WASHINGTON - President Joe Biden's administration has announced the designation of 31 technology hubs across 32 states and Puerto Rico, aimed at boosting innovation and creating jobs in various industries concentrated in these regions. These efforts are part of the administration's strategy to position the United States as a global leader in critical technologies.

President Biden emphasized the importance of investing in critical technologies such as biotechnology, quantum computing, and advanced manufacturing during his speech. He expressed his belief that these investments will propel the country to lead the world in innovation once again.

Two of these technology hubs are set to be established in Missouri. The Critical Minerals and Materials for Advanced Energy (CM2AE) Tech Hub, headed by the University of Missouri System, aims to position south-central Missouri as a global leader in critical minerals processing. This initiative aims to provide the necessary materials to support battery technology. The second hub, called the Kansas City Inclusive Biologics and Biomanufacturing Tech Hub, will be led by BioNexus KC. This hub intends to establish eastern Kansas and western Missouri as global leaders in biologics and biomanufacturing, with the goal of increasing domestic production of life-saving vaccines and other preventative technologies.

The University of Missouri System's proposal focuses on labor and workforce issues in south-central and southeast Missouri, as well as parts of the St. Louis area. The locations targeted by this proposal include Iron, Ste. Genevieve, and Washington counties.

While a St. Louis-based proposal was not selected to advance, BioSTL, an industry group focused on startups in the life sciences, expressed confidence that the consortium formed to apply would still be an asset to the local community. BioSTL's founding president and CEO, Donn Rubin, mentioned other recent victories for the St. Louis area, such as the Build Back Better Regional Challenge and the National Science Foundation Regional Innovation Engines program.

These tech hubs are a result of a process initiated by the Commerce Department in May to distribute $500 million in grants among various cities. The funding was derived from a $10 billion authorization in last year's CHIPS and Science Act, which aims to stimulate investments in emerging technologies like artificial intelligence, quantum computing, and biotech. The goal is to expand tech investment beyond the traditionally concentrated cities of Austin, Boston, New York, San Francisco, and Seattle and distribute it across the entire nation.

The program, formally known as the Regional Technology and Innovation Hub Program, aligns with President Biden's economic strategy to ensure that good job opportunities are available across the country. The White House views these initiatives as a way to spread economic opportunity and promote Biden's policies as he looks ahead to his 2024 re-election bid.

Apart from Missouri, the 31 tech hubs will be established in Alabama, Colorado, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Montana, New Jersey, New York, Nevada, New Hampshire, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, Wisconsin, Wyoming, and Puerto Rico.

In a related development, President Joe Biden has signed a bipartisan bill amounting to $280 billion aimed at promoting domestic high-tech manufacturing. The legislation serves as a core component of the administration's drive to enhance U.S. competitiveness against China. The bill includes a substantial allocation of $52 billion to strengthen the U.S. computer chip sector and reduce reliance on overseas supply chains for critical technological goods.

With these new initiatives in place, the Biden administration is laying the groundwork for fostering innovation, creating jobs, and bolstering the country's technological capabilities across various states and industries.

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