Great article but one element of the Chips and Science Act that is often overlooked is the Microelectronics Commons. This initiative was funded to create a network of regional technology Hubs acting on a shared mission: to expand the nation’s global leadership in microelectronics. The Microelectronics Commons program is accelerating domestic prototyping and growing a pipeline of U.S.-based semiconductor talent. The initial DoD project funding was $269M for 33 technical multi-year projects across 8 regional hubs that transition emerging proof of concept semiconductor devices into scalable manufacturing solutions across the dual use focus areas of 5G/6G technology, AI hardware, Electronic Warfare, Secure Edge/IoT computing, Quantum technology and emerging devices also know as Commercial Leap Ahead. Each project includes funding for workforce development around each Hub & project. Hubs include the Northeast Microelectronics Coalition, Silicon Crossroads Microelectronics Commons, California Defense Ready Electronics and Microdevices Superhub, Commercial Leap Ahead for Wide Bandgap Semiconductors Hub, Southwest Advanced Prototyping Hub, Midwest Microelectronics Consortium Hub, Northeast Regional Defense Technology Hub, and California-Pacific-Northwest AI Hardware Hub. For example, the Midwest Microelectronics Consortium has over 450 member companies focused on National Security through Semiconductor Innovations from the Heartland. While for good reasons all the ink is spilled on the high $ investments, there is actually important work going on to rebuild the microelectronics ecosystem so we have a sustainable industry going forward. - Paul Colestock, Dir of Commercial Innovation at Midwest Microelectronics Consortium.
Great article but one element of the Chips and Science Act that is often overlooked is the Microelectronics Commons. This initiative was funded to create a network of regional technology Hubs acting on a shared mission: to expand the nation’s global leadership in microelectronics. The Microelectronics Commons program is accelerating domestic prototyping and growing a pipeline of U.S.-based semiconductor talent. The initial DoD project funding was $269M for 33 technical multi-year projects across 8 regional hubs that transition emerging proof of concept semiconductor devices into scalable manufacturing solutions across the dual use focus areas of 5G/6G technology, AI hardware, Electronic Warfare, Secure Edge/IoT computing, Quantum technology and emerging devices also know as Commercial Leap Ahead. Each project includes funding for workforce development around each Hub & project. Hubs include the Northeast Microelectronics Coalition, Silicon Crossroads Microelectronics Commons, California Defense Ready Electronics and Microdevices Superhub, Commercial Leap Ahead for Wide Bandgap Semiconductors Hub, Southwest Advanced Prototyping Hub, Midwest Microelectronics Consortium Hub, Northeast Regional Defense Technology Hub, and California-Pacific-Northwest AI Hardware Hub. For example, the Midwest Microelectronics Consortium has over 450 member companies focused on National Security through Semiconductor Innovations from the Heartland. While for good reasons all the ink is spilled on the high $ investments, there is actually important work going on to rebuild the microelectronics ecosystem so we have a sustainable industry going forward. - Paul Colestock, Dir of Commercial Innovation at Midwest Microelectronics Consortium.