic CMOS and silicon spin qubit technologies on an established manufacturing node.” Similarly, Equal1’s Jason Lynch emphasized that a dedicated quantum foundry at GlobalFoundries will accelerate the development and deployment of their quantum systems. The U.S. Department of Commerce will also take a strategic equity investment in GF, representing approximately one percent ownership, enabling the American public to share in GF’s growth.

$375M Investment & U.S. Department of Commerce Partnership

GlobalFoundries’ recent launch of Quantum Technology Solutions signals a significant escalation in the drive to establish domestic quantum manufacturing capabilities, building upon a foundation of existing expertise in specialized semiconductor production. The company isn’t simply entering the quantum space; it’s positioning itself to manufacture the entire quantum hardware stack, a distinction from many current players focused on individual components like qubits. This comprehensive approach encompasses quantum processing units (QPUs), the crucial cryogenic read-out and control integrated circuits, and the advanced packaging required to integrate these elements into functional quantum systems. This ambition is supported by a decade-long history of collaboration with the U.S. Central to this expansion is a $375 million letter of intent from the U.S. Department of Commerce to accelerate the build-out of Quantum Technology Solutions, reflecting the national-security importance of a domestic quantum manufacturing base. In a separate agreement, the U.S. Department of Commerce will receive a strategic equity investment in GF, representing approximately one percent ownership, enabling the American public to share in GF’s growth. The scope of this undertaking extends beyond internal development, with GlobalFoundries actively engaging with a broad ecosystem of quantum innovators. Partners like Diraq, Equal1, Google Quantum AI, Microsoft Quantum, NVIDIA, PsiQuantum, and Quantinuum are already collaborating with the company, leveraging its manufacturing capabilities to accelerate their respective quantum programs. Quantum hardware is moving from lab-scale to industrial scale, and that transition can only happen inside an advanced semiconductor manufacturing environment.

FDX Platform Enables Cryogenic CMOS for Quantum Systems

GlobalFoundries is positioning itself as a central manufacturing hub for the growing quantum computing industry. With more than a decade of partnership with the U.S. Government in critical semiconductor technologies, GlobalFoundries differs from competitors concentrating on isolated parts of the quantum system. The foundation of this strategy is the company’s cryogenic CMOS technology, a crucial element for sensing, control, and readout functions within quantum systems. The company’s FDX platform delivers the cryogenic CMOS that provides the sensing, control and readout functions required for quantum systems. The U.S. Department of Commerce intends to award GlobalFoundries $375 million, accelerating the build-out of its Quantum Technology Solutions business.

Manufacturing QPUs Across Multiple Qubit Modalities

The escalating race to build practical quantum computers is increasingly focused on the industrial challenges of manufacturing, not just qubit innovation. With more than a decade of partnership with the U.S. Government in critical semiconductor technologies, and sustained investment in cryogenic CMOS, advanced packaging and materials science, GF has built the industrial layer that quantum companies, the U.S. Government and allied innovators can build on. These capabilities mark GF’s entry into high-performance computing. While the past decade of high-performance computing has been defined by advanced-node CPUs, GPUs and AI ASICs, the next generation will be focused on enabling real-world quantum computing, and GF will manufacture the complete quantum hardware solution from quantum processor units (QPUs) to the cryogenic read-out and control ICs that operate them and the advanced packaging and superconducting interconnects that bind them into systems.

The effort is anchored by quantum companies already engaged with GF’s manufacturing and by the U.S. Department of Commerce, a longstanding partner of GF across critical semiconductor technologies. The Department of Commerce and GF have entered into a letter of intent to award GF $375M to accelerate the build-out of Quantum Technology Solutions, reflecting the national-security importance of a domestic quantum manufacturing base. In a separate agreement, the U.S. Department of Commerce will receive a strategic equity investment in GF, representing approximately one percent ownership, enabling the American public to share in GF’s growth. “With the CHIPS Research and Development investments in quantum computing, the U.S. is leading a new era of American innovation,” said Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick. “These strategic quantum technology investments will build on our domestic industry, creating thousands of high-paying American jobs while advancing American quantum capabilities.” “GF’s role as a semiconductor manufacturing engine is accelerating America’s technology leadership. Deepening our partnership with the United States Government will support a coordinated national push to expand domestic manufacturing, build supply-chain resilience and ensure that technologies such as next-generation quantum systems are developed and manufactured in the U.S.,” said Tim Breen, CEO of GlobalFoundries.

