The number of tech hubs under each category varies — there are three related to various autonomous systems tech, for example, and six related to biotech as it applies to healthcare devices and pharmaceuticals. The hubs are spread throughout the U.S. and include the states of Montana, Rhode Island, Oklahoma, Massachusetts, Colorado, Illinois, Ohio, Wisconsin, Indiana, Virginia, New Hampshire, Missouri, Kansas, Maryland, Alabama, Pennsylvania, Delaware, New Jersey, Louisiana, Idaho, Georgia, South Carolina, New York, Florida, Oregon, Texas, Maine, Washington, and Vermont. Puerto Rico is also home to one tech hub.
Multiple federal agencies will assist the hubs when applicable, including the USDA and the Transportation Department. Gina Raimondo, the U.S. Secretary of Commerce, said, “Each of these consortia will help us ensure the industries of the future — and their good-paying jobs — start, grow, and remain in the United States.” Of note, the program required each entity to apply in hopes of getting the designation, and the 31 were selected from a pool of around 400 applications. The total value of the grants that will go toward these tech hubs will approach $500 million.
