​​​​​​​Great American Tech Hubs Tour 2024

Banner for EDA's 2024 Tech Hubs tour

In October 2023, the U.S. Commerce Department’s Economic Development Administration designated 31 Tech Hubs. This summer, we hit the road to visit the Tech Hubs to see their work on the ground. Check back here for highlights of our trips and follow #EDATechHubs on social media.

July 2, 2024 

Secretary Raimondo
U.S. Senator Jacky Rosen, U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo, and Tech Hubs Program Director Eric Smith meet with representatives of the Nevada Tech Hub.

Secretary Gina Raimondo visited the Nevada Tech Hub to announce that 12 Tech Hubs would be awarded a total of $504 million to implement projects, as part of Phase 2 of the Tech Hubs Program. The Nevada Tech Hub received $21 million to help them grow as a national leader in the lithium supply chain and create thousands of jobs. As part of her visit, Secretary Raimondo visited Dragonfly Energy where she toured the facility and got an in-depth look at the company’s manufacturing process. 

Deputy Commerce Secretary Don Graves visited ReGen Valley Tech Hub in Manchester, New Hampshire, to highlight the consortium’s $44 million Tech Hubs award to transform Southern New Hampshire into a global epicenter for the production and distribution of regenerative cells, tissues and organs. Graves spoke at 150 Dow Street, a building that is being retrofitted for biofabrication labs and production space, and participated in a trolley tour. 

Assistant Secretary Alejandra Y. Castillo visited the South Florida ClimateReady Tech Hub to highlight the consortium’s $19 million Tech Hubs award to implement projects that will advance the region’s global leadership in sustainable and resilient infrastructure (SRI) solutions for the global climate crisis. The Assistant Secretary Castillo visited Florida International University, a consortium member that will support the workforce development programs and other Tech Hub projects. 

Local Media Coverage: Nevada Independent, New Hampshire Business Review, Miami Herald 

Press Release 

Photo of U.S. Deputy Secretary of Commerce Don Graves with U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen and representatives of the ReGen Valley Tech Hub in Manchester, New Hampshire.
U.S. Deputy Secretary of Commerce Don Graves visits with U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen and representatives of the ReGen Valley Tech Hub in Manchester, New Hampshire.
Photo of U.S. Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Economic Development Alejandra Y. Castillo with representatives of the South Florida ClimateReady Tech Hub at Florida International University.
U.S. Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Economic Development Alejandra Y. Castillo visits with representatives of the South Florida ClimateReady Tech Hub at Florida International University.

July 18, 2024 

Assistant Secretary Alejandra Y. Castillo visited the American Aerospace Materials Manufacturing Tech Hub in Washington. Led by American Aerospace Materials Manufacturing Center (AAMMC), aims to develop new domestic supply chains to meet the immediate demand for high-rate production of advanced composite aerostructures in defense and commercial markets. 

The Assistant Secretary toured the University of Washington Advanced Composites Center in Seattle. She participated in roundtable discussions with stakeholders and visited consortium member facilities.  

Local Media Coverage: KHQ-TV 

Press Release 

July 25, 2024 

Assistant Secretary Alejandra Y. Castillo joined Illinois Governor JB Pritzker and other leaders to announce the location of the Illinois Quantum & Mircoelectronics Park on Chicago’s South Side. The park’s first tenant will be PsiQuantum, which plans to build the world’s first commercially viable quantum computing. 

The announcement shows continued support for The Bloch Tech Hub in Chicago, which aims to transform the Chicago area from a global leader in quantum research to a global leader in producing quantum products and services solve global challenges with new ways or processing, measuring, and transmitting information.

Local Media Coverage: Chicago Sun-Times 

July 26, 2024 

Deputy Assistant Secretary Cristina Killingsworth visited Oregon’s two Tech Hubs – Corvallis Microfluids Tech Hub and Pacific Northwest Mass Timber Tech Hub.

Photo of Deputy Assistant Secretary for Policy Cristina Killingsworth with representatives from the Corvallis Microfluidics Tech Hub.
Deputy Assistant Secretary for Policy Cristina Killingsworth visits with representatives from the Corvallis Microfluidics Tech Hub.
Photo of Deputy Assistant Secretary for Policy Cristina Killingsworth with representatives from the Corvallis Microfluidics Tech Hub.
Deputy Assistant Secretary for Policy Cristina Killingsworth visits with representatives from the Corvallis Microfluidics Tech Hub.

Check back often for the latest updates. 

Questions? Ideas? Share them with us at [email protected]

Next stops include…

  • Vermont
  • Ohio
  • Missouri
  • Rhode Island