NC Dept of Commerce launches new initiatives, web pages to fund federal ‘Tech Hubs’ | Eastern North Carolina Now

    Publisher's Note: This post appears here courtesy of the Carolina Journal. The author of this post is Theresa Opeka.

    The North Carolina Department of Commerce announced Tuesday the launch of two new initiatives and web pages that will help companies in the state potentially receive federal designation as Regional Technology and Innovation Hubs (Tech Hubs) and for other federal investments enacted as part of the CHIPS and Science Act of 2022.

    Applications are being sought by the U.S. Department of Commerce's Economic Development Administration for the selection of 20 federally designated regional Tech Hubs across the country, with $500 million in appropriated funding support available in 2023 to help these hubs drive U.S.-based technology, innovation, and job growth.

    According to EDA, the Tech Hubs Program is an economic development initiative designed to drive regional technology- and innovation-centric growth by strengthening a region's capacity to manufacture, commercialize, and deploy critical technologies, including but not limited to artificial intelligence, biotechnology, advanced energy, and industrial efficiency technologies.

    "North Carolina ranks the #1 state for business because of our collaborative public-private partnerships, business-friendly environment, network of top-rated universities and colleges, existing industry clusters, and strong talent pipeline," said N.C. Commerce Secretary Machelle Baker Sanders in a press release. "The TechHubsforNC initiative spotlights North Carolina's assets and how we can help drive innovation, technology, and good jobs."

    Commerce.nc.gov/TechHubsforNC will be a point of entry for interested companies to coordinate with the state and other partners on these applications.

    The U.S. Department of Commerce's CHIPS Program Office has also released its first funding opportunity, which seeks applications for projects for the construction, expansion, or modernization of commercial facilities for the front- and back-end fabrication of leading-edge, current-generation, and mature-node semiconductors.

    North Carolina's 475,000+ manufacturing workforce and its growing semiconductor industry are poised to take advantage of current funding opportunities from the CHIPS Act for fabrication and future funding opportunities for semiconductor material suppliers and equipment manufacturers, as well as research and development.

    The application period for Regional Tech Hubs is open through Aug. 15. For more information on program eligibility and partnership opportunities, visit Commerce.nc.gov/TechHubsforNC.

    The application periods for CHIPS for America business funding opportunities are rolling and may depend on specific funding opportunities. For more information on CHIPS Act funding opportunities and resources, visit Commerce.nc.gov/CHIPSforNC.