D-Wave Quantum (NYSE: QBTS) has announced a multiyear agreement with SkyWater Technology, a foundry company owned by IonQ (NYSE: IONQ), to leverage its specialized fabrication services.
The partnership deepens an existing relationship between D-Wave and SkyWater, signaling a broader push by D-Wave to secure reliable, long-term manufacturing capabilities for its quantum hardware.
SkyWater Technology operates as a U.S.-based semiconductor foundry, offering advanced fabrication services that are particularly relevant to the demanding production requirements of quantum computing systems.
IonQ’s ownership of SkyWater adds a notable dimension to the deal, effectively linking two of the quantum computing industry’s most prominent publicly traded companies through a commercial manufacturing arrangement.
For D-Wave, securing a multiyear foundry agreement provides a degree of supply chain stability that is increasingly critical as quantum hardware development accelerates and competition intensifies across the sector.
The agreement reflects a growing trend among quantum computing firms to vertically integrate or form deep strategic partnerships with specialized manufacturers rather than relying on general-purpose semiconductor supply chains.
D-Wave has long differentiated itself in the quantum space through its annealing-based approach, and consistent access to advanced fabrication services is essential to sustaining that hardware development roadmap.
SkyWater’s foundry capabilities are well-suited to the precise and highly controlled manufacturing processes required to produce the superconducting chips at the core of D-Wave’s quantum systems.
Shares of D-Wave Quantum fell 2.62% on the day of the announcement, while IonQ shares dropped 4.25%, reflecting broader market caution despite the strategic significance of the deal.
The multiyear nature of the contract suggests both parties are committed to a sustained collaboration, positioning SkyWater as a key infrastructure partner in D-Wave’s ongoing efforts to scale its quantum computing platform.
