SkyWater Technology
American semiconductor manufacturer
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
SkyWater Technology, Inc. is an American semiconductor engineering and fabrication foundry, based in Bloomington, Minnesota.[2][3] It is the only US-owned pure-play silicon foundry.[4]
SkyWater building | |
| Company type | Public |
|---|---|
| Nasdaq: SKYT | |
| Industry | Semiconductor manufacturer |
| Founded | 2017 |
| Headquarters | Bloomington, Minnesota, U.S. |
Key people | Thomas Sonderman[1] |
| Products | Semiconductor Silicon chips Silicon wafer |
| Website | skywatertechnology.com |
History
The company was formed in 2017, when private equity firm Oxbow Industries acquired Cypress Foundry Solutions, a microelectronics fabricator that was previously a subsidiary of California-based Cypress Semiconductor Corp.[5][6]
In early 2021, SkyWater acquired an additional chip factory in Osceola, Florida,[7] repurposing the University of Central Florida NeoCity fabrication facility into a second fabrication site.[8] It expanded its facility and added 100 new jobs in 2021, partially due to funding from the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development.[9] Skywater Technology acquired Infineon Technologies 200mm semiconductor fab in Austin, Texas on June 30, 2025 adding approximately 1,000 employees to SkyWaters workforce. [10]
Initial public offering
SkyWater Technology filed an initial public offering with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission in March 2021.[11][12][13]
U.S. infrastructure investment
SkyWater has been cited as an example of the infrastructure the Biden administration is investing in. On April 12, 2021, President Joe Biden held up a silicon wafer created by SkyWater while saying chips represents a form of infrastructure.[14][15]
On July 20, 2022, Skywater announced plans to invest 1.8 billion dollars into a manufacturing facility in West Lafayette, Indiana, but the company has since backed out of those plans due to a shortage of funding. [16] The facility is within Purdue University's Discovery Park District.[17][18]
Acquisition
On January 26, 2026, quantum computing company IonQ agreed to buy Skywater for $1.8 billion.[19]
Technology
SkyWater produces semiconductor chips using 90-nanometer process technology on equipment designed to handle 200-millimeter wafers of silicon.[20][21] SkyWater works in the consumer, industrial, military & defense, and automotive industries.[22] SkyWater is a Department of Defense-accredited Trusted supplier, part of the DOD's efforts to secure a supply chain within the United States.[23][24]
SkyWater has collaborated with Efabless and Google to create the first open source chip manufacturing program.[25]
On August 21, 2021, SkyWater announced an expanded partnership with Rockley Photonics Holdings, focused on Rockley's health monitoring solution.[26]