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Biden Administration Pledges Half a Billion for Tech Hubs in Underserved Communities
Jul. 04, 2024 09:30AM PST
To facilitate local tech sector development across the US, the Biden administration has allocated US$504 million worth of grants to various regional tech hubs.
William Potter / Shutterstock
The Biden administration on Tuesday (July 2) announced plans to allocate US$504 million to establish 12 regional technology and innovation hubs across underserved regions in the US.
Spearheaded by the US Department of Commerce’s Economic Development Administration, the initiative aims to spur America's leadership in cutting-edge industries, create new jobs and stimulate economic development.
"Every American deserves the opportunity to thrive, no matter where they live,” underscored Vice President Kamala Harris in a press release. “Today’s announcement will ensure that the benefits of the industries of the future — from artificial intelligence and clean energy, to biotechnology and more — are shared with communities that have been overlooked for far too long, including rural, Tribal, industrial, and disadvantaged communities,” she added.
Funded by the CHIPS and Science Act, the Tech Hubs Program is part of President Joe Biden’s Investing in America agenda. A total of US$10 billion over five years has been authorized for this initiative, with US$541 million used to date.
Tech Hubs Program to support diverse initiatives
The Illinois Fermentation and Agriculture Biomanufacturing Tech Hub (iFAB), one recipient of the Tech Hubs Program, will receive approximately US$51 million. Led by the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, a land-grant research university, iFAB focuses on converting underutilized corn feedstock into high-value products like alternative proteins and food ingredients, while aiming to provide specialized training to the local workforce.
Other tech hubs will focus on quantum information technology in Colorado, autonomous remote sensing technology in Montana, biotechnology and biomanufacturing in Indiana and sustainable polymer manufacturing in Ohio.
Additional recipients include: the Nevada Tech Hub, which aims to build a full lithium lifecycle cluster; the NY SMART I-Corridor Tech Hub in New York, which focuses on enhancing regional semiconductor manufacturing capabilities; and the ReGen Valley Tech Hub in New Hampshire, which is looking to become a leader in biofabrication to produce cost-effective regenerative therapies addressing chronic disease and organ failure.
The SC Nexus for Advanced Resilient Energy in South Carolina has honed its efforts on advanced energy and grid resilience technologies, while the South Florida ClimateReady Tech Hub aims to advance leadership in sustainable and resilient infrastructure solutions for the global climate crisis. Meanwhile, the Tulsa Hub for Equitable & Trustworthy Autonomy in Oklahoma is working on the development and commercialization of autonomous systems for use in the agriculture industry, as well as in pipeline inspections and regional transportation.
Finally, the Wisconsin Biohealth Tech Hub aims to position the state as a global leader in personalized medicine, focusing on tailored tests, treatments and therapies informed by a patient's unique attributes.
Each hub will leverage regional assets to foster technological advancement and economic growth, with the expectation of creating new job opportunities at various skill levels.
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Securities Disclosure: I, Giann Liguid, hold no direct investment interest in any company mentioned in this article.
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