The Biden-Harris administration, through the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Economic Development Administration (EDA), has announced the designation of 31 tech hubs across the country. This program is part of President Biden’s Investing in America agenda, focusing on driving regional innovation, job creation, and strengthening U.S. competitiveness. These Tech Hubs, spread across 32 states and Puerto Rico, represent a mix of urban and rural regions, and target various industries, including, among other fields, quantum computing, biotechnology, clean energy, semiconductor manufacturing, and critical minerals supply chains. The goal is to foster innovation and economic growth in all regions of the United States. “As each region develops its own strategy to catalyze innovation and job creation, the entire nation grows more secure and more competitive,” Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Economic Development Alejandra Y. Castillo said.
Strengthening critical minerals supply chains is a central part of Biden’s agenda as it provides other fields with the necessary raw materials. This was also the background of a $150 million investment in cost-effective and environmentally friendly processes for producing and processing raw materials domestically, announced earlier this year. Accelerating America’s clean energy transition and regaining leadership in semiconductor manufacturing, two of the primary objectives of the new tech hubs, are only possible with the necessary stocks of raw materials like gallium for photovoltaics or rare earths for wind turbines and electric cars.
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