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Industry-University Cooperative Research Centers (IUCRC)

The IUCRC program accelerates the impact of basic research through close relationships between industry innovators, world-class academic teams, and government leaders.

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Research and Development (R&D)

Manufacturing innovation is fostered by research and development of technologies that are aimed at increasing the competitive capability of manufacturing concerns.  Broadly speaking, manufacturing-related R&D encompasses improvements in existing methods or processes, or wholly new processes, machines or systems. 

Highlights

NSF Announces 4 New Engineering Research Centers Focused on Biotechnology, Manufacturing, Robotics and Sustainability

| National Science Foundation (NSF) | Supply Chain, Technology

The U.S. National Science Foundation announced a five-year investment of $104 million, with a potential 10-year investment of up to $208 million, in four new NSF Engineering Research Centers to create technology-powered solutions that benefit the nation for decades to come. The new centers will develop technologies to tackle the carbon challenge, expand physical capabilities, make heating and cooling more sustainable and enable the U.S. supply and manufacturing of natural rubber.

Federal Announcements

CHIPS for America Announces New Proposed $285 Million Award for CHIPS Manufacturing USA Institute for Digital Twins, Headquartered in North Carolina

| Department of Commerce (DOC), Executive Office of the President, National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) | Chips for America, Manufacturing USA | Electronics, Microelectronics, Research and Development (R&D), Semiconductors

The U.S. Department of Commerce and the Semiconductor Research Corporation Manufacturing Consortium Corporation (SRC) are entering negotiations for the Department to provide SRC $285 million to establish and operate a Manufacturing USA institute headquartered in Durham, North Carolina. The new institute, known as SMART USA (Semiconductor Manufacturing and Advanced Research with Twins USA) will focus on efforts to develop, validate, and use digital twins.

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Biden-Harris Administration Announces Preliminary Terms with Wolfspeed to Solidify U.S. Technological Leadership in Silicon Carbide Manufacturing

| Department of Commerce (DOC), Executive Office of the President, National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) | Chips for America | Clean Energy, Research and Development (R&D), Semiconductors, Supply Chain, Technology

The Biden-Harris Administration announced that the U.S. Department of Commerce and Wolfspeed, Inc. have signed a non-binding preliminary memorandum of terms (PMT) to provide up to $750 million in proposed direct funding under the CHIPS and Science Act. The proposed funding would support the construction of a new silicon carbide wafer manufacturing facility in Siler City, North Carolina, helping to secure a reliable domestic supply of the semiconductors.

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Biden-Harris Administration to Invest up to $100 Million to Accelerate R&D and AI Technologies for Sustainable Semiconductor Materials

| Department of Commerce (DOC), Executive Office of the President, National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) | Chips for America | Research and Development (R&D), Semiconductors, Technology

The U.S. Department of Commerce issued a Notice of Intent (NOI) to announce an open competition demonstrating how AI can assist in developing new sustainable semiconductor materials and processes that meet industry needs and can be designed and adopted within five years. CHIPS for America anticipates up to $100 million in funding to award recipients that develop university-led, industry-informed, collaborations about artificial intelligence-powered autonomous experimentation (AI/AE).

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SBA Announces Over $3 Million in Awards to Advance Local Entrepreneurial Ecosystems for STEM, R&D-Focused Small Businesses and Startups

| Small Business Administration (SBA) | Biotechnology, National Security, Research and Development (R&D), Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM), Small and Medium-sized Manufacturers

The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) announced the 2024 Growth Accelerator Fund Competition (GAFC) Stage Two winners. Forty-four accelerator partnerships received between $50,000 and $150,000 each to advance their work supporting small businesses and startups in STEM and research and development across priority areas like national and economic security, domestic manufacturing and production, and sustainability and biotechnology.

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NSF Awards $42.4M in New Grants to Support the Future of Semiconductors

| National Science Foundation (NSF) | Microelectronics, Research and Development (R&D), Semiconductors, Supply Chain, Technology

The U.S. National Science Foundation, in partnership with Ericsson, Intel Corporation, Micron Technology and Samsung, announced $42.4 million in grants for its Future of Semiconductors competition. The investment will fuel research and education across various semiconductor technologies, advancing U.S. leadership in semiconductor research and innovation and addressing challenges, including emerging computing tasks and applications, energy efficiency, performance, manufacturing and supply chains.

