IonQ announced plans to acquire SkyWater Technology in a $1.8 billion cash-and-stock transaction, positioning itself as the first vertically integrated, full-stack quantum platform company with embedded access to a U.S.-based trusted semiconductor foundry. The deal, unveiled January 26, 2026, gives IonQ domestic control over design, fabrication, packaging, and advanced manufacturing as it accelerates toward fault-tolerant quantum computing.
IonQ said the combination will pull forward functional testing of its 200,000-qubit quantum processing units to 2028, enabling more than 8,000 logical qubits, and could accelerate development of a 2-million-qubit chip by up to a year. SkyWater will continue operating as a pure-play semiconductor foundry and merchant supplier, while also serving as a Regional Quantum Production Hub supporting government, aerospace, and commercial customers.
The transaction strengthens IonQ’s federal posture through secure, end-to-end U.S. manufacturing aligned with DMEA Category 1 Trusted Foundry accreditation. Following close, SkyWater will operate as a wholly owned subsidiary under CEO Thomas Sonderman, continuing to deliver advanced wafer services, packaging, and specialty technologies including atomic clocks and quantum interconnects.
- Acquisition price: $35.00 per SkyWater share, implying ~$1.8 billion equity value
- Consideration: $15.00 cash + $20.00 in IonQ stock (subject to collar)
- Ownership post-close: SkyWater shareholders to own ~4.4%–6.7% of combined company
- Expected close: Q2–Q3 2026, pending approvals
- Strategic focus: vertically integrated quantum computing, networking, sensing, and security platforms
“This transformational acquisition enables IonQ to materially accelerate its quantum computing roadmap and secure its fully scalable supply chain domestically,” said Niccolò de Masi, Chairman and CEO of IonQ. “By uniting our quantum platform with SkyWater’s manufacturing capabilities, we are positioned to deliver fault-tolerant quantum systems for mission-critical government and commercial applications.”
- SkyWater Technology is a U.S.-based semiconductor foundry headquartered in Bloomington, Minnesota, focused on manufacturing and co-development of advanced, secure, and specialized integrated circuits. The company operates a 200 mm wafer fab acquired from Cypress Semiconductor in 2017 and positions itself as a “trusted technology realization partner” for government, defense, and commercial customers. SkyWater’s core capabilities span mature-node CMOS, RF, mixed-signal, MEMS, and advanced packaging, complemented by a technology-as-a-service model that integrates design enablement, process development, and low- to mid-volume production. The company is led by CEO Thomas Sonderman, a semiconductor industry veteran with prior leadership roles at GlobalFoundries and Micron. SkyWater went public on Nasdaq in 2021 (ticker: SKYT) and has since expanded its role in U.S. onshore manufacturing, including participation in government-backed trusted foundry programs and partnerships with commercial technology developers. Key milestones include achieving Department of Defense trusted supplier status, launching co-development programs for next-generation nodes on 200 mm platforms, and securing federal support aligned with U.S. semiconductor supply-chain resilience initiatives.
| Acquisition | Date & Transaction Value | Strategic Capabilities & Impact |
|---|---|---|
| Qubitekk | Announced Nov 2024 Closed Jan 2025 Value undisclosed | Added U.S.-based quantum networking capabilities focused on entanglement generation, distribution, and testing. Strengthened IonQ’s position in government-funded quantum networking programs and provided foundational infrastructure for terrestrial and space-linked quantum networks. |
| ID Quantique (IDQ) | May 2025 Controlling / super-majority stake Value undisclosed | Added quantum-safe cryptography, quantum random number generation, photon detection, and sensing technologies, along with an extensive global patent portfolio. Expanded IonQ’s capabilities into quantum security and commercial QKD deployments for telecom, government, and critical infrastructure markets. |
| Lightsynq Technologies | June 2025 Completed Value undisclosed | Added photonic interconnects, quantum memory, and optical control technologies. Enhanced IonQ’s ability to link distributed quantum processors and networking nodes, supporting scalable, modular quantum systems. |
| Oxford Ionics | June 2025 ~$1.1B (primarily stock) | Added advanced trapped-ion hardware designs, high-speed electronic control, and cryogenic integration expertise. Accelerated IonQ’s fault-tolerant quantum computing roadmap and expanded its European R&D footprint. |
| Capella Space | July 2025 ~$311M (stock) | Added satellite platforms, space-qualified payloads, and orbital operations expertise. Enabled development of space-based quantum key distribution (QKD) and secure quantum networking architectures spanning land, sea, air, and space. |
| Vector Atomic | Announced Sep 2025 Completed Oct 2025 Value undisclosed | Added quantum sensors for positioning, navigation, and timing (PNT), including atom-based inertial sensing. Expanded IonQ’s portfolio into quantum sensing for defense, aerospace, and GPS-denied environments. |
| Skyloom Global | Announced 2025 Definitive agreement (as of late 2025) | Added high-performance optical communications for space and ground links. Strengthened the physical-layer foundation for quantum networking, sensing, and secure optical interconnects across satellite and terrestrial systems. |
| SkyWater Technology | Jan 26, 2026 ~$1.8B (cash & stock) | Added U.S.-based semiconductor fabrication, advanced packaging, and DMEA Category 1 Trusted Foundry accreditation. Completed IonQ’s vertical integration across quantum design, fabrication, packaging, and deployment, securing a domestic supply chain for mission-critical systems. |
