SkyWater Florida

SkyWater Florida Achieves DMEA Category 1A Trusted Supplier Accreditation

By Rocket55 |

KISSIMMEE, Fla. – May 14, 2024 – SkyWater Technology (NASDAQ: SKYT), the trusted technology realization partner, today announced that its advanced packaging operation in Florida has been accredited as a Category 1A Trusted Supplier by the Defense Microelectronics Activity (DMEA) of the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD). This prestigious designation furthers SkyWater’s dedication to delivering trusted and secure microelectronics manufacturing for critical defense applications. The facility SkyWater owns and operates in Minnesota originally achieved DMEA Category 1A Trusted status in 2010 and was re-accredited when SkyWater was founded in 2017.

DMEA Category 1A Trusted Supplier accreditation represents the highest level of trust and reliability in semiconductor manufacturing and demonstrates SkyWater’s unwavering commitment to meeting stringent security standards for the nation’s defense-related applications. Trust is established through rigorous evaluations of the integrity of both the personnel and procedures they employ in the design, fabrication and distribution of critical national security components. With this accreditation, 100% of SkyWater’s operations are Trusted, which underscores the company’s prominent position in the aerospace and defense industry and is part of its strategy to continue building a domestic semiconductor ecosystem.

“SkyWater’s standing as a Trusted Supplier is not only essential for those customers who require it; our security posture benefits other government and commercial customers as well,” said SkyWater CEO Thomas Sonderman. “With very little advanced packaging taking place in the U.S., this poses national security and economic risks. By reshoring this critical step, we can assure the integrity, quality and confidentiality of the design and manufacturing of microelectronics systems that are vital to our national defense.”

In January, SkyWater Florida announced the kick-off of a significant new DOD effort to expand domestic fan-out wafer level packaging capabilities. This initiative, facilitated by a five-year DOD contract valued up to $190 million, was awarded to Osceola County and SkyWater to fund the facilitization, tooling and build-out of the Florida facility. Achieving Trust accreditation currently goes beyond the program’s development requirements and further demonstrates SkyWater’s commitment to best serving the needs of the DOD.

Dr. Nicholas Martin, DMEA Director, said: “The accreditation of SkyWater’s Florida site extends our partnership, reinforcing and bolstering our domestic microelectronics manufacturing capacity. The Trusted Supplier accreditation remains a cornerstone in semiconductor assurance, guaranteeing the DOD assured access to a variety of securely manufactured chips essential in fortifying our defense systems. This new facility accreditation expands the Trusted domestic supplier base for DOD programs requiring access to secure packaging.”

About SkyWater Technology
SkyWater (NASDAQ: SKYT) is a U.S.-based semiconductor manufacturer and a DMEA-accredited Category 1A Trusted Foundry. SkyWater’s Technology as a Service model streamlines the path to production for customers with development services, volume production and heterogeneous integration solutions in its world-class U.S. facilities. This pioneering model enables innovators to co-create the next wave of technology with diverse categories including mixed-signal CMOS, ROICs, rad-hard ICs, power management, MEMS, superconducting ICs, photonics, carbon nanotubes and interposers. SkyWater serves growing markets including aerospace & defense, automotive, biomedical, cloud & computing, consumer, industrial and IoT. For more information, visit www.skywatertechnology.com/.

SkyWater Technology Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains “forward-looking” statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including statements that are based on the Company’s current expectations or forecasts of future events, rather than past events and outcomes, and such statements are not guarantees of future performance. Forward-looking statements are subject to risks, uncertainties and assumptions, which may cause the Company’s actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Key factors that could cause the Company’s actual results to be different than expected or anticipated include, but are not limited to, factors discussed in the “Risk Factors” section of its annual report on Form 10-K and quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, and in other documents that the Company files with the SEC, which are available at http://www.sec.gov. The Company assumes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this press release.