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DOD Improves Microelectronics Education and Workforce Training in Indiana

| Department of Defense (DoD) | Industrial Training and Assessment Centers (ITAC), Office of Manufacturing and Energy Supply Chains (MESC) | Clean Energy, Electronics, Microelectronics, Research and Development (R&D), Small and Medium-sized Manufacturers, Workforce

The Department of Defense announced a three-year, $9.5 million award to create and improve microelectronics-focused education training centers in Indiana with non-profit Regional Opportunity Initiatives, Inc. This award was made by the Industrial Base Analysis and Sustainment program through the Cornerstone Other Transaction Agreement, which are overseen by the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Industrial Base Resilience’s Manufacturing Capability Expansion and Investment Program.

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NSF Investing Nearly $8M in EducateAI Awards to Develop Next Generation of Well-Trained AI Workforce

| National Science Foundation (NSF) | Artificial Intelligence, Research and Development (R&D), Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM), Technology, Underserved Communities, Workforce

Artificial Intelligence is transforming research, education, manufacturing and everyday life. To prepare the next generation of talent for a diverse, well-trained AI workforce, the U.S. National Science Foundation directorates for Computer and Information Science and Engineering (CISE) and STEM Education launched the NSF EducateAI initiative. This program aims to make state-of-the-art, inclusive AI educational experiences available nationwide.

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Biden-Harris Administration Announces Preliminary Terms with HP to Support Development and Commercialization of Cutting-Edge Semiconductor Technologies

| Department of Commerce (DOC), Executive Office of the President | Chips for America | Business Operations, Research and Development (R&D)

The Biden-Harris Administration announced that the Department of Commerce and HP Inc. have signed a non-binding preliminary memorandum of terms (PMT) to provide up to $50 million in proposed direct funding under the CHIPS and Science Act. The proposed funding would support the expansion and modernization of HP’s existing facility in Corvallis, Oregon, which is part of the company’s “lab-to-fab” ecosystem in the region.

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Related Programs

  • Bioenergy Technologies Office (BETO)

    The Bioenergy Technologies Office (BETO) within the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) supports the research, development, and demonstration (RD&D) of technologies aimed at mobilizing domestic renewable carbon resources for the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions across the U.S. economy. BETO funds work in collaboration with industry, academia, and DOE national laboratories to develop advanced technologies and innovative solutions to reduce the costs of biofuels. The RD&D supported by BETO and its partners is creating cutting-edge technologies used in the processing of biomass and waste, from harvesting and preprocessing to conversion. BETO is focused on technologies to efficiently convert organic materials and biomass into affordable biofuels and bioproducts. 

  • Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority – Pharmaceutical Countermeasures Infrastructure (PCI)

    A strong, committed partnership between industry and the federal government is vital when responding to a public health emergency. Through the work of its three programs, the Pharmaceutical Countermeasures Infrastructure (PCI) partners with industry to strengthen and enhance the nation’s ability to manufacture, distribute, and administer life-saving vaccines and therapeutics during a public health emergency.

  • Cybersecurity Manufacturing Innovation Institute (CyManII)

    The Cybersecurity Manufacturing Innovation Institute (CyManII), a Manufacturing USA Institute, is an inclusive national research institute with major leading research universities in cybersecurity, smart and energy-efficient manufacturing, and deep expertise in research and development, supply chains, factory automation, and workforce development. Funded by the U.S. Department of Energy, CyManII aggregates the most advanced research institutions in revolutionary manufacturing, securing automation and supply chains, workforce development, and cybersecurity. The research team brings to bear the most powerful expertise and infrastructure needed to ensure the digital transformation that will continue to propel the United States in innovative research in manufacturing for decades.

