Buffalo-Rochester-Syracuse tech hub awarded $40M federal investment

ROCHESTER, N.Y. (WROC) — The Buffalo-Rochester-Syracuse area tech hub was awarded $40 million for Upstate New York’s goal of becoming a semiconductor superhighway.

The “NY SMART I-Corridor Tech Hub” is one of 12 Tech Hub winners nationwide. The investment will be used to build out key areas to strengthen Upstate NY as the epicenter of the US’s “semiconductor future.”

The investment will be used to accomplish goals such as strengthening the workforce training program at Monroe Community College, closing gaps in the supply chain, making it easier for local firms to grow in the semiconductor industry, and helping small and minority-owned businesses access commercialization resources.

“With this major investment, the Feds are shining a national spotlight, and confirming what I have long known, that America’s semiconductor future runs through the heart of Upstate NY along the I-90 corridor,” Senator Chuck Schumer said in a statement. “From the fields near Syracuse that will become Micron’s massive mega-fab to the cutting-edge research labs in Rochester and workers learning these manufacturing skills in Buffalo, this award helps connect the region to seize this once-in-a-generation opportunity and establish Upstate NY as the heart of America’s semiconductor industry.

The region won a Tech Hub designation in October 2023, beating out hundreds of other applicants to become one of 31 regions to receive the designation. Experts say this funding could transform the region into a globally-recognized semiconductor manufacturing hub.

Earlier this year, GlobalFoundries provided $1.5 billion to expand production in New York and Vermont. The company intends to put the money towards a new chip factory in Malta, New York.