SkyWater Company Contact: Tara Luther | 952.851.5023 | tara.luther@skywatertechnology.com
SkyWater Media Contact: Lauri Julian | 949.280.5602 | lauri.julian@skywatertechnology.com

SkyWater Florida and Deca Technologies Announce $120M DOD Award to Expand Advanced Packaging Capabilities in Osceola County, Florida

By Rocket55 |

SkyWater is the first domestic provider of Deca’s M-Series™ fan-out and Adaptive Patterning® technologies to support the reshoring of the semiconductor supply chain

KISSIMMEE, Fla. – January 10, 2024 – SkyWater Technology (NASDAQ: SKYT), the trusted technology realization partner, and  Deca Technologies (Deca), a leading provider of advanced electronic interconnect technology, today announced the kick-off of a significant new Department of Defense (DOD) effort to expand domestic fan-out wafer level packaging (FOWLP) capabilities for both government and commercial customers. These capabilities will be made possible through the five-year DOD contract recently awarded to Osceola County and SkyWater Florida, which is expected to fund the facilitization, tooling and build-out of the Center for Neovation. With an expected value of $120 million over five years, the award includes options for an additional $70 million, for a total value of up to $190 million. SkyWater is the first domestic licensee of Deca’s M-Series and Adaptive Patterning solutions to support the reshoring of the semiconductor supply chain.

The first generation of Deca’s M-Series FOWLP is broadly adopted across multiple device technology nodes in leading smartphones. Deca’s Gen 2 M-Series delivers a powerful new heterogenous integration solution for designers and manufacturers by streamlining the design and assembly processes and providing additional flexibility for multi-chip architectures with sub 20µm pitch. The Gen 2 M-series provides advantages to many markets such as artificial intelligence, high-performance computing and other advanced applications, giving system architects limitless potential through reticle-free maskless digital lithography and the flexibility of a molded interposer layer.

Through SkyWater’s collaboration with Deca, embedded devices including active and passive bridge die, integrated passives and a powerful technology roadmap are planned. SkyWater will implement Deca’s Adaptive Patterning, the industry’s only real-time design-during-manufacturing capability, allowing designers to scale to unprecedented device interface density with wider process windows for robust manufacturability.

The award is part of the DOD’s Office of the Secretary of Defense (OSD’s) Re-shore Ecosystem for Secure Heterogeneous Advanced Packaged Electronics (RESHAPE) efforts, and directly supports the Biden-Harris Administration’s initiatives to strengthen America’s supply chains. This initiative is significant as less than 3% of semiconductor advanced packaging manufacturing takes place in the U.S., posing national security and economic risks for domestic businesses as chips go overseas for this critical step.

In response to the vital need for reshoring, Osceola County and SkyWater plan to stand up advanced packaging capabilities and capacity for low-volume/high-mix production of secure 2.5 and 3D Advanced System Integration and Packaging (ASIP) solutions. To onshore these advanced packaging capabilities, SkyWater will be acquiring, installing, and qualifying new equipment at its Florida facility that can support FOWLP processing of incoming 200mm and 300mm device wafer formats. This dual-wafer size equipment capability provides the flexibility to support a vast array of customers and applications.

Statements about the RESHAPE Program Award:

Matt Walsh, Office of the Secretary of Defense IBAS advanced packaging chief engineer said, “We are very excited about supporting domestic advanced packaging solutions by enabling SkyWater and Deca to establish developmental and volume manufacturing FOWLP technology for commercial and government customers’ applications with technical capability that equals that of foreign providers.”

SkyWater CEO Thomas Sonderman commented, “This agreement with the county enables SkyWater Florida to execute all aspects of the initial DOD award of up to $120 million and stand up our fan-out wafer level packaging capabilities by utilizing Deca’s industry leading technology. Our partnership with the county continues to fortify their efforts to build a thriving community in Central Florida designed for advancing the next generation of technologies here in the U.S.”

