An influx of cash for some of the leading quantum computing companies, thanks to a research and development grant from the U.S. Department of Commerce, could have far-reaching impacts for investors even beyond the initial payout. Under the CHIPS Act, the Commerce Department will provide $100 million in funding each to D-Wave Quantum Inc. (NASDAQ: QBTS), Rigetti Computing (NYSE: RGTI), and Quantinuum (NASDAQ: QNT).
Together, these grants appear to send a message to the markets: Washington is committed to having a rigorous domestic quantum computing industry, but not every firm will receive federal support. In total, the quantum initiative promises more than $2 billion in incentives across the industry, with most of the funds going to support scaling of domestic manufacturing. Benefits of these grants are many, but it also means that investors will need to watch for government involvement as Uncle Sam takes a minority stake in many of the leading names in the industry.
