The White House announced a series of tech hubs across the country to focus on issues related to artificial intelligence, clean energy and more, and two of those hubs will be located in Illinois.
According to the Biden Administration, hubs based in Chicago and Champaign were among 31 projects tabbed to receive funding through the program.
“These tech hubs will be transformational, and they’re part of a long line of transformational investments we’ve made since I took office,” President Joe Biden said.
According to a press release from the White House, up to $10 billion in funding is available through a bill, passed in 2022, that aimed to help address shortages in semiconductor manufacturing and supply chains, along with other tech-related issues in the U.S.
One of the Illinois-based hubs, the Central Illinois Fermentation and Agriculture Biomanufacturing (iFAB) hub will be housed at the University of Illinois’ campus in Champaign-Urbana, according to the White House.
Illinois, the country’s largest producer of soy beans and second-largest producer of corn, will take the lead in identifying practices that will help improve food security, as well as boosting decarbonization efforts, according to the White House.
“Home to world-class institutions and first-rate research centers, Illinois is transforming technology, biomanufacturing and innovation at every turn,” Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker said in a statement.
The Chicago Area Quantum Tech Hub will “bring together public, private and academic partners to advance the regional adoption of quantum informational science and technology by building a framework that can be used across a variety of industries,” according to a press release.
That framework will target the financial sector, but could also be deployed in manufacturing, healthcare, transportation and defense, according to the release.