AMD’s Corporate Vice President, Advanced Packaging Raja Swaminathan said, “As a leader in chiplet design and advanced packaging, AMD recognizes the importance of creating a geographically diverse advanced packaging supply chain.  We applaud the DOD’s work to expand SkyWater’s manufacturing capabilities in Central Florida and establish a U.S.-based fan-out manufacturing option using Deca’s technology.”

Deca’s Founder and CEO Tim Olson stated, “We’re excited to collaborate with SkyWater on this groundbreaking opportunity to establish an industry leading domestic advanced packaging foundry supporting a secure U.S. microelectronics ecosystem as well as providing commercial customers with a compelling new supply chain option.”

According to Osceola County Manager Don Fisher, “This award builds on all the hard work the county and our partners have invested in NeoCity. Our continued collaboration with SkyWater will help drive our progress in developing a vibrant ecosystem to advance the next generation of technologies that will shape our future and provide more high quality job opportunities in Florida.”

SkyWater Florida Vice President and General Manager Dale Miller said, “We are excited to establish the first Deca FOWLP capability in the U.S. This represents our third heterogeneous integration technology for the Kissimmee facility. It’s an important addition because it completes our advanced packaging trifecta of interposer, hybrid bonding, and now fan-out wafer level packaging technology – all in one facility – to support both DOD and commercial customers.”

About Deca Technologies 
Deca is a leading provider of advanced packaging technology to the semiconductor industry with M-Series™ fan-out and Adaptive Patterning®. Deca has a growing list of industry leading partners working on technology transfer and license agreements to gain access to the proven structures, processes, materials, equipment, design systems, and know-how of the industry’s #1 volume fan-out technology. Starting with the highest quality and reliability in Gen 1 aimed at smartphone applications and moving on to the growth of Gen 2 for chiplets and heterogeneous integration, Deca’s technologies are emerging as key industry standards for the future. For more information, visit www.thinkdeca.com.

About SkyWater Technology
SkyWater (NASDAQ: SKYT) is a U.S.-based semiconductor manufacturer and a DMEA-accredited Category 1A Trusted Foundry. SkyWater’s Technology as a Service model streamlines the path to production for customers with development services, volume production and heterogeneous integration solutions in its world-class U.S. facilities. This pioneering model enables innovators to co-create the next wave of technology with diverse categories including mixed-signal CMOS, ROICs, rad-hard ICs, power management, MEMS, superconducting ICs, photonics, carbon nanotubes and interposers. SkyWater serves growing markets including aerospace & defense, automotive, biomedical, cloud & computing, consumer, industrial and IoT. For more information, visit www.skywatertechnology.com/.

SkyWater Technology Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains “forward-looking” statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including statements that are based on the Company’s current expectations or forecasts of future events, rather than past events and outcomes, and such statements are not guarantees of future performance. Forward-looking statements are subject to risks, uncertainties and assumptions, which may cause the Company’s actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Key factors that could cause the Company’s actual results to be different than expected or anticipated include, but are not limited to, factors discussed in the “Risk Factors” section of its annual report on Form 10-K and quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, and in other documents that the Company files with the SEC, which are available at http://www.sec.gov. The Company assumes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this press release.

Deca Company Contact: Lori McDonald | 480.236.4236 | lori.mcdonald@decatechnologies.com
Deca Media Contact: Sandy Fewkes | 408.529.9685 | sfewkes@kiterocket.com
SkyWater Company Contact: Tara Luther | 952.851.5023 | tara.luther@skywatertechnology.com
SkyWater Media Contact: Lauri Julian | 949.280.5602 | lauri.julian@skywatertechnology.com

Government-funded IBAS Program Enters Next Phase of Silicon Interposer Development at NeoCity in Florida

By Rocket55 |

DOD’s investment of up to $20M enables BRIDG and partners, imec and SkyWater to support next-generation electronic systems that will strengthen national security

KISSIMMEE, Fla. – December 6, 2023 – BRIDG, a not-for-profit, public-private partnership specializing in advanced system integration and packaging, today announced the U.S. Department of Defense-funded Industrial Base Analysis and Sustainment (IBAS) technology development program has kicked off phase four of its contract. The IBAS program’s goal is to establish a comprehensive domestic silicon interposer manufacturing capability, supporting several advanced electronic systems.

