OSCEOLA COUNTY, Fla. — Osceola County’s NeoCity project will receive $15 million in funding over two years from the National Science Foundation, representing another boost to the project as it seeks to become a premier semiconductor research and manufacturing hub.
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The grant is one of 10 being doled out by the federal agency as a result of the Biden administration’s CHIPS act.
The administration made semiconductor technology a priority after the 2020 COVID pandemic created a shortage of high-tech chips, leading to massive price hikes.
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The grant comes with a two-to-one match from sources outside of the agency.
The county and partners in the project, led by a team known as BRIDG, are building out the infrastructure for NeoCity, with the aim of attracting companies that specialize in semiconductor chips’ research and manufacturing – and the high-paying jobs that come with them.
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“In less than a decade, we’ve seen NeoCity right here in Osceola County grow into a major hub for these innovative technologies — creating opportunities for local high-paying jobs, partnerships with global leaders like South Korea, and the discovery of intelligence that will solidify the U.S. as leaders in 21st century technology,” Congressman Darren Soto (D) said in a press release.
The announcement came just a few days after Gov. DeSantis announced he was seeking $80 million in state funding to build a semiconductor-focused branch of the University of Florida at the site to help streamline the pipeline of workers and research available.
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Valencia College recently opened a robotics lab to train new robot and semiconductor technicians for the site.
If the NSF deems its investment in NeoCity a success, the agency said it will be in line to receive a $160 million, 10-year grant.
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