"At least five companies are weighing whether allowing the government to become a shareholder would be worth it to snag funding that the Trump administration has "earmarked for promising technology companies," sources familiar with the potential deals told the WSJ. IonQ, Rigetti Computing, and D-Wave Quantum are currently in talks with the government over potential funding agreements, with minimum awards of $10 million each, some sources said. Quantum Computing Inc. and Atom Computing are reportedly "considering similar arrangements," as are other companies in the sector, which is viewed as critical for scientific advancements and next-generation technologies."
"In August, Intel agreed to give the US a 10 percent stake in the company, then admitted to shareholders that "it is difficult to foresee all the potential consequences" of the unusual arrangement. If the deal goes through, the US would become Intel's largest shareholder, the WSJ noted, potentially influencing major decisions that could prompt layoffs or restrict business in certain foreign markets. "Among other things, there could be adverse reactions, immediately or over time, from investors, employees, customers, suppliers, other business or commercial partners, foreign governments, or competitors," Intel wrote in a securities filing. "There may also be litigation related to the transaction or otherwise and increased public or political scrutiny with respect to the Company.""
The U.S. government is exploring taking equity stakes in quantum computing firms in exchange for federal funding. At least five companies are weighing whether government share ownership would be worth securing earmarked funding. IonQ, Rigetti Computing, and D-Wave Quantum are in talks over potential funding agreements with minimum awards of about $10 million each. Quantum Computing Inc. and Atom Computing are considering similar arrangements. No deals have been completed, and terms could change as companies assess risks of government influence. Intel previously agreed to give the U.S. a 10 percent stake and warned of potential adverse reactions, litigation, and increased scrutiny.
Read at Ars Technica
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