A manufacturing-led approach to quantum scale-up will allow Quantum Technology Solutions to leverage GF’s trusted U.S. manufacturing capabilities, with flexibility across its U.S. footprint, to support the foundational capabilities the quantum industry needs to scale. GF’s proven FDX platform delivers the cryogenic CMOS that provides the sensing, control and readout functions required for quantum systems. Building on that base, GF is developing the manufacturing platforms to build QPUs across multiple qubit modalities, including superconducting, trapped ion, photonic, topological and spin, along with the cryogenic and superconducting heterogeneous interconnect platform that integrates these components into utility-scale quantum systems. “Quantum hardware is moving from lab-scale to industrial scale, and that transition can only happen inside an advanced semiconductor manufacturing environment,” said Gregg Bartlett, chief technology officer of GF. “The cryogenic CMOS, advanced packaging and 3D heterogeneous interconnect needed for utility-scale quantum computing are exactly what we make every day. Just as CPUs and GPUs underpin classical compute, GF is building the QPU, bringing these capabilities to the leaders across leading qubit modalities and positioning GF as the partner of choice for utility-scale quantum computing.” Supporting a broad ecosystem of customers and partners, “Diraq’s work with GlobalFoundries on FDX has been central to advancing our cryogenic CMOS and silicon spin qubit technologies on an established manufacturing node. As GlobalFoundries invests in a U.S. quantum foundry, we see a clear path to expand that collaboration, accelerate the development of high-performance silicon-based quantum processors and scale within a secure domestic ecosystem,” said Andrew Dzurak, Founder and CEO at Diraq. “Equal1’s partnership with GlobalFoundries, and in particular our use of its FDX technology for cryogenic CMOS and spin qubit architectures, demonstrates how quantum and classical functions can be engineered together on an industrial semiconductor platform. A dedicated quantum foundry at GF will give us the manufacturing capabilities to advance our roadmap and bring our next wave of quantum systems closer to real-world deployment,” said Jason Lynch, CEO, Equal1. “Quantum computing promises to unlock solutions to otherwise impossible problems, and progress will depend on a strong manufacturing base in the United States. GlobalFoundries’ investment marks an important step to strengthen the U.S.-based manufacturing foundation for the quantum ecosystem,” said Charina Chou, COO, Google Quantum AI. “Microsoft is pleased to see GlobalFoundries investing in the quantum infrastructure the industry needs to scale, and in particular its support for topological qubits.”

Industry Partnerships Drive Quantum Hardware Scale-Up

While much discussion around quantum computing focuses on algorithmic breakthroughs and qubit stability, the critical challenge of scaling manufacturing often remains obscured. GF’s approach distinguishes itself by aiming to manufacture the entire solution, a broader scope than many current initiatives. This ambitious undertaking is bolstered by a significant financial commitment from the U.S. Department of Commerce, formalized in a letter of intent to award $375 million to accelerate the build-out of Quantum Technology Solutions. This figure reflects the national-security importance of a domestic quantum manufacturing base. The investment builds upon “more than a decade of partnership with the U.S. Government and customers across critical semiconductor technologies,” demonstrating a pre-existing, deeply rooted relationship that provides a solid foundation for this new venture. The company’s strategy centers on a manufacturing-led approach, utilizing its U.S. fabrication facilities and FDX platform to deliver the specialized cryogenic CMOS needed for quantum systems.

Quantum hardware is moving from lab-scale to industrial scale, and that transition can only happen inside an advanced semiconductor manufacturing environment,” said Gregg Bartlett, chief technology officer of GF. “Establishing a dedicated U.S. semiconductor partner is key to delivering utility-scale quantum computing.”