BUFFALO, NY (WKBW) — The Queen City has won a prestigious federal Tech Hub designation to bring major semiconductor manufacturing to the region.
This designation was awarded regionally to Buffalo-Rochester and Syracuse.
U.S. Senator Charles Schumer appeared in Buffalo Monday saying this lays the groundwork to attract new companies to the region.
@SenSchumer @RepBrianHiggins announcing Buffalo-Rochester-Syracuse has been chosen as the first ‘tech-hub’ that could lead to substantial federal funding to become a superconductor site. @markpoloncarz @WKBW pic.twitter.com/r1XAwaaIrQ
— Eileen Buckley (@eileenwkbw) October 23, 2023
“Today is really a landmark,” declared Senator Schumer. “Starting tomorrow, new tech companies that are looking for a place to locate are going to start looking right here in Western New York.”
Schumer appeared at Buffalo Manufacturing Works in the city on Northland Avenue to announce Buffalo-Rochester and Syracuse are now the first federal "Tech Hubs" putting our region on track to become a semiconductor highway.
“There's no greater national spotlight,” noted Schumer.
The regions worked as a state-wide team, touting its important resources such as cheap water and low-cost electricity.
“We have good resources, but no one ever paid attention. They would just look at Los Angeles, San Francisco, and New York now that we are our Tech Hub and doing one of the best — companies look here,” remarked Schumer.
Schumer says thanks to his Chips and Science Bill, Buffalo-Rochester and Syracuse won this prestigious tech hub designation — one of only 31 regions nationwide to receive it, now called NY SMART 1-Corrdior.
“We resolved in the Chips and Science Act that we just didn't want to see San Francisco and Los Angeles and Boston and New York City get all these new tech jobs that for the good of America, they should be spread around and there were so many places that were being ignored, but most of all here in Western New York and Upstate New York because we had we everything,” replied Schumer.
“And I am super excited because in New York State sometimes we are forced to compete regionally and this time we got to compete together to really make a difference,” commented Dottie Gallagher, president & CEO, Buffalo Niagara Partnership.
“This is a good get, this is a good get,” repeated Congressman Brian Higgins. “And this will fundamentally change the economy of not only Buffalo, but Rochester and Syracuse as well."
The CEO of Micron. a major producer of memory chips is already investing $100 billion to build in Syracuse.
Micron’s CEO touted the new regional Tech Hub.
“So, this is really moving the needle in terms of bringing manufacturing — leading-edge semiconductor manufacturing — most positioned manufacturing that exists out there to this region,” Sanjay Mehrotra, CEO, Micron.
Each of the three cities is now on its way to compete for $75 million apiece.
But even if that can't secure the funding in this next application process having that tech hub designation is fully beneficial.
“Even if it doesn't come through, the fact that we are a ‘tech hub’ is going to help businesses locate here and that's very important to,” Schumer explained.
“But even if we don't get it just the designation is short of the cache and reputation that comes from that -- will still be very beneficial to attracting talent and more innovation and industry to our community,” responded Christina Orsi, president, The John R. Oshei Foundation.
Schumer said the next part of the application process would award the funding to five to ten bids and that funding could be announced by March of 2024.
7 News senior reporter Michael Wooten also took a deeper dive into what this designation could mean for Western New York in the future, which you can find below.
