Boston — The Healey-Driscoll Administration announced that Massachusetts has been awarded $19.7 million in funding for fiscal year 2023 through the federal CHIPS and Science Act to establish the Northeast Microelectronics Coalition Hub (NEMC), a regional hub that will advance the microelectronics needs of the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) while spurring new jobs, workforce training opportunities, and investment in the region’s advanced manufacturing and technology sectors.
The Healey-Driscoll Administration is supporting the hub with up to $40 million in matching funds from the Immediate Needs Bond Bill filed in January. The Administration, through the quasi-public economic development agency Massachusetts Technology Collaborative, assembled and led a coalition of more than 90 organizations from across the Northeast in submitting a proposal in February to the federal government to create the NEMC through the DoD’s Microelectronics Commons program.
“We’re thrilled that Massachusetts has been selected as a regional hub to support the microelectronics needs of the Department of Defense,” said Governor Maura Healey. “This is a once in a generation opportunity for Massachusetts to be at the forefront of innovation and this cutting-edge sector. The Northeast Microelectronics hub will result in new jobs and workforce development opportunities, groundbreaking research development, and resources for business – all right here in Massachusetts.”
“This award through the CHIPS and Science Act will boost industries that are keeping Massachusetts at the forefront of innovation and help us expand economic opportunity for our residents through job training and workforce development investments,” said Lieutenant Governor Kim Driscoll. “We’re honored to lead this regional coalition comprised of experts in industry, research, and academia who will provide unmatched technical expertise and partnership through the Northeast Microelectronics Hub.”
The program is funded by the 2022 CHIPS and Science Act that aims to onshore the manufacturing of microelectronics and semiconductor technologies and support workforce training for these industries. The DoD’s announcement of $238 million in funding for Microelectronics Commons is the largest award to date under President Biden’s CHIPS and Science Act and will fund eight regional hubs across the country.
“Massachusetts has always been a leader in advanced manufacturing, technology, and innovation. This award is a testament to that leadership position and to the strength of Team Massachusetts,” said Secretary of Economic Development Yvonne Hao. “The Healey-Driscoll Administration is grateful to the coalition members from across the public and private sectors who put together this successful proposal and the federal delegation for their support of the CHIPS and Science Act. We look forward to working together to invest in our state and our country’s economic and national security.”
“We are incredibly grateful for the trust and collaboration of our coalition members and the Department of Defense to establish and launch the NEMC Hub for Massachusetts, for the northeast, and for the nation,” said MassTech Collaborative Executive Director Carolyn Kirk. “Our selection a demonstrates the power of partnerships and illustrates the immense talent that has come together to earn this designation.”
“The Healey-Driscoll Administration has focused on initiatives where we can harness the unique opportunity to tap into federal support, including the CHIPS and Science Act,” said Director of Federal Funds and Infrastructure Quentin Palfrey. “We’re proud that Massachusetts can be a part of advancing our nations national security and competitiveness in this critical global industry, while creating new jobs, furthering workforce development and creating opportunities for cutting-edge innovation here in the Commonwealth.”
With $2 billion in funding for Fiscal Years 2023 through 2027, the Microelectronics Commons program aims to leverage these Hubs to accelerate domestic hardware prototyping and “lab-to-fab” transition of semiconductor technologies. This will help mitigate supply chain risks and ultimately expedite access to the most cutting-edge microchips for defense needs.
Regional microelectronics hubs are expected to spur economic growth across their respective regions and the economy at large. Hubs are charged with developing the physical, digital, and human infrastructure needed to support future success in microelectronics research and development. This includes building education pipelines and retraining initiatives to ensure the United States has the talent pool needed to sustain these investments. The initiative focuses on six key technology areas critical to the DoD’s mission, areas where the Northeast and Massachusetts have a strong research focus:
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Secure Edge/Internet of Things Computing
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5G/6G
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Artificial Intelligence Hardware
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Quantum Technology
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Electromagnetic Warfare
The DoD received 80 submissions to the Microelectronics Program, with over 600 unique organizations included as prospective team members. For more information, visit https://microelectronicscommons.org/.
The NEMC proposal is a part of the Healey-Driscoll Administration’s whole-of-government strategy to compete for federal money that has included applications for more than $2 billion dollars in federal funding to advance priorities for equity, competitiveness, workforce development and climate resiliency in Massachusetts. The approach has brought in tens of millions of dollars to the Commonwealth in recent weeks, with additional funding still pending the decision of federal agencies.
Statements of Support
Susan Feindt, Analog Devices Inc. Fellow
“Analog Devices is thrilled that the US Department of Defense has selected the Northeast Microelectronics Coalition (NEMC) as a hub for the DoD Microelectronics Commons. The NEMC has collaborated closely to respond to the U.S. government’s call for solutions to meet the challenges in each of the key areas of interest. With the announcement of the Hub, ADI is poised to get to work with other coalition members to advance projects that will meet these critical national security needs.”
Douglas Robbins, Vice President, Engineering and Prototyping, MITRE
“The Northeast is a powerhouse in semiconductors from research to development to solutions. This award is a recognition of the commitment and meaningful collaboration from regional leaders in industry, academia, and government to advancing defense and semiconductor innovation that will benefit our workforce, economy, and national security.”
Laurie Giandomenico, Ph.D., Senior Vice President and Chief Acceleration Officer, MITRE
“As a founding member of the Northeast Microelectronics Coalition, MITRE is proud to collaborate with leading manufacturers of semiconductor technologies, defense contractors, critical suppliers of semiconductor equipment and materials, and our world-class local universities to jointly develop whole-of-nation microelectronics solutions. Our regional strengths form an ideal foundation for advancing key elements of the nation’s microelectronics strategy to help ensure that American innovation truly leads to American growth.”
Robert Atkins, Head of the Advanced Technology Division, MIT Lincoln Laboratory
“MIT Lincoln Laboratory is truly excited to expand our collaborations with the microelectronics ecosystem in the northeast region and beyond. We have a long history of bridging the microelectronics lab-to-fab gap and providing prototype systems to help strengthen our national security. We look forward to broadening this mission with new partners and to helping establish the fabrication infrastructure in our region to strengthen our economy.”
Mark Russell, Chief Technology Officer, RTX
“The advanced technology needs of our aerospace and defense customers extend beyond standard commercial microelectronics. As such, RTX looks forward to working with the NEMC Hub to accelerate improvements in microelectronics technologies and workforce development, which will strengthen our ability to continue advancing aviation and building smarter defense systems.”
James Li, Director, BAE Systems Electronics Systems Sector in Nashua, New Hampshire
“BAE Systems supports the advancement of critical aerospace and defense technologies through on-shore hardware prototyping, accelerating lab-to-fab transitions, and expanding workforce development. As such, we look forward to working with the diverse Northeastern microelectronics ecosystem to advance defense microelectronics in support of our customers.”
Maria Zuber, Vice President for Research, MIT
“MIT is pleased to have had the opportunity to work over the last two years in building and shaping the Northeast Microelectronics Coalition. The strong ecosystem for technological innovation in Massachusetts – including leading universities and companies – positions the coalition to achieve great success in developing the new technologies that the U.S. will need to maintain its national security, economic leadership, and technological edge.”
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