CHICAGO—October 25, 2023—The Illinois Institute of Technology (Illinois Tech) is part of a group of universities, wireless industry leaders and government agencies that has named an inaugural Tech Hubs Strategy Development Consortium by the United States Department of Commerce Economic Development Administration (EDA) and awarded a Strategy Development Grant (SDG).
Illinois Tech is part of it Midwest Wireless Strategic Innovation Development Consortium led by University of Notre Dame. 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 . New Tech Hubs Program aims to promote innovation and job creation by investing in high-potential regions to increase their capacity to produce, commercialize and apply breakthrough technologies.
“This is a great honor and a resounding endorsement of our work pushing the boundaries of advanced wireless technology,” said Cynthia Hood, associate professor of computer science and engineering and Illinois Tech faculty leader in 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.
This joint venture builds on Illinois Tech's partnerships in advanced manufacturing and electronics. Specifically, DMG MORI and the university have agreed to establish a national advanced manufacturing center that will be one of the country's first joint university and industry academies to train, develop and empower the advanced manufacturing workforce of the future. Plus, Illinois Tech is a part of it Midwest Microelectronics Consortium Hubwhich seeks to develop the region's position as an international innovation and technology hub by advancing the defense and commercial capability of the microelectronics ecosystem.
“One of our great strengths at Illinois Tech is the depth of our collaborations both within academia and with partners across government and industry, and this designation by the EDA is a testament to that,” said Illinois Tech , Kenneth Christensen. “This consortium demonstrates the powerful synergy that emerges when diverse minds and institutions come together with a common vision to push the frontiers of technology. Together, we're not only shaping the future of wireless innovation, but building strong ecosystems that foster economic growth and technological prowess in the Midwest and beyond.”
The Tech Hubs Program — authorized by the bipartisan CHIPS and Science Act signed into law by President Joe Biden in August 2022 — is an economic development initiative designed to promote regional innovation and job creation by enhancing a region's capacity to manufacture, market and commercialize and develop technology that will advance American competitiveness. In its first phase, 31 Technical Nodes were designated and 29 Strategy Development Grants were awarded. The SDGs help communities significantly increase local coordination and planning activities and could make selected grantees more competitive for future Tech Hubs funding opportunities.
“President Biden's Investing in America agenda is rooted in policies that will empower the United States to innovate and outperform the rest of the world. Our Tech Hubs program is fundamental to this mission and will boost innovation across the nation by encouraging cutting-edge technology investments and creating twenty-first century job opportunities in people's backyards,” said US Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo. “Each of these partnerships will help us ensure that the industries of the future — and their good-paying jobs — start, grow and stay in the United States.”
Illinois Institute of Technology
Based in the global metropolis of Chicago, Illinois Tech was born to unleash the power of collective difference to advance technology and progress for all. It is the city's only technology-focused university and is at the crossroads of exploration and invention, driving the future of Chicago and the world. Offers undergraduate and graduate degrees in engineering, computer science, architecturebusiness, planscience and humanities, and law. Illinois Tech students are guaranteed hands-on experiences, personalized mentoring and job readiness through the university's unique Elevate program. Its graduates are leading the state and much of the nation to economic prosperity. Its faculty and alumni built the Chicago skyline. And every day in the city's living lab, Illinois Tech fuels innovations that change lives. Visit iit.edu.
US Economic Development Administration
His mission US 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 global economy. An agency within the US Department of Commerce, EDA invests in communities and supports regional cooperation to create jobs for US workers, advance American innovation and accelerate long-term sustainable economic growth.
Media contacts
Kevin Dollear
Communication Manager
Illinois Institute of Technology
Cell: 773.860.5712
kdollear@iit.edu
