NY SMART I-Corridor Wins Federal Tech Hub Designation

President Biden and Senate Majority Leader Schumer announced that the NY SMART I-Corridor, comprised of partners in Syracuse, Rochester, Buffalo and Ithaca, has been designated as federal Tech Hubs by the Economic Development Administration. With this announcement, the consortium is now a finalist to compete for up to $75 million in federal funding to support workforce development, innovation, and supply chain activities in the semiconductor and related smart systems industry. 

“The NY SMART I-Corridor Tech Hubs designation offers an historic, unparalleled chance to drive growth and expand economic opportunities for all of our residents from Buffalo to Syracuse and beyond. Securing this highly competitive award is an acknowledgement by the federal government of the leading-edge nature of the corridor’s combined assets and cements this region’s place within the global semiconductor industry," CenterState CEO President Rob Simpson said. "Building on our historic manufacturing prowess and expertise in microelectronics, sensing and optics, the NY SMART I-Corridor will make outsized contributions to national security and American competitiveness.  As the federal Tech Hubs program was authorized under the Chips and Science Act, it’s important to recognize Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer for his steadfast leadership, vison and partnership that has brought yet another major opportunity to New York state. This designation is just the beginning of our work with our partners in Rochester and Buffalo and I am excited to bear witness to all that we are bound to achieve together.”

With this designation, the NY SMART I-Corridor is one of just 31 consortiums that gets to access to one of the largest investment in basic research and development the federal government has made since World War II. Millions in federal funding will come to Central New York as we deal with some of the challenges that we know are on the horizon.  

Read More:

• White House Tech Hubs Fact Sheet
• Sen. Schumer Press Release
• The New York Times
• Syracuse.com
• Local SYR
• CNY Central
• Spectrum News
• CNY Business Journal
• Urban CNY
• WSYR
• WRVO
• WXXI
• Democrat & Chronicle
• Buffalo News
• Finger Lakes Daily News