By Casey Smith
Indiana Capital Chronicle
INDIANAPOLIS — The soon-to-come Silicon Crossroads Microelectronics Commons Hub, led by the Indiana-based Applied Research Institute, was one of eight regional innovation hubs funded by the Department of Defense on Wednesday to help increase the production of semiconductor technologies and microelectronics.
Gov. Eric Holcomb said the $32.9 million award will support microelectronics production and development in Indiana and across the Midwest.
He said, too, that the Naval Surface Warfare Center — located at Crane, Indiana — already plays a “significant role” in the Department of Defense’s microelectronics strategy to boost the country’s microelectronics production and development and will administer the program.
“Located in America’s heartland, Silicone Crossroads builds on the Midwest’s strengths in research and development as well as workforce training at all levels, to build a domestic semiconductor industry, a national security imperative to keep our nation ahead of our adversaries,” Holcomb said.
He added that Illinois and Michigan joined Indiana in the effort, “along with stakeholders including academia, small business, federal labs, and prime defense contractors.”
The awards announced on Wednesday totaled $240 million and were the first to be distributed by the federal government.
Funds come from the recently-enacted CHIPS and Science Act, championed by Republican U.S. Sen. Todd Young. The $52 billion incentive package seeks to boost domestic semiconductor manufacturing and research in the United States.
Young and the Indiana congressional delegation previously sent a letter of support for Indiana’s Applied Research Institute’s submission.
“Today’s announcement is the first major CHIPS and Science Act funding decision for our country, and the selection of the Silicon Crossroads Microelectronics Commons Hub shows that Hoosiers are leading the way,” Young said in a statement Wednesday.
“As we collectively work to grow the nation’s microelectronics base, Indiana will play a key role in the development of these critical national security technologies and capabilities. More broadly, this announcement shows how the CHIPS and Science Act will connect more of America, including the industrial Midwest, to the innovation economy. This is an exciting day for all who partnered on this effort across Indiana.”
Wednesday’s awards will help to build eight regional innovation hubs through a new Microelectronics Commons initiative.
U.S. Deputy Defense Secretary Kathleen Hicks said hubs will receive between $15 million and $40 million. Each location will focus on areas like electromagnetic warfare, secure computing, artificial intelligence hardware, 5G and 6G wireless, and other technologies.
Other hubs to be launched are located in New York, Arizona, North Carolina, Ohio, California and Massachusetts.
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The Indiana Capital Chronicle is an independent, nonprofit news organization dedicated to giving Hoosiers a comprehensive look inside state government, policy and elections. The site combines daily coverage with in-depth scrutiny, political awareness and insightful commentary.
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