  • Industrial Efficiency and Decarbonization Office (IEDO)

    The Industrial Efficiency & Decarbonization Office (IEDO) accelerates the innovation and adoption of cost-effective technologies that eliminate industrial greenhouse gas emissions. IEDO provides planning, management, and direction necessary for a balanced national program of research, development, demonstration, technical assistance, and workforce development to drive energy, materials and production efficiency, and decarbonization across the industrial sector. 

  • Industry-University Cooperative Research Centers (IUCRC)

    The Industry–University Cooperative Research Centers (IUCRC) program accelerates the impact of basic research through close relationships between industry innovators, world-class academic teams, and government leaders. The IUCRC program provides a structure for academic researchers to conduct fundamental, pre-competitive research of shared interest to industry and government organizations. These organizations pay membership fees to a consortium so that they can collectively envision and fund research, with at least 90% of member funds allocated to the direct costs of these shared research projects.

  • Institute for Advanced Composites Manufacturing Innovation (IACMI)

    The Institute for Advanced Composites Manufacturing Innovation (IACMI), a Manufacturing USA Institute, is a partnership of industry, academic and governmental organizations joining forces to benefit the nation’s energy and economic security. This is accomplished by bringing low-cost, energy-efficient advanced composites to commercial readiness through the collaborative and innovative work of our members. Researchers at IACMI are working to develop lower-cost, higher-speed, and more efficient manufacturing and recycling processes for advanced composite materials. 

  • Materials Genome Initiative

    The Materials Genome Initiative is a federal multi-agency initiative for discovering, manufacturing, and deploying advanced materials twice as fast and at a fraction of the cost compared to traditional methods. The initiative creates policy, resources, and infrastructure to support U.S. institutions in the adoption of methods for accelerating materials development. 

  • National Biopharmaceutical Manufacturing Preparedness Consortium (BioMap-Consortium)

    The Biopharmaceutical Manufacturing Preparedness Consortium (BioMaP-Consortium) supports the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA) and is comprised of industry partners across the drug and vaccine manufacturing supply chain, including manufacturers of required raw materials and consumables, developers of innovative manufacturing technologies, and suppliers of fill finish services. This consortium seeks to expand the industrial and manufacturing base for medical countermeasures to include the requisite capabilities, flexibilities, and strategies to secure needed medical supplies to meet the nation’s public health preparedness and response requirements.

  • National Nanotechnology Initiative (NNI)

    The National Nanotechnology Initiative (NNI) is a U.S. government research and development (R&D) initiative. Over thirty federal departments, independent agencies, and commissions work together toward the shared vision of a future in which the ability to understand and control matter at the nanoscale leads to ongoing revolutions in technology and industry that benefit society. The NNI enhances interagency coordination of nanotechnology R&D, supports a shared infrastructure, enables leveraging of resources while avoiding duplication, and establishes shared goals, priorities, and strategies that complement agency-specific missions and activities.

  • National Network for Manufacturing Innovation (NNMI)

    The National Network for Manufacturing Innovation (NNMI) is an interagency initiative made up of public-private partnerships devoted to manufacturing excellence. Under the NNMI, each institute will bring together innovative manufacturers, university engineering schools, community colleges, federal agencies, non-profits, and regional and state organizations to invest in unique, but industrially relevant, manufacturing technologies with broad applications. Federal NNMI partners include the U.S. Departments of Energy, Defense, and Commerce, as well as NASA and the National Science Foundation. 

  • Nuclear Energy Enabling Technologies Crosscutting Technology Development

    The Crosscutting Technology Development program awards funding to U.S. industry, U.S. universities, and national laboratories to develop innovative solutions to crosscutting nuclear energy technology challenges. One area of research and development (R&D) emphasis is Advanced Methods for Manufacturing, which conducts R&D to accelerate innovations that reduce the cost and schedule of constructing new nuclear plants, and to make fabrication of nuclear power plant components faster, cheaper, and more reliable.

  • Office of Clean Energy Demonstrations (OCED)

    The Office of Clean Energy Demonstrations (OCED) addresses the critical gap for large-scale demonstration projects, which provide an important bridge from research and development to deployment and market acceptance. OCED's mission is to deliver clean energy demonstration projects at scale in partnership with the private sector to accelerate deployment, market adoption, and the equitable transition to a decarbonized energy system.