Awarded to BRIDG in October 2019, phase one of the program was completed in November 2022 with BRIDG partners, imec and SkyWater Technology. The IBAS federal defense contract, valued at up to $20 million, provides an advanced packaging technology for next generation microelectronic multi-chip systems that will strengthen national security and cyber resiliency for the U.S. defense industrial base.

“We are excited to launch the next phase of this contract,” stated Jim Vandevere, president of BRIDG. “The continued support from IBAS to foster advanced packaging technologies is an acknowledgement to what our NeoCity coalition is all about.”

Silicon interposers are used to integrate semiconductor devices into a highly compact and power efficient format, providing increased performance and capability. Versatile and compact, silicon interposers are quickly becoming one of the most popular choices for advanced packaging.

“This final program phase is an important milestone as we prepare our interposer platform offering,” said Dale Miller, SkyWater Florida vice president and general manager. “We look forward to continuing our partnership with BRIDG and imec to complete this phase and provide a broader interposer technology offering that will support RF, digital and mixed signal applications.”

“We look forward to having this next phase of silicon interposer technology available to support next generation applications for the DOD,” stated Matt Walsh, Office of the Secretary of Defense IBAS advanced packaging chief engineer. “The OSD IBAS organization understands the critical need for an advanced packaging ecosystem in the U.S., and the silicon interposer work at BRIDG and SkyWater Technology is part of that effort.”

“We are pleased that our partnership with BRIDG and SkyWater has helped reach this next stage of the IBAS program, which leverages imec’s interposer technology. Partnerships help fuel innovation, and our work with BRIDG and NeoCity is a testament to our commitment to strengthening our footprint in the U.S. and contributing to the ecosystem’s growth by levering our nearly 40 years of experience impacting innovation and advanced product roadmaps through industry-relevant R&D,” stated Raj Jammy, president of operations, imec USA.

About BRIDG 
BRIDG is a not-for-profit, public-private partnership specializing in digital, RF, and photonics interposer technology development coupled with advanced packaging capabilities. As an ITAR-certified and DMEA trust-ready supplier, BRIDG offers R&D expertise and a 200mm microelectronics fabrication facility geared toward system miniaturization, device integration, hardware security, and product manufacturing key to aerospace, defense, automotive, telecommunications, medical, and the IoT/AI revolution. With support from Osceola County, Florida High Tech Corridor Council, imec, Orlando Economic Partnership, TEL, SUSS MicroTec, Siemens, and SkyWater Technology (Center for Neovation operator), BRIDG provides the physical infrastructure and collaborative process to connect challenges and opportunities with solutions; “Bridging the Innovation Development Gap” making commercialization possible. Located at NeoCity, BRIDG is centrally located 20 minutes from Orlando International Airport and within a mile of Florida’s Turnpike. www.GoBRIDG.com

About SkyWater Technology
SkyWater (NASDAQ: SKYT) is a U.S.-based semiconductor manufacturer and a DMEA-accredited Category 1A Trusted Foundry. SkyWater’s Technology as a Service model streamlines the path to production for customers with development services, volume production and heterogeneous integration solutions in its world-class U.S. facilities. This pioneering model enables innovators to co-create the next wave of technology with diverse categories including mixed-signal CMOS, ROICs, rad-hard ICs, power management, MEMS, superconducting ICs, photonics, carbon nanotubes and interposers. SkyWater serves growing markets including aerospace & defense, automotive, biomedical, cloud & computing, consumer, industrial and IoT. For more information, visit www.skywatertechnology.com/.

