Quantum Computing Technologies Highlight CMC Microsystems’ Plan to Accelerate High Tech Manufacturing in Canada

MONTREAL--(BUSINESS WIRE)--CMC Microsystems (CMC) has brought together 14 project founders from industry, academia and non-profit technology research organizations to support a five year, $700 M program to accelerate high tech manufacturing in Canada.

Called FABrIC, Fabrication of Integrated Components for the Internet’s Edge, the program expects to attract $480 M in industrial R&D. The proposal also details $100M generated as revenues or provided by provinces or matching funding and used during the project. This proposal has been submitted to the Government of Canada’s Strategic Innovation Fund, (SIF) administered by Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (ISED) for a $120 M investment.

Program funds will complement the R&D programs at over 100 small, medium and large Canadian companies and accelerate their commercialization of products. Some 4,000 new high-tech jobs will result.

FABrIC is key to take quantum computing technology to market

Canada has become a global hub for quantum innovation, and it is crucial that we continue to grow the Canadian quantum ecosystem if we are to be leaders in the emerging marketplace. FABrIC will ensure a prosperous future in the quantum space by supporting prototyping and manufacturing for Canadian quantum firms including Xanadu, 1Qbit, SB Quantum, Photonic, and D-Wave, and others.

Under the program, CMC will build and assemble quantum devices in Canada with the help of partners and quantum institutes at Université de Sherbrooke, University of British Columbia, and University of Waterloo. This will provide manufacturing capacity to start-ups and scale-ups which would otherwise be out of reach.

Game-changing technology

Applications such as artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning (ML) require intensive computing operations. Combined with massive amounts of data they produce, these applications test the limits of classical computers. Quantum computers, however, can solve problems with a complexity that exceeds the computing capacity of conventional supercomputers, opening new possibilities for applications across different fields including AI and ML, biochemistry, finance, and cybersecurity.

About FABrIC

FABrIC targets niche technologies where Canada has proven research, development, and manufacturing strengths.

The initiative will build a first-of-its-kind national network to create critically needed semiconductor manufacturing capability in Canada. It will complement the extremely high volume, commodity semiconductor chip (“foundry”) business. This model entails extremely high start-up costs and exists in only a few parts of the world. CMC and partners will enhance manufacturing technologies for the globally important subsectors of:

• microelectromechanical systems (MEMS)
• integrated photonics
• specialty semiconductors and quantum devices.

As the global pandemic has made clear, Canada would benefit tremendously from greater domestic production capacity for crucial components used in healthcare, biomedical devices, telecommunications, and the Internet of Things (IoT).

For more information visit https://www.cmc.ca/fabric/

About CMC Microsystems:

CMC Microsystems works with researchers and industry across Canada’s National Design Network® (CNDN). We provide access to world-class platforms for Computer Aided Design (CAD), prototyping and manufacturing services (FAB), training and support (LAB) for researchers, entrepreneurs, and industry. Our services are geared for microsystems, nanotechnologies, photonics, and support innovative sectors of the next-generation economy. CMC reduces barriers by offering simplified access to the right tools to create tomorrow’s technologies. Our network is made up of over 10,000 entrepreneurs and researchers at 60 post-secondary institutions across CNDN.

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