Collaboration with SCALES to bring fabrication facilities to the Southeast region
Kissimmee, Fla., April 14, 2023 – As Florida strengthens its role in providing microelectronics to support the nation’s domestic supply chain, Osceola County, Florida welcomed partners throughout the state and other regions to NeoCity this week. The Southeastern Consortium for Assured Leading-Edge Semiconductors (SCALES), a nonprofit organization that seeks to enable new R&D centers and prototyping facilities in the Southeast region, partnered with BRIDG, a not-for-profit, public-private partnership specializing in advanced system integration and packaging, to hold a day-long meeting at NeoCity to prepare for a response to the first CHIPS Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) focusing on Commercial Fabrication Facilities, due June 2023.
“The time to invest in the expansion of semiconductor manufacturing in Florida has never been more obvious,” stated Dr. David Arnold, associate chair for faculty affairs and George Kirkland engineering leadership professor at the University of Florida Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering. “This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to foster national, state, and regional ecosystem partnerships that will shape the 21st century and impact generations to come.”
“We were excited to host the SCALES consortium and to be part of the developing discussions surrounding the CHIPS Act,” stated Osceola County Manager Don Fisher. “We believe NeoCity is perfectly positioned to be the hub for a CHIPS investment in Advanced Packaging.”
Entities from industry, labs, and academia that can support heterogeneous integration and advanced packaging fabrication were invited to attend in efforts to bring fabrication facilities to the Southeast region of the country. The agenda included presentations by several companies, state and local government representatives (including Florida Secretary of Commerce Laura DiBella), and breakout sessions focused on commercial viability, workforce development, and broader impacts. The meeting was focused on five major objectives:
- – Identify partnership opportunities to create/enhance semiconductor ecosystems in the Southeast.
- – Introduce and solidify support from state and regional partners on workforce development.
- – Define infrastructure, utility, and transportation needs for growth of the semiconductor industry in Florida.
- – Define how to leverage Florida’s leadership in aerospace and defense industries for synergistic growth of semiconductor manufacturing and advanced packaging.
- – Establish U.S. manufacturing leadership.
“It was an honor for BRIDG to host the University of Florida and SCALES event,” stated Jim Vandevere, BRIDG president. “We hopefully formed an alliance between our NeoCity coalition, regional commercial industry, and higher learning institutions to support a statewide CHIPS proposal. This monumental effort will galvanize a state and funds to stimulate growth in workforce development, R&D, and manufacturing in the semiconductor market focused on advanced packaging throughout Florida. The timing for a unified approach leveraging Osceola County’s vision and investment to grow a much-needed U.S. capability is now. This is a historical moment, and a united Florida is a great step forward!”
With the signing of the bipartisan CHIPS and Science Act, the U.S. is making historic investments of more than $52B to strengthen American manufacturing, supply chains, and national security, while investing in research and development, science and technology, and the workforce of the future to keep the United States the leader in the industries of tomorrow. Currently, the U.S. produces only about 10 percent of the world’s supply of semiconductors and none of the most advanced chips. The CHIPS and Science Act is expected to boost American semiconductor research, development, and production to ensure the nation’s leadership in technology foundational to everything from cars and appliances to defense and healthcare.
With the signing of the bipartisan CHIPS and Science Act, the U.S. is making historic investments of more than $52B to strengthen American manufacturing, supply chains, and national security, while investing in research and development, science and technology, and the workforce of the future to keep the United States the leader in the industries of tomorrow. Currently, the U.S. produces only about 10 percent of the world’s supply of semiconductors and none of the most advanced chips. The CHIPS and Science Act is expected to boost American semiconductor research, development, and production to ensure the nation’s leadership in technology foundational to everything from cars and appliances to defense and healthcare.
# # #
About BRIDG
BRIDG is a not-for-profit, public-private partnership specializing in digital, RF, and photonics interposer technology development coupled with advanced packaging capabilities. As an ITAR-certified and DMEA trust-ready supplier, BRIDG offers R&D expertise and a 200mm microelectronics fabrication facility geared toward system miniaturization, device integration, hardware security, and product manufacturing key to aerospace, defense, automotive, telecommunications, medical, and the IoT/AI revolution. Supported by Osceola County, Florida High Tech Corridor Council, imec, Orlando Economic Partnership, TEL, SUSS, Siemens, and SkyWater Technology (Center for NeoVation operator), BRIDG provides the physical infrastructure and collaborative process to connect challenges and opportunities with solutions; “Bridging the Innovation Development Gap” making commercialization possible. Located at NeoCity BRIDG is centrally located 20 minutes from Orlando International Airport and within a mile of Florida’s Turnpike. GoBRIDG.com
About SCALES
SCALES, the Southeastern Consortium for Assured Leading-Edge Semiconductors, is a non-profit organization that seeks to enable new R&D centers and prototyping facilities in the Southeast region. SCALES brings together leading experts from academia, industry, and national labs in the area of advanced semiconductor design and fabrication; advanced packaging and heterogeneous integration; 2.5D and 3D design; quantum physics; emerging devices and technologies; EDA; test, characterization and assurance. Although SCALES is primarily focused on the Southeastern region of the US, its broad scope includes national and economic security, and any organization is welcome to contribute. http://scales-consortium.org/
About NeoCity
Following the impacts of the Great Recession, Osceola County decided to make a long-term investment to create a 500-acre technology district, known as NeoCity to diversify its economy. Since then, Osceola County, and their regional partners, have invested over $273 million to make NeoCity the hub to Central Florida’s burgeoning semiconductor industry. NeoCity’s anchor building, the Center for Neovation, (total of 109,000 sq. ft) consisting of a 36,000 square ft. cleanroom, is one of the most technologically advanced manufacturing research centers in the western hemisphere, home to SkyWater Technology, imec USA, BRIDG, TEL, and SUSS MicroTech. The Osceola County School District’s NeoCity Academy, located next to the Center for Neovation, works with SkyWater, BRIDG, and imec USA to provide internships for the high school students to work in the fab. www.NeoCityFL.com
About Osceola County
Osceola County is the third fastest growing county in the nation. We anticipate the future before it happens, forever pioneers when it comes to planning communities and economies that work. We are a diverse community of lifelong residents and recent transplants, third-generation immigrants and new arrivals – all who flourish here because Osceola County brings you closer to what’s most important. Residents have the opportunity to lead a full life alongside people who share your aspirations for the future. We excel at turning the most ambitious ideas into reality. People here aren’t just hardworking. They are innovative, visionary, and entrepreneurial; they are the free-flowing energy that powers every industry in Central Florida. Our legacy is leading Central Florida by example – you can always count on Osceola to put you in the right place at the right time, so you can be first to what’s next. www.osceola.org
For further information:
Gloria LeQuang, BRIDG, [email protected]
Harry Monkhorst, Electrical and Computer Engineering Department, University of Florida, [email protected]
Mark Pino, Osceola County, [email protected]