US Awards $389 Million in R&D Funding for Power Semiconductors and Critical Materials

The U.S. Department of Commerce plans to award up to $389 million in research and development funding across four companies specializing in power semiconductors and critical materials. Drawn from a $10 billion semiconductor R&D fund authorized under 2022 legislation, the allocations grant the U.S. government minority, non-controlling, and non-voting equity stakes. Helion will secure up to $175 million and Commonwealth Fusion Systems up to $85 million for fusion-related electronics. Additionally, Vertical Semiconductor is set to receive up to $73 million for artificial intelligence data center power chips, while Sibelco will receive up to $56 million for ultra-high-purity quartz purification.