Young: Tech Hub Announcement “Another Major Win for Hoosiers”

WASHINGTON – Today, U.S. Senator Todd Young (R-Ind.) released the following statement regarding the announcement by the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Economic Development Administration that Indiana-based Heartland BioWorks, a consortium led by the Applied Research Institute, has been designated as a Regional Technology and Innovation Hub (Tech Hub):

“When I authored the Regional Technology and Innovation Hubs program, my goal was to spur more innovation in technologies of the future in places like Indiana, rather than just Silicon Valley and a few coastal cities. Today’s announcement to designate Heartland BioWorks as a Tech Hub is a recognition of Indiana’s leadership in biotechnology and synthetic biology research and manufacturing, and another major win for Hoosiers. This designation could lead to millions in federal investment and will open the floodgates for more private capital in biotech R&D across the state,” said Senator Young.

Senator Young introduced the Tech Hub concept in the Endless Frontier Act of 2020, which eventually became law as a key pillar in the CHIPS and Science Act, signed into law in 2022. 

Today’s designation is the first phase of the Tech Hubs program, which will invest directly in high-potential U.S. regions and aim to transform them into globally competitive innovation centers in specific key technology focus areas outlined in the law. Designation is an endorsement of the region’s strategy to supercharge their respective technology focus area to create jobs and strengthen U.S. economic and national security.

Heartland BioWorks will now compete against other designated hubs for implementation grants of up to $75 million in the coming months. Being chosen as a Tech Hub solidifies Indiana’s position as a leader in biotechnology, medical technology, genomics, and synthetic biology.

Earlier this year, Young led the Indiana congressional delegation in a letter supporting the Heartland BioWorks application. The delegation support letter is available here.

In addition to the Heartland BioWorks designation, a number of other Indiana wins were included in EDA’s Tech Hubs announcement:

• A consortium led by the University of Notre Dame received a strategy development planning grant to further plans for a Midwest Wireless Innovation Hub.
• An Illinois-based consortium for The Bloch: End-to-end Quantum Solutions at Scale received a Tech Hub designation and includes partners in Northwest Indiana.
• A Kentucky-based consortium for the Regional Energy Business, Education, & Commercialization Convergence Accelerator (REBECCA) Energy Strategy Development Consortium was awarded a strategy development grant and includes partners in Indiana.