  • Office of Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy (EERE)

    The Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE) is working to build a clean energy economy that benefits all Americans. EERE’s mission is to accelerate the research, development, demonstration, and deployment of technologies and solutions to equitably transition America to net-zero greenhouse gas emissions economy-wide

  • PowerAmerica

    PowerAmerica, a Manufacturina USA Institute, connects many of the world’s leading wide bandgap  semiconductor manufacturers and end-users with experts from research universities and government labs. PowerAmerica is a member-driven consortium of industry, academia, and national labs — managed by North Carolina State University and headquartered on its Centennial Campus — accelerating the commercialization of energy-efficient silicon carbide and gallium nitride power semiconductor chips and electronics.

  • Reducing Embodied Energy and Decreasing Emissions (REMADE)

    The Clean Energy Manufacturing Innovation Institute for Reducing Embodied-energy And Decreasing Emissions (REMADE), a Manufacturing USA Institute, focuses on early stage applied research towards innovations that could dramatically reduce the energy required to manufacture key materials and improve overall manufacturing energy efficiency through increased material reuse, recycling, and remanufacturing. REMADE is the only national institute focused entirely on developing innovative technologies to accelerate the U.S.’s transition to a Circular Economy. In partnership with industry, academia, trade organizations, and national laboratories, REMADE enables early-stage applied research and development that will create jobs, dramatically reduce embodied energy and greenhouse gas emissions, and increase the supply and use of recycled materials.

  • Research & Development Consortia

    Research and Development (R&D) consortia bring together manufacturers, small and medium businesses, researchers, and state and local governments to facilitate the creation of innovation ecosystems in high-priority technology areas. The technology areas that R&D consortia specialize in are essential to clean energy manufacturing, industrial efficiency and decarbonization.

  • Solid-State Lighting

    The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Solid-State Lighting (SSL) Program fosters U.S. scientific capabilities, leverages private funds, provides internationally trusted information, and drives innovation to create efficient and flexible lighting products that support health, productivity, and well-being. the Solid-State Lighting Program has acted as a catalyst, bringing together researchers, industry, universities, standards organizations, utilities, energy efficiency programs, building owners, lighting designers, and specifiers to drive SSL technology advances. 

  • Technology-to-Market

    Technology-to-market  activities are designed to accelerate innovative research and development  concepts to become commercially viable and available products. These activities then dovetail with market transformation efforts. Both T2M and market transformation efforts work to increase market feedback and improve the effectiveness of the Building Technologies Office’s investments. 

Related Reports

  • Manufacturing USA Report to Congress: Fiscal Year 2021

    | COVID-19, Research and Development (R&D), Small and Medium-sized Manufacturers, Technology

    In FY 2021, the Manufacturing USA network collaborated across agencies and institutes to share research progress and discuss lessons learned from the COVID-19 pandemic. Under the American Rescue Plan appropriations, NIST-sponsored grant competitions will fund projects to Manufacturing USA institutes to focus on domestic research, development, and testbeds to prevent, prepare for, and respond to coronavirus.

  • Manufacturing USA: Advanced Manufacturing Institutes and Network

    | Research and Development (R&D), Technology

    Congress maintains a strong interest in the health of U.S. manufacturing due to its central role in the U.S. economy and national defense. Manufacturing USA is a network of institutes focused on facilitating the development and commercialization of emerging manufacturing technologies. The existing network consists of 16 institutes sponsored by the Departments of Commerce (DOC), Defense (DOD), and Energy (DOE) and co-funded with private sector partners.

  • Annual Report on U.S. Manufacturing Industry Statistics

    | Research and Development (R&D), Supply Chain, Workforce

    This study was conducted by the Applied Economics Office (AEO) in the Engineering Laboratory (EL) at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). The study provides aggregate manufacturing industry data and industry subsector data to develop a quantitative depiction of the U.S. manufacturing industry.