As part of the President’s Investing in America agenda, the U.S. Department of Commerce identified regional centers primed for technological innovation and job creation.
WASHINGTON, DC — The Biden-Harris administration, through the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Economic Development Administration (EDA), announced the designation of 31 Tech Hubs in regions across the country—three of which are in in the Appalachian Region. EDA also awarded six Strategy Development Grants (SDG) to Appalachian entities to help communities significantly increase local coordination and planning activities. Such development could make selected grantees more competitive for future Tech Hubs funding opportunities.
This is the first phase of the new Tech Hubs program, which is an economic development initiative designed to drive regional innovation and job creation by strengthening a region’s capacity to manufacture, commercialize, and deploy technology that will advance American competitiveness. The program invests directly in burgeoning, high-potential U.S. regions and aims to transform them into globally competitive innovation centers.
“I’m so appreciative of the EDA for recognizing the skillset of our Appalachian workforce, and for their continuing willingness to keep in mind the priority service areas of their fellow federal entities,” said ARC Federal Co-Chair Gayle Manchin. “The creation of new Appalachian tech hubs not only emphasizes our region’s growth, but also the ways in which we are being connected with the rest of the country through emerging industries.”
The Appalachian Tech Hubs are:
- Birmingham Biotechnology Hub – equitable AI-driven biotechnology in AL
- SC Nexus for Advanced Resilient Energy – clean energy supply chain in SC and GA
- New Energy New York (NENY) Battery Tech Hub – end to end battery development and manufacturing in NY
The Appalachian Strategy Development Grant (SDG) Recipients are:
- North Central Pressed Materials Strategy Development Consortium
- Southeast Biotech Collaborative (SEBC) Strategy Development Consortium
- Virginia’s Additive Manufacturing & Applied Materials Strategy Development Consortium
- West Virginia Advanced Energy & Industrial Technology Manufacturing (WV-AEIM) Strategy Development Consortium
- Western North Carolina Industrialized Construction (NCIC) Strategy Development Consortium
- WV Tech Strategy Development Consortium
Tech Hubs was authorized by the bipartisan CHIPS and Science Act, a key part of President Biden’s Investing in America agenda, which he signed into law in August 2022.
These Tech Hubs represent a cross-section of urban and rural regions. Designation is an endorsement of the region’s plans to supercharge their respective technological industries to create jobs, strengthen U.S. competitiveness, and protect national security. The Tech Hubs announced focus on industries ranging from autonomous systems, quantum computing, biotechnology, precision medicine, clean energy advancement, semiconductor manufacturing, and more, and highlight how the Biden Harris Administration is investing in innovation and economic growth in every region of the United States.
“These outstanding Tech Hubs Designees exemplify place-based economic development strategies at their best: combining federal resources with regional assets, expertise, and coalitions to implement transformational opportunities, said Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Economic Development Alejandra Y. Castillo. “As each region develops its own strategy to catalyze innovation and job creation, the entire nation grows more secure and more competitive.”
Read more about the Tech Hubs program at TechHubs.gov.
Read the full EDA press release here: https://www.eda.gov/news/press-release/2023/10/23/biden-harris-administration-designates-31-tech-hubs-across-america
About the U.S. Economic Development Administration (www.eda.gov)
The mission of the U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA) is to lead the federal economic development agenda by promoting competitiveness and preparing the nation’s regions for growth and success in the worldwide economy. An agency within the U.S. Department of Commerce, EDA invests in communities and supports regional collaboration in order to create jobs for U.S. workers, promote American innovation, and accelerate long-term sustainable economic growth.