Buffalo, Rochester and Syracuse together as a region have won a federal tech hub designation, according to Senator Chuck Schumer’s office.
The designation is part of the CHIPS & Science Act, which recognizes the role of semiconductor technology in national security. It focuses on domestic chip production and supply chain security in an effort to reduce reliance on foreign manufacturers.
The designation allows the three cities to join a group of 31 regions in the country that have the opportunity to compete for potentially billions in funding for manufacturing semiconductors.
“Buffalo, Rochester and Syracuse are officially on the road to becoming America’s semiconductor superhighway. I created this program with Upstate NY in mind, and now three of our own cities that helped build America, have not only won the exclusive federal Tech Hub designation for semiconductors, but also won a once-in-a-generation opportunity to write a new chapter for Upstate NY building our nation’s future. This 3 region Tech Hub will hit the gas on NY’s booming chips industry by attracting new companies, training our workforce for tens of thousands of good-paying jobs, and bringing manufacturing in this critical industry back from overseas to right here in Upstate NY,” said Sen. Schumer. “I pulled out all the stops to land this Tech Hub Designation for my great home state – making the case that bringing together these three cities and giving them the resources to combine forces would create an unstoppable engine that will rev the region’s industries to life and make Upstate NY a global center for semiconductors. With this Tech Hubs Designation highlighting the region as one of only a few in the country primed to be the next Silicon Valley in critical technology, combined with federal funding now flooding this triple-threat region, America’s semiconductor manufacturing industry truly couldn’t be in better hands.”
In the Syracuse region, Micron has announced plans to invest $100 billion to build a cutting-edge memory fab expected to create nearly 50,000 jobs, Schumer’s office says.
In Western New York, Schumer says Edwards Vacuum will invest $300 million plus to build a 600-job U.S. dry pump manufacturing facility to supply the semiconductor industry. In addition, according to Schumer, with his advocacy, Buffalo has already received $25 million for its growing tech industry through the American Rescue Plan’s Build Back Better Challenge.
In the Rochester region, Corning Incorporated, which manufactures glass critical to the microchip industry, has already invested $139 million in Monroe County to create more than 270 new, good-paying jobs in the Finger Lakes region, Schumer’s office said.
Schumer says the tri-city region beat out hundreds of other applications in the nationwide competition for this tech hub designation.
The senator will be making stops in the region on Monday to make the announcement.
