EDA Announces 31 Tech Hubs Across U.S. 

Today, the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Economic Development Administration (EDA) designated 31 Tech Hubs in regions across the nation. This is the first phase of the new Tech Hubs program, 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. The Tech Hubs initiative was authorized by the bipartisan CHIPS and Science Act.

The 31 Tech Hubs are located across 32 states and Puerto Rico, and 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 focus on industries ranging from autonomous systems, quantum computing, biotechnology, precision medicine, clean energy advancement, semiconductor manufacturing, and more.

EDA also awarded 29 Strategy Development Grants (SDG) to help communities increase local coordination and planning activities. Such development could make selected grantees more competitive for future Tech Hubs funding opportunities.

“Our Tech Hubs Program … will supercharge innovation across the nation by spurring cutting-edge technological investments and creating 21st century job opportunities in people’s backyards.”

— Gina Raimondo,
U.S. Secretary of Commerce

“President Biden’s Investing in America agenda is rooted in policies that will empower the United States to out-innovate and out-compete the rest of the world. Our Tech Hubs Program is fundamental to that mission and will supercharge innovation across the nation by spurring cutting-edge technological investments and creating 21st century job opportunities in people’s backyards,” said U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo. “Each of these consortia will help us ensure the industries of the future—and their good-paying jobs—start, grow, and remain in the United States.”

“Innovation, cutting-edge research, and creativity can be found in every community across America. Thanks to President Biden’s Investing in America Agenda, the Tech Hubs program is seizing that potential and investing in regional consortia that will boost U.S. manufacturing, create more good-paying jobs and bolster U.S. global competitiveness,” said Deputy Secretary of Commerce Don Graves. “The phase 1 designees and grant recipients reflect the diverse technological industries growing here at home and are symbols of American innovation and opportunity. The Tech Hubs program will provide them tools and resources to drive economic growth across the nation, which Americans will feel for generations to come.”

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The Phase 1 winners were selected from nearly 400 applications from regional consortia that include industry, academia, state and local governments, economic development organizations, and labor and workforce partners. As part of the Tech Hubs competition, each consortium outlined plans for strengthening its region’s capacity to manufacture, commercialize, and deploy critical technologies.

“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.”

The Department of Commerce launched a second Tech Hubs Notice of Funding Opportunity today, which will allow the designated Tech Hubs to apply to receive between $40 million and $70 million each for implementation funding, totaling nearly $500 million.

The Tech Hubs designees are:

Detailed descriptions of all 31 Tech Hubs designees, as well as the 29 Strategic Development Grant recipients, are available here.

Check out all the latest economic development news from across the U.S.