Binghamton wins federal tech hub designation for battery research, manufacturing

VESTAL, N.Y. — Binghamton University’s New Energy New York (NENY) project has secured a federal tech hub designation, which was created in the CHIPS & Science Act.

U.S. Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer (D–N.Y.) announced the designation on Monday, which came on the same day that he announced a tech-hub designation for the Buffalo-Rochester-Syracuse corridor.

Schumer’s office sees the Binghamton designation as “accelerating the Southern Tier’s emergence as America’s next battery tech hub.”

“The Tech Hub designation will allow NENY to strengthen its efforts focused on U.S. supply chains, attracting startups and companies to the region, creating good-paying jobs, and expanding workforce training programs,” Per Stromhaug, associate VP of innovation and economic development at Binghamton University and, said in a Schumer news release. “These efforts are made possible with the expansion of the NENY’s coalition to a 68-member private-public consortium including Binghamton University, Cornell University, SUNY Broome Community College, Broome County, NY-BEST, iM3NY, The Raymond Corporation, The Agency, The Community Foundation of SCNY and the Southern Tier 8 Regional Board, among other supporting partners and external mission-aligned organizations.”

Stromhaug is also serving as head of the NENY tech hub consortium.

Schumer’s office cited Binghamton University as indicating the effort is projected to have billions of dollars in regional economic impact and create thousands of good-paying jobs.

Chance to pursue “significant” funding

Binghamton is now part of a group of 31 regions in the U.S. that have the opportunity to compete for “significant” federal funding to “transform Upstate NY into the core of America’s battery belt,” Schumer’s office said.

“For months you could feel the electricity and excitement in Binghamton over the growing battery industry, but today lightning has struck and I am proud to announce the region has officially won the prestigious federal designation as America’s next battery Tech Hub,” Schumer said. “Binghamton University, its partners, and I have worked hand-in-hand to bring this idea to life, and now the ultimate recognition of the Southern Tier as the home to the future of our nation’s battery innovation has become a reality.”

The NENY proposal will now be able to compete for tens of millions of dollars in federal funding in phase 2 for an implementation grant from the U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA), which is an agency of the U.S. Department of Commerce.

Binghamton University President Harvey Stenger credited Schumer with helping New Energy New York become the nation’s battery tech hub.

“NENY’s designation as an EDA Tech Hub is a momentous day in the history of the University, the coalition, as well across the Southern Tier of New York,” Stenger said in the Schumer release. “With his designation, Binghamton and the region will only grow as global leaders in energy-storage solutions and will continue to be a driving force working towards a sustainable and secure energy future.”