SkyWater Technology Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains “forward-looking” statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including statements that are based on the Company’s current expectations or forecasts of future events, rather than past events and outcomes, and such statements are not guarantees of future performance. Forward-looking statements are subject to risks, uncertainties and assumptions, which may cause the Company’s actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Key factors that could cause the Company’s actual results to be different than expected or anticipated include, but are not limited to, factors discussed in the “Risk Factors” section of its annual report on Form 10-K and quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, and in other documents that the Company files with the SEC, which are available at http://www.sec.gov. The Company assumes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this press release.

BRIDG Media Contact: Gloria LeQuang | glequang@gobridg.com
SkyWater Company Contact: Tara Luther | 952.851.5023 | tara.luther@skywatertechnology.com
SkyWater Media Contact: Lauri Julian | 949.280.5602 | lauri.julian@skywatertechnology.com

SkyWater Florida and BRIDG Announce Installation of Nordson’s Leading C-SAM System to Enhance Metrology Capabilities at the Center for Neovation

By Rocket55 |

Tool represents first equipment procurement under EDA Build Back Better Program at NeoCity in Osceola County, Florida

OSCEOLA COUNTY, Fla. – July 28, 2023 – SkyWater Technology (NASDAQ: SKYT), the trusted technology realization partner, and BRIDG, a not-for-profit, public-private-partnership for the fabrication of microelectronics, today announced the delivery and installation of Nordson TEST & INSPECTION’s D9650 C-SAM system at the Center for Neovation located at NeoCity in Osceola County, Florida. The new tool will be utilized by SkyWater Florida to enhance onsite metrology capabilities for advanced packaging and heterogeneous integration technology.

Made possible through an award granted to the Central Florida Semiconductor Coalition from the U.S. Department of Commerce EDA Build Back Better Regional Challenge (EDA BBBRC), announced in September 2022 with Osceola County, the Nordson D9650 acoustic micro imaging instrument represents the first new tool acquired by the coalition to support facility and equipment enhancements at the Center for Neovation. This grant will be used to grow Osceola County’s NeoCity as an innovation center for semiconductor research, design and manufacturing, and will help address the microchip shortage, lower costs and boost local high paying jobs.

Coalition partners include the Orlando Economic Partnership, the University of Central Florida (UCF), BRIDG, SkyWater, the Florida High Tech Corridor, Valencia College and the Osceola Chamber. The Osceola County coalition was one of 21 winners out of over 500 submissions and the only recipient from the semiconductor industry.

“During a time when our nation’s semiconductor industry is losing global market share, we’re working together at NeoCity to change this trajectory,” stated Don Fisher, Osceola County manager. “Through funding made possible from the EDA BBBRC award, we welcome our newest inspection tool to the Center for Neovation – the first of several tools to come!”

“Investments made in semiconductor technology R&D are critical to our nation, and partnerships are essential to building an attractive economic ecosystem,” said Jim Vandevere, BRIDG president. “We’re proud to leverage the EDA BBBRC award in Osceola County, Florida to reach this key milestone and continue investing in our region, strengthening our role as the domestic hub for advanced packaging.”

“The implementation of Nordson TEST & INSPECTION’s D9650 C-SAM system at SkyWater Florida represents a significant addition to our metrology capabilities for heterogeneous integration technologies that we’re establishing,” said Dale Miller, VP and general manager of SkyWater Florida. “This system will primarily support package and assembly inspection operations and can also support the hybrid wafer bonding technology we have licensed from Adeia as well as other advanced packaging applications we continue to implement at the Center for Neovation.”

About Nordson TEST & INSPECTION
Nordson TEST & INSPECTION, a division of Nordson Corporation, offers its customers a robust product portfolio, including Acoustic, Optical and Manual X-ray Inspection, Autonomous X-ray Inspection, X-ray Component Counting and Nordson X-ray Technologies. Nordson TEST & INSPECTION is uniquely positioned to serve its customers with best-in-class precision technologies, passionate sales and support teams, global reach, and unmatched consultative applications expertise.

