9 Universities Receive CHIPS Act Funds to Establish Tech Hubs
Credit: Image Credit: UCG / Universal Images Group / Getty Images- The CHIPS and Science Act allows the Biden administration to establish or improve Tech Hubs across the country.
- A White House announcement said 10 Tech Hubs will be established within universities.
- Oregon State University will lead two of the hubs.
- Three Tech Hubs within universities will focus on improving semiconductor manufacturing.
Universities will play a key role in the federal government’s push to grow science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) research and development through the CHIPS and Science Act.
The White House recently announced it will distribute CHIPS Act funds across the country to establish Regional Innovation and Technology Hubs. Nine universities will lead 10 of the 31 total Tech Hubs to “focus on developing and growing innovative industries in regions across the country.”
That includes industries like:
- Biotechnology in drugs and medical devices
- Clean energy
- Mineral supply chains
- Semiconductor manufacturing
- Materials manufacturing
“The Tech Hubs will bring the benefits and opportunities of scientific and technological innovation to communities across the country, with nearly three-quarters significantly benefitting small and rural areas and more than three-quarters directly supporting historically underserved communities,” the White House stated.
Here are the Tech Hubs being established or enhanced within college programs:
| University | Tech Hub | Goal of Tech Hub, according to the White House |
|---|---|---|
| University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign | iFAB Tech Hub | Scale precision fermentation to convert underutilized corn feedstocks into customized alternative proteins, food ingredients, materials, chemicals, and more |
| Louisiana State University | Gulf Louisiana Offshore Wind Propeller | Transition Louisiana’s energy economy from its legacy of oil and gas to offshore wind and renewable energy |
| State University of New York at Binghamton | New Energy New York (NENY) Battery Tech Hub | Bolster battery technology development and manufacturing |
| University of Nevada, Reno | Nevada Lithium Batteries and Other EV (Electric Vehicle) Material Loop | Build a self-sustaining and globally competitive lithium lifecycle cluster, spanning extraction, processing, manufacturing, and recycling |
| University of Missouri system | Critical Minerals and Materials for Advanced Energy (CM2AE) Tech Hub | Position south-central Missouri as a global leader in critical minerals processing to support battery technology |
| Southern Methodist University | Texoma Semiconductor Tech Hub | Unify semiconductor supply chain infrastructure by enhancing regional collaboration |
| Oregon State University | Corvallis Microfluidics Tech Hub | Establish global leadership in the development, scaling, and commercialization of microfluidics technology for use in semiconductor and electronic cooling |
| University of Vermont | Advancing Gallium Nitride (GaN) Tech Hub | Innovate in GaN manufacturing, a critical material for wireless communication tech |
| Gonzaga University | American Aerospace Materials Manufacturing Tech Hub | Develop new domestic supply chains to meet the demand for production of advanced composite aerostructures in defense and commercial markets |
| Oregon State University | Pacific Northwest Mass Timber Tech Hub | Become a global leader in mass timber design and manufacturing to lower the construction industry’s carbon footprint and improve housing affordability |
The fiscal year 2023 budget allocated $500 million to the U.S. Department of Commerce to establish these regional Tech Hubs.
The CHIPS Act authorized $10 billion for the program over five years.