CenterState CEO wins $500K federal grant to help grow semiconductor, drone, and quantum-computing sectors

SYRACUSE, N.Y. — CenterState CEO will use a $500,000 federal grant to develop its proposal to expand the region’s semiconductor industry and the existing unmanned-aircraft systems (UAS) and quantum-computing industries.

The project also involves training workers to enter in-demand fields and making infrastructure updates to White Pine Commerce Park in Clay and Marcy Nanocenter “to attract major employers and their supply chains.”

The projects in this proposal seek to create 5,000 new jobs for the region.

The U.S. Department of Commerce’s Economic Development Administration (EDA) has selected CenterState’s Smart Systems Cluster project as a finalist and phase 1 award recipient for investment through the American Rescue Plan’s (ARPA) Build Back Better Regional Challenge, the office of U.S. Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer (D–N.Y.) announced Monday.

As a finalist, the project will have the exclusive opportunity to compete for up to a $100 million federal award through the EDA to implement the proposed projects, Schumer explained.

The senator calls this federal award “big news” for Central New York and the Mohawk Valley.

“Now, many more will see what I’ve long-known: Central New York has all the right ingredients to be a major national tech and semiconductor hub. This award will provide $500,000 the region to compete for the exclusive next phase of this major national competition, making CenterState Smart Systems Cluster eligible for an up to $100 million federal grant to put the region on the map as a global tech hub, primed for more growth and job creation in industries like semiconductor manufacturing, quantum computing and UAS,” Schumer contended. “This project would make critical investments in infrastructure to get sites like White Pine and the Marcy Nanocenter ready for investment by major employers, promote job training to deliver a topnotch workforce, and transition cutting edge research into new startup companies.”

The Build Back Better Regional Challenge received 529 Phase 1 applications from across the U.S., and CenterState’s Smart Systems Cluster was one of 60 proposals selected as a Phase 1 awardee, Schumer noted. Receiving this award will “shine a national spotlight” on Central New York and the Mohawk Valley as a “rapidly emerging” tech hub in the semiconductor, quantum computing, UAS and other critical tech industries, he added.

“This region is uniquely positioned to accelerate it’s already strong growth trajectory as a smart cities hub through this investment,” Robert Simpson, president & CEO of CenterState CEO, said. “The Build Back Better program will enable us to leverage regional experience in cluster development to scale our support to existing Smart Systems industries and those looking to find growth within our region.”