About D9650 C-SAM System, by Nordson TEST & INSPECTION
The D9650 is an industry-leading lab-based acoustic microimaging inspection system, powered by C-SAM technology, that delivers unrivaled accuracy and robustness for failure analysis, process development, material characterization and low volume production inspection. The D9650 is designed for component screening applications and provides non-destructive analysis in the semiconductor packaging industry. Ideal for 300mm wafers as well as large substrate panels and commonly used to identify voids or delamination in electronic packaging applications such as hybrid wafer bonding and molded or underfilled devices. CSAM can also create cross-sectional, 2-D plane images, and thickness images of samples.

About BRIDG
BRIDG is a not-for-profit, public-private partnership specializing in digital, RF, and photonics silicon interposer technology development coupled with advanced packaging capabilities. As an ITAR-certified and DMEA trust-ready supplier, BRIDG offers R&D expertise and a 200mm microelectronics fabrication facility geared toward system miniaturization, device integration, hardware security, and product manufacturing key to aerospace, defense, automotive, telecommunications, medical, and the IoT/AI revolution. Supported by Osceola County, Florida High Tech Corridor Council, imec, Orlando Economic Partnership, TEL, SUSS, Siemens, and SkyWater Technology (Center for NeoVation operator), BRIDG provides the physical infrastructure and collaborative process to connect challenges and opportunities with solutions; “Bridging the Innovation Development Gap” making commercialization possible. Located at NeoCity—a 500-acre master-planned community of innovation in Florida—BRIDG is centrally located 20 minutes from Orlando International Airport and within a mile of Florida’s Turnpike. For more information, visit www.GoBRIDG.com.

About NeoCity
Following the impacts of the Great Recession, Osceola County decided to make a long-term investment to create a 500-acre technology district, known as NeoCity to diversify its economy. Since then, Osceola County, and their regional partners, have invested over $273 million to make NeoCity the hub to Central Florida’s burgeoning semiconductor industry. NeoCity’s anchor building, the Center for Neovation, (total of 109,000 sq. ft) consisting of a 36,000 square ft. cleanroom, is one of the most technologically advanced manufacturing research centers in the western hemisphere, home to SkyWater Technology, imec USA, BRIDG, TEL, and SUSS MicroTec. The Osceola County School District’s NeoCity Academy, located next to the Center for Neovation, works with SkyWater, BRIDG, and imec USA to provide internships for the high school students to work in the fab. For more information, visit www.NeoCityFL.com.

About SkyWater Technology
SkyWater (NASDAQ: SKYT) is a U.S.-based semiconductor manufacturer and a DMEA-accredited Category 1A Trusted Foundry. SkyWater’s Technology as a Service model streamlines the path to production for customers with development services, volume production and heterogeneous integration solutions in its world-class U.S. facilities. This pioneering model enables innovators to co-create the next wave of technology with diverse categories including mixed-signal CMOS, ROICs, rad-hard ICs, power management, MEMS, superconducting ICs, photonics, carbon nanotubes and interposers. SkyWater serves growing markets including aerospace & defense, automotive, biomedical, cloud & computing, consumer, industrial and IoT. For more information, visit www.skywatertechnology.com/.

SkyWater Technology Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains “forward-looking” statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including statements that are based on the Company’s current expectations or forecasts of future events, rather than past events and outcomes, and such statements are not guarantees of future performance. Forward-looking statements are subject to risks, uncertainties and assumptions, which may cause the Company’s actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Key factors that could cause the Company’s actual results to be different than expected or anticipated include, but are not limited to, factors discussed in the “Risk Factors” section of its annual report on Form 10-K and quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, and in other documents that the Company files with the SEC, which are available at http://www.sec.gov. The Company assumes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this press release.

SkyWater Company Contact: Tara Luther | 952.851.5023 | tara.luther@skywatertechnology.com
SkyWater Media Contact: Lauri Julian | 949.280.5602 | lauri.julian@skywatertechnology.com
BRIDG Media Contact: Gloria LeQuang | glequang@gobridg.com
Nordson TEST & INSPECTION Contact: Carla Furanna | 952.820.5837