IBM Spins Off First Pure-Play Quantum Chip Foundry — Anderon

Anderon — First Quantum Chip Foundry

IBM and the U.S. Department of Commerce signed a Letter of Intent to establish Anderon — America's first pure-play quantum chip foundry. This landmark $2 billion investment under the CHIPS Act represents a historic shift in quantum computing, moving it from laboratory experiments to industrial-scale production. Anderon will operate as an independent, standalone entity focused exclusively on quantum chip manufacturing — the first facility of its kind in the world.

The plant will be built in Albany, New York, leveraging existing semiconductor infrastructure in the region. IBM CEO Arvind Krishna compared this moment to where AI chips were a decade ago: "By the mid-2030s, this business will generate billions of dollars a year in sales with high profit margins." The creation of Anderon is part of a broader global race for technological supremacy, where quantum computing is increasingly viewed as a strategic asset. This move positions the United States at the forefront of quantum chip manufacturing, directly competing with China's substantial investments in quantum research and development.

$2 Billion Under the CHIPS Act

The $2 billion investment is one of the most significant projects funded under the CHIPS and Science Act. The funding structure includes $1 billion from the U.S. government and $1 billion from IBM, plus intellectual property contributions and workforce development initiatives. The CHIPS Act, signed into law in 2022, aims to revitalize American semiconductor manufacturing and reduce dependence on foreign supply chains.

This investment is particularly strategic because quantum computing is increasingly viewed as a matter of national security. The world's leading nations — the United States, China, the European Union — are racing to achieve quantum supremacy. By establishing Anderon, IBM gives America a critical advantage in quantum chip production. The $2 billion is expected to catalyze additional private sector investments, creating a robust quantum ecosystem in the Albany region. The facility will create thousands of high-skilled jobs in semiconductor manufacturing, quantum engineering, and related fields, contributing to the broader revitalization of American manufacturing.

300mm Superconducting Silicon

One of the most important technical aspects of the Anderon facility is its focus on 300mm superconducting silicon wafer production. This leverages the same manufacturing scale that the modern semiconductor industry uses, but adapted for superconducting materials essential for quantum computing. 300mm wafers translate to more chips per wafer, lower cost per unit, and higher manufacturing yield.

Superconducting silicon is critical for quantum computing because quantum bits (qubits) require extremely low temperatures to operate — typically near absolute zero. Manufacturing 300mm superconducting wafers at industrial scale significantly improves qubit coherence and reduces error rates, which are among the biggest challenges in quantum computing. IBM's approach builds on years of research into superconducting materials and semiconductor fabrication processes. The ability to produce 300mm superconducting wafers means quantum chip manufacturing now operates at the same industrial scale as conventional processor production, dramatically reducing costs and improving availability. This technological breakthrough addresses one of the fundamental bottlenecks that has prevented quantum computing from achieving widespread adoption.

Industrialization of Quantum Computing

The creation of Anderon marks the beginning of a new era: the industrialization of quantum computing. Previously, quantum chips were produced in small batches in research laboratories, limiting their accessibility and application. With 300mm superconducting wafer production moving to industrial scale, quantum computing is poised to enter the mass market.

This transformation will impact numerous industries: pharmaceuticals and drug discovery, where quantum simulations can model molecular interactions with unprecedented accuracy; finance, where quantum algorithms can optimize portfolios and detect fraud more effectively; logistics, where quantum computing can optimize complex routing problems; materials science, enabling the discovery of new materials with desired properties; and artificial intelligence, where quantum machine learning could unlock new capabilities. According to IBM's CEO, by the mid-2030s the quantum chip market will reach billions of dollars annually. Anderon represents the first concrete step toward that future — an industrial-scale quantum chip foundry that will make quantum computing accessible, practical, and commercially viable for businesses around the world.