Baldwin Calls on Biden Administration to Bring Tech Hub to Wisconsin

WISCONSIN – Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) called on the Biden administration to bring a Regional Technology and Innovation Hub (Tech Hub) to Wisconsin to help grow the state’s biohealth sector – spurring innovation, growing our economy, and boosting American competitiveness in this cutting-edge industry. Earlier this month, a consortium of 15 public and private partners organized by the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC) submitted Wisconsin’s application for a Tech Hub to bolster the state as a leader in personalized medicine and biohealth technology.

“With a rich history of innovation, backed by world-class research institutions, a robust Made in Wisconsin manufacturing economy, and the necessary pipeline of new talent to continue growing for the future, Wisconsin is poised to become a growth center in this cutting-edge industry,” wrote Senator Baldwin in a letter to Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo. “A Regional Tech Hub in Wisconsin would allow for the continued advancement of our state’s biohealth sector, representing increased opportunities for collaboration and innovation among key stakeholders – including educational institutions, biohealth companies, precision manufacturers, and investors – throughout the state.”

Senator Baldwin voted to create the Tech Hubs program in the CHIPS and Science Act and helped secure $500 million in funding in the FY2023 budget. Under the Tech Hubs program, the Economic Development Administration will first designate promising Tech Hubs across the country and award strategy development grants to accelerate the development of future Tech Hubs. From there, EDA will make at least five implementation awards to selected Tech Hubs.

By focusing on biohealth and personal medicine, a Regional Tech Hub in Wisconsin would accelerate growth in this cutting-edge industry in the state, enhance the health and economic well-being of Wisconsinites, and safeguard national security by keeping sensitive biohealth and genomic data in the U.S.

“A Wisconsin Regional Tech Hub would also help to accelerate advances in health care, spur economic growth in our communities, and create good-paying jobs in the process,” wrote Senator Baldwin. “By selecting Wisconsin’s proposal, the Administration has the opportunity to demonstrate support for our domestic gene sequencing industry, help build domestic capacity, and accelerate innovation. Wisconsin stands ready and is uniquely capable of leading the way.”

The letter follows two events that Senator Baldwin hosted in Madison and Milwaukee to highlight Wisconsin’s strong biohealth industry and Tech Hub application. Senator Baldwin first toured the Wisconsin Institutes for Medical Research on the UW-Madison campus to discuss Wisconsin’s cutting-edge research and integral role in the world’s biohealth industry. Senator Baldwin then hosted a roundtable at Rockwell Automation in Milwaukee with business, education, and workforce development leaders to discuss Wisconsin’s unique position to be a growth center and the economic impact of bringing a Tech Hub to Wisconsin.

A full version of this letter is available here and below.

Dear Secretary Raimondo,

I write in strong support of Wisconsin’s application to bring a Regional Technology and Innovation Hub (Tech Hub) to Wisconsin. The Tech Hub program was created through the bipartisan CHIPS and Science Act of 2022 (P.L. 117-167), which I proudly helped to pass as a member of the Senate Commerce Committee, and is administered by the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Economic Development Administration. As a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, I also worked to secure an initial $500 million to fund this program aimed at driving technology and innovation-centric growth and creating good-paying jobs.

Wisconsin’s application comes from a consortium of 15 public and private partners organized by the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation to help bolster Wisconsin’s leadership in personalized medicine and biohealth technology. With a rich history of innovation, backed by world-class research institutions, a robust Made in Wisconsin manufacturing economy, and the necessary pipeline of new talent to continue growing for the future, Wisconsin is poised to become a growth center in this cutting-edge industry.

A Regional Tech Hub in Wisconsin would allow for the continued advancement of our state’s biohealth sector, representing increased opportunities for collaboration and innovation among key stakeholders – including educational institutions, biohealth companies, precision manufacturers, and investors – throughout the state. A Wisconsin Regional Tech Hub would also help to accelerate advances in health care, spur economic growth in our communities, and create good-paying jobs in the process.

The Wisconsin Biohealth Tech Hub is aligned with economic and national security objectives that drove Congress to pass the CHIPS and Science Act and are the focus of the Biden Administration’s Executive Orders that emphasize the importance of advancing biotechnology to revitalize domestic manufacturing. A key aspect of Wisconsin’s proposed focus on personalized medicine is genomic sequencing. The U.S. must foster growth and innovation in this sector domestically for both national security and military readiness. Moreover, we must protect U.S. citizens from having their genetic data exploited by foreign entities. By selecting Wisconsin’s proposal, the Administration has the opportunity to demonstrate support for our domestic gene sequencing industry, help build domestic capacity, and accelerate innovation. Wisconsin stands ready and is uniquely capable of leading the way.

Again, I am proud to support Wisconsin’s application to bring a Regional Tech Hub to the Badger State, and I urge the Department of Commerce to give full and fair consideration to Wisconsin’s proposal. Thank you for your thoughtful consideration of this request.

Sincerely,

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