SkyWater Technology, Inc. (SKYT) is an American semiconductor company, which specializes in the development and manufacture of integrated circuits in various markets including automotive, medical, defense, aerospace, industrial, and consumer electronics. The company, headquartered in Bloomington, Minnesota, is recognized as the world's first pure-play Technology Foundry, offering a broad array of versatile capabilities to develop and provide innovative solutions for a diverse marketplace.
The company's primary focus is serving customers who seek expert, value-added services, such as technology product startups and major corporations alike. As a Technology Foundry, SkyWater offers highly flexible, co-creation manufacturer services which enable innovative companies to achieve rapid product development from concept to commercialization.
SkyWater Technology's journey began in 1991 and made significant strides in the tech industry over the next decades. It was initially part of Cypress Semiconductor before being purchased by Oxbow Industries in 2017, and became a public company in April 2021 with its initial public offering (IPO).
Today, SkyWater operates three manufacturing facilities, two are based in Minnesota and one in Florida. These facilities provide a manufacturing scale for its customers developing components in areas such as microcontrollers, silicon photonics, superconducting and quantum computing, advanced image sensors, and power devices.
In 2020, as part of a heightened effort towards the U.S. government’s Trusted and Assured Microelectronics strategy to address supply chain security risks, SkyWater was designated as the only Department of Defense-accredited “Trusted” supplier for process design kits and related services at 90nm through 130nm process technologies.
The company is also recognized for its commitment towards advancing chip technology. In collaboration with the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), it works on developing new ways of building electronics, photonics, and sensors on the same silicon chip.
SkyWater, now with more than 500 employees, is increasingly engaged in a technology roadmap to further expand its capabilities to serve the growing needs of innovative technologies, making it a promising driver in the semiconductor industry. The company underscores its vision of growing together with its partners and customers, providing a unique platform for open innovation in technology realization.