U.S. Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Economic Development Alejandra Y. Castillo was in Miami Tuesday to announce $19 million in funding for the Tech Hubs program, authorized by the CHIPS and Science Act.
The South Florida ClimateReady Tech Hub, one of 12 across the country, is a consortium led by the Miami-Dade County Office of Innovation and Economic Development. The South Florida Tech Hub aims to advance the region’s global leadership in sustainable and resilient infrastructure while increasing the production and delivery of critical technologies that will strengthen America’s clean energy transition and national security.
“Innovative research that generates cutting-edge technology to solve some of the most pressing problems is why FIU is at the epicenter of the South Florida Climate Resilience Tech Hub’s important infrastructure initiative,” said FIU President Kenneth A. Jessell. “Together with our consortium of South Florida partners, FIU is focused on advancing sustainable and resilient infrastructure innovation by developing, commercializing and scaling technologies focused on climate change adaptation and mitigation.”
Of the $19 million for the South Florida ClimateReady Tech Hub, $10 million will go to FIU for projects that include:
- Development and technological maturation. Accelerate readiness and expand deployment of cement technologies such as those developed by Titan America, FIU’s ultra-high-performance concrete, and CaptureCrete, developed by Carbon Limit. In all cases, these technologies aim to ensure sustainability, reduce concrete emissions, and in some cases, turn concrete into a carbon-absorbing sponge.
- Innovation Center for Climate-Adapted Infrastructure. Over the next five years, the partners will provide infrastructure services and mentoring to at least 60 innovative startups and small businesses. Companies will have access to research and development equipment, manufacturing space, deployment opportunities, production facilities, technology testing and validation, and experts from academia and industry. Additional support will be provided, including market segmentation and access to capital.
- Industry codes and standards. The consortium institutions will provide expertise and input to improve building codes and standards, work on policies to integrate new materials and technologies, and provide regulators with advice on standards to apply and recommendations to streamline the approval process.
Leadership for this resilient infrastructure initiative at FIU will be provided by the Innovative Bridge Technologies University Transportation Center, StartUp FIU and the FIU Extreme Events Institute’s Wall of Wind.
FIU will also help support the workforce development component of the ClimateReady Tech Hub, which received $6 million in funding. This effort, led by Miami Dade College’s Miami Tech Works, will also include Florida Memorial University and local CareerSource offices, to leverage existing community partnerships between employers, educational institutions and community organizations to ensure access to training and employment opportunities for the region’s diverse communities.
Other partners include Titan America, the University of Miami and the Knight Foundation.
In October 2023, the South Florida Climate Resilience Tech Hub was selected as one of 31 designated tech hubs in regions across the country as part of Phase 1 of the new Tech Hubs program, a flagship initiative to advance U.S. leadership in critical technologies and industries. This designation is a strong endorsement of the consortium’s regional plan to invigorate its respective critical technology ecosystem and become a global leader over the next decade.
This funding follows FIU’s recent announcement as one of four premier research universities in the Florida State System, and recent investments from the Department of Commerce announced by FIU and the Florida congressional delegation. These include $9 million to launch an Autonomous Systems Laboratory for Coastal Conservation and $4.05 million to support windstorm research, both supported by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST).
For images of the FIU projects and Tuesday’s announcement, please click here.
