31 Tech Hubs Outside Of Usual U.S. Technology Corridors Get $500M

ACROSS AMERICA — The Biden administration on Monday named 31 technology hubs in 32 states and Puerto Rico to help spur innovation and create job in the industries that are concentrated in these areas

The $500 million program is allocated under last year’s $10 billion CHIPS and Science Act meant to stimulate investments in new technologies.

“We’re going to invest in critical technologies like biotechnology, critical materials, quantum computing, advanced manufacturing — so the U.S. will lead the world again in innovation across the board,” President Joe Biden said. “I truly believe this country is about to take off.”

The grants invest in technology outside current hubs where the industry is largely concentrated — Austin, Texas; Boston; New York; San Francisco and Seattle. The 31 hubs were chosen out of about 400 applicants, Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo told reporters in a Sunday conference call.

The 31 tech hubs reach Oklahoma, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Montana, Colorado, Illinois, Indiana, Wisconsin, Virginia, New Hampshire, Missouri, Kansas, Maryland, Alabama, Pennsylvania, Delaware, New Jersey, Minnesota, Louisiana, Idaho, Wyoming, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, New York, Nevada, Missouri, Oregon, Vermont, Ohio, Maine, Washington and Puerto Rico.

“I have to say, in my entire career in public service, I have never seen as much interest in any initiative than this one,” Raimondo said on the call. “No matter where I go or who I meet with — CEOs, governors, senators, congresspeople, university presidents — everyone wants to tell me about their application and how excited they are.”

The Regional Technology and Innovation Hub Program, as it’s formally known, ties into President Joe Biden’s economic argument that people should be able to find good jobs where they live, and that opportunity should be spread across the country, rather than be concentrated. The White House has sought to elevate that message and highlight Biden’s related policies as the Democratic president undertakes his 2024 reelection bid.

“These Tech Hubs will catalyze investment in technologies critical to economic growth, national security, and job creation, and will help communities across the country become centers of innovation critical to American competitiveness,” the White House said Monday in an emailed statement to The Associated Press.

Details about the specific grant recipients is found on the U.S. Economic Development Administration website.

The Associated Press contributed reporting.