The White House announced that it will endorse 31 technology hubs as part of the government's effort to raise American competitiveness in the technology sector.
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White House to Supercharge its Tech Industry
The Tech Hubs Program has a goal of strengthening U.S. economic and national security by investing in regions that have the potential to become globally competitive in terms of technology. The U.S. President Joe Biden announced the designation of the inaugural 31 tech hubs.
According to the U.S. Economic Development Administration, a tech hub designation is "a strong endorsement of a region's plan to supercharge a critical technology ecosystem and become a global leader over the next decade." The hubs will be competing for $40 million to $75 million each in grants as per the White House.
Moreover, the hubs are intended to focus on a wide range of technological areas. These include quantum computing, artificial intelligence, biotechnology, clean energy, and medicine. Commerce secretary Gina Raimondo also stated that the designations will reflect the diversity of the country.
White House Plans for Economic Growth
Aside from technological competitiveness, the hubs will serve a purpose for economic growth by providing national security and creating jobs within the communities. The hubs are situated in 32 states and Puerto Rico. These areas include tribal governments, coal communities, and states with smaller populations.
Raimondo proudly shared that the designations "will be a widely recognized indicator of each region's potential for rapid economic growth on the basis of their technological strength, and we believe will make it even more attractive to private investment and job creation."
For years, only a few cities were able to show competitiveness in the tech industry. The White House sees the hubs as an opportunity to present the "full diversity of America" citing that it is time to extend the economic growth and opportunity to other areas.
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