The Biden-Harris administration announced on Tuesday the designation of 31 Regional Technology and Innovation Hubs, as well as the recipients of 29 Strategy Development Grants (SDG) awarded by the United States Economic Development Administration (EDA). Both actions represent the first phase of EDA's Tech Hubs program, which aims to strengthen the U.S. economy and national security by investing in locations across the country.
The Commerce Department calls the Tech Hub designation an endorsement of a region's plans to “supercharge its respective technology industries to create jobs, strengthen U.S. competitiveness, and protect national security.” Tech Hubs managers can apply directly for future Tech Hubs implementation funding.
The SDGs are intended to help recipients increase local coordination and planning activities, which could make them more competitive for future Tech Hub funding opportunities, EDA says. One such recipient is the Midwest Wireless Innovation Strategy Development Consortium, which includes the University of Notre Dame, the Illinois Institute of Technology and others.
The consortium – serving Illinois, Indiana and Michigan – will develop a strategy to connect, strengthen and grow a network of 21 physical centers into innovation teams specializing in high-tech innovation, commercialization and workforce education , says the consortium.
“This is a great honor and a resounding endorsement of our work pushing the boundaries of advanced wireless technology,” says Cynthia Hood, associate professor of computer science and engineering and Illinois Tech faculty leader on the consortium. “This Strategy Development Grant will allow us to advance our research, collaborate more deeply with our partners and accelerate the implementation of advanced wireless solutions in the Midwest.”
The winners of the first phase of the Tech Hubs program were selected from nearly 400 applications from regional consortia that include industry, academia, state and local governments, economic development agencies, and labor and workforce partners. As part of the Tech Hubs competition, each consortium outlined plans to strengthen their region's ability to manufacture, commercialize and develop critical technologies.
