Texas Border Business
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Chairman of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, joined U.S. Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick in announcing that the Texoma Semiconductor Tech Hub has been awarded nearly $24 million in grant funding from the U.S. Department of Commerce through the Economic Development Administration (EDA) FY2025 Disaster Supplemental Grant Program. This program allows disaster-impacted communities across America to pursue projects that support long-term economic recovery, including infrastructure development, workforce development, and industry expansion.
Sen. Cruz said, “Texas is the best place in America to innovate, manufacture, and create jobs. The Lone Star State is a national leader in emerging industries, and semiconductor manufacturing is critical to our economic prosperity and national security. This nearly $24 million federal grant for the Texoma Semiconductor Tech Hub will strengthen American semiconductor production, create Texas jobs, and ensure America remains the global leader in technological innovation. I look forward to continuing to work with SMU and its partners to expand semiconductor manufacturing and create more jobs in Texas.”
Secretary Lutnick said, “President Trump’s leadership is driving companies to invest in American manufacturing. Today’s nearly $24 million in federal funding will advance the production and development of critical technologies and the workforce building them. With $100 million in private investment behind it, Texoma will expand American semiconductor manufacturing.”
BACKGROUND:
The EDA grant is funded through the Disaster Supplemental Grant Program’s Industry Transformation Pathway, which aims to stimulate private-sector investments and align public and private partners around unified, long-term regional economic strategies. The $23,996,830 project, supported by a $6.6 million match from Southern Methodist University (SMU) and surrounding colleges, will strengthen the domestic semiconductor industry by enabling the Texoma Semiconductor Tech Hub to expand its capabilities in critical areas of the semiconductor supply chain, including printed circuit board manufacturing, packaging, testing, and semiconductor-based applications such as drones.
The grant consists of three separate funding plans:
- Commercialization – $4,921,195 for SMU to create a startup accelerator that provides coaching to startup companies, supports prototyping new technologies, and connects technologies with subject matter experts to support development.
- Workforce – $6,096,119 for SMU to provide workforce training in electronic engineering, as well as semiconductor technician certificates and AI upskilling.
- Fablet – $12,979,516 for SMU to rent and outfit a shared space to support semiconductor commercialization, prototyping, job training, and technology demonstration.
The Texoma Semiconductor Tech Hub is led by SMU and 86 partner organizations, including universities, semiconductor companies, workforce organizations, and regional economic development partners across North Texas and southern Oklahoma, and strives to propel the Texas semiconductor industry to the global stage.
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