Commerce Department Awarded $1 Billion to Anderon

The U.S. government grant aims to bolster domestic quantum chip manufacturing capacity through an IBM-backed foundry.

Updated on Oct. 8, 2026 in Quantum Computing

Isometric editorial illustration of a polished silicon wafer on a clean laboratory table, representing quantum manufacturing. — The U.S. Department of Commerce awarded a $1 billion grant to the Albany-based quantum foundry Anderon to bolster domestic chip manufacturing, with IBM providing a matching investment. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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On September 16, 2026, the U.S. Department of Commerce awarded $1 billion to Anderon, a quantum foundry based in Albany, New York. IBM is matching the federal investment with $1 billion in cash, intellectual property, assets, and personnel.

Why it matters

The industry requires stable, shared fabrication facilities to reduce production costs for quantum hardware designers. By standardizing manufacturing, the initiative seeks to accelerate the development of advanced quantum chips for commercial use.

Anderon utilizes production-scale 300-millimeter wafer lines to manage patterning, deposition, and oxidation. The facility provides standardized process design kits to guide hardware designers.

The players

Anderon

This quantum foundry is headquartered in Albany, New York, and focuses on manufacturing quantum chips.

IBM

This technology corporation established Anderon and is contributing $1 billion in assets and intellectual property to the project.

U.S. Department of Commerce

This federal agency oversees the distribution of government funds to support domestic manufacturing and research initiatives.

GlobalFoundries

This semiconductor manufacturer received $375 million in government funding alongside the award granted to Anderon.

The details

Established by IBM, the foundry provides automated manufacturing lines to support third-party hardware designers who previously lacked fabrication resources. IBM has maintained a significant presence in the field, deploying over 90 quantum systems since 2016.

2016: IBM began deploying its quantum systems.
2021: IBM transitioned its quantum research and development to the Albany line.
September 16, 2026: The Department of Commerce announced the $1 billion award.
End of 2026: Anderon expects to deliver wafers to external customers.

The Tech Race

This investment signals a shift toward centralized, large-scale fabrication that mirrors the historical consolidation seen in classical semiconductor manufacturing. It positions the United States to compete against international facilities by providing shared infrastructure for quantum hardware designers.

For developers and researchers in the quantum sector, this foundry offers a path to lower prototyping costs through shared design kits. The availability of these wafers may eventually accelerate the release of more powerful, efficient quantum-based computing products.

The takeaway

The move toward a centralized foundry model represents a maturing of the quantum hardware market. Designers who previously struggled with high fabrication costs may find a more accessible path to scaling their technology through these new manufacturing standards.