Rochester, Buffalo, and Syracuse recognized as tech hub in nationwide competition

ROCHESTER, N.Y. — Rochester, Buffalo, and Syracuse have been recognized as a tech hub, allowing the region to compete for potentially billions in federal funding for manufacturing semiconductors and more.

The announcement came on Monday morning from Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer’s office. The tri-city region is now among the 31 tech hubs nationwide recognized for their innovation, beating out hundreds of other regions that applied.

The federal CHIPS & Science Bill created the regional tech hub program as a way to bring back industries such as semiconductor manufacturing that have moved overseas. The bill includes an $10 billion authorization for tech hubs for workforce training, innovation, and manufacturing.

Western and Central New York will now be able to compete for between $50 and $75 million that will go to five to 10 designated tech hubs during the next round of competition.

Schumer said the tech hub designation will help to combine the assets of Rochester, Buffalo, and Syracuse to turn semiconductor and microelectronics manufacturing into a globally-recognized industry. In the Syracuse area, the microchip manufacturer Micron is investing $100 billion to build a series of massive manufacturing plants and to hire 9,000 people over the next decade.

A consortium of local industries, universities, and workforce training organizations will help to develop the region into a hub for innovation. That consortium includes semiconductor manufacturers and supply chain business like Micron and L3Harris. It also includes research institutions including the University of Rochester, Rochester Institute of Technology, Monroe Community College, Syracuse University, Cornell University, and University of Buffalo.