Vermont secures $24 million for GaN chip innovation

Vermont has bagged a USD 23.7 million federal investment in the Vermont Gallium Nitride (V-GaN) Tech Hub. The funding, awarded by the US Economic Development Administration, is expected to drive semiconductor design, manufacturing and workforce development in the state.

Led by the University of Vermont (UVM), the semiconductor manufacturer GlobalFoundries and the state of Vermont, the V-GaN Tech Hub is part of a nationwide system of 31 tech hubs being developed to encourage a domestic supply chain in critical sectors like quantum technology, autonomous systems, energy, biotechnology and semiconductors, according to a report by Govtech.com.  

“The global demand for GaN and related semiconductor solutions is rapidly increasing, and we are determined to meet that demand,” Kirk Dombrowski, UVM vice president for research and economic development, said. “GaN not only holds promise for a wide range of applications in the technology space, it also provides an opportunity for V-GaN Tech Hub members to make northern New England the global leader in that space.”

The funding will support three key initiatives to build infrastructure and training programs to advance GaN development in the state, the report said.

A new Advanced Design Computing Center will provide startups with affordable access to semiconductor design tools. A new Test and Characterization Lab will be open to the public and housed at OnLogic, an industrial computer company in South Burlington. On the human infrastructure side, UVM’s Professional and Continuing Education division will create K-12 initiatives to foster interest in GaN technologies.  

UVM is already working with the Vermont State University System, Community College of Vermont, the state’s military college Norwich University and the Vermont Manufacturing Extension Center, which partners with manufacturing businesses to help them meet their goals. The tech hub is expected to train 500 new employees and engage 6,000 K-12 students in the next five years, according to a media release.  

“Vermont’s new Tech Hub will benefit generations of researchers, tech innovators, and manufacturing leaders,” said Senator Peter Welch. “With this new funding, we’ll enter 2025 celebrating jobs, innovation, and the advancement of the bipartisan CHIPS and Science Act’s mission of bolstering our nation’s supply chain and onshoring manufacturing, right here in Vermont.”

“GlobalFoundries is excited that the V-GaN Tech Hub has received implementation funding from the US government. Thanks to our Congressional Delegation along with the Department of Science, the CHIPS and Science Act is fostering innovation and investment and will be pivotal in bringing new essential chip technologies, like GaN on silicon, to market,” said Ken McAvey, Vice President and General Manager of GlobalFoundries Vermont.