The U.S. Department of Commerce’s Economic Development Administration (EDA) announced today that it plans to award approximately $210 million in implementation grants, ranging between approximately $22 million and $48 million, to six Tech Hub Designees as part of a new round of funding from Congress. In addition, EDA intends to partner with the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) to extend tailored resources and personalized support to Tech Hubs. This builds on the July 2024 announcement of $504 million for 12 Tech Hubs across America, bringing the total to more than $700 million for 18 centers of excellence focused on jobs and industries of the future.

The six latest Hubs selected for implementation grants are among the 31 Tech Hubs designated in October 2023 by President Biden to scale up the production of critical technologies, create jobs in innovative industries, strengthen U.S. economic competitiveness and national security, and accelerate the growth of industries of the future in regions across the United States.

American Aerospace Materials Manufacturing Tech Hub (Washington, Idaho)
Lead Agency: American Aerospace Materials Manufacturing Center
Technology Focus: aerospace materials manufacturing
Estimated Award Amount: $48 million

Corvallis Microfluidics Tech Hub (Oregon)
Lead Agency: Oregon State University
Technology Focus: microfluidics
Estimated Award Amount: $45 million

In July 2024, EDA awarded 12 Tech Hubs Designees with implementation grants that ranged between $19 million and $51 million, totaling $504 million. Designees that did not receive implementation grants were awarded $500,000 Consortium Accelerator Awards to continue implementing their strategies, including the pursuit of additional capital.

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Headwaters Hub (Montana)
Lead Agency: Accelerate Montana  
Technology Focus: smart photonic sensor systems  
Estimated Award Amount: $41 million

Lead Agency: Accelerate Montana

State Served: Montana

Applicant-Defined Region: Missoula and Bozeman MSAs, Kalispell and Butte–Silver Bow μSAs

Core Technology Area: smart photonic sensor systems

Contact: Dr. Tim VanReken ([email protected])

Organizational Link: https://headwaterstechhub.com/

The Headwaters Hub, led by Accelerate Montana, aims to become a global leader in smart, autonomous, photonic remote sensing technologies. This Tech Hub will leverage regional assets—including a concentration of photonics companies and the diverse geographic landscape of western Montana—to integrate remote sensing systems with advances in embedded processors with built-in artificial intelligence and machine learning capabilities. In doing so, the consortium seeks to develop and deploy smart photonic sensing systems coupled with autonomous systems to address critical defense, resource management, and disaster prevention needs.

The Headwaters Hub will help overcome barriers to the advancement and broad adoption of autonomous technologies in critical use areas that are vital to U.S. economic and national security.

In July 2024, EDA recommended this Tech Hub receive grant funding of approximately $41 million to implement five projects, including:

• Supporting final-stage testing of technologies by creating environmentally specific testbeds in rugged terrain, precision agriculture, and roadway settings;
• Building the region’s photonics sector by increasing career opportunities in related fields, utilizing skills-based approaches to train and place workers, and extending on-ramps to Native and rural students across educational levels to access careers in the smart-sensing industry; and
• Expanding infrastructure to design, build, and test micro-integrated photonic devices and systems to expand market opportunities, and bring together commercialization partners to guide this work.

To ensure that the impacts of these projects benefit the entire region, components of the strategy are led by Tribal and two-year colleges, and activities include providing robust wrap-around services for workforce development participants.

Strategy Development Grant Amount: $449,290

Designee Narrative  (PDF) (submitted by the designee in its Phase 2 application package)