NEWS: Baldwin Delivers Tech Hub to Wisconsin, $49 Million to Grow Biohealth Economy and Create Jobs

WISCONSIN – Today, U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin announced that Wisconsin has officially been selected as a Tech Hub and is receiving $49 million to grow the state’s personalized medicine and biohealth sector – advancing research and innovation, growing our economy and creating jobs, and boosting American competitiveness in a cutting-edge industry. The coveted designation will allow Wisconsin’s consortium of 18 public and private partners to boost research and expand lab space, increase coordination and collaboration, invest in workforce development and alignment, improve access to capital to start and grow businesses, and further build out the personalized medicine and biohealth technology sector. Personalized medicine is a medical approach that tailors prevention and treatment to the individual characteristics of each patient, including using genetic makeup, medical history, and environmental and lifestyle information to improve patient outcomes. 

“Today’s announcement is proof of what we as Wisconsinites have long known: We have world-class universities, a second-to-none workforce, and a thriving private sector that will drive the next wave of American innovation. Make no mistake, this investment in the Badger State will create and support thousands of good paying jobs, grow our Made in Wisconsin economy, and revolutionize health care as we know it – helping people get the care they need earlier and faster,” said Senator Baldwin. “Today’s announcement recognizes our state’s rich history of innovation and manufacturing and doubles down on our state’s potential to be a major player in the next chapter of an up-and-coming industry.”

“From Microsoft’s $3.3 billion investment in an AI datacenter in Mount Pleasant to Thermo Fisher Scientific’s $58 million expansion in Middleton, we’re positioning Wisconsin as a national leader in innovative industries as we work to build the economy we need to meet the demands of the 21st century,” said Governor Tony Evers. “I’m grateful to President Biden, U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin, and our federal partners for seeing the potential and promise in Wisconsin’s biotech industry and working tirelessly to help us secure these critical investments to accelerate research, grow our workforce and economy, and continue building a multi-billion-dollar industry that supports tens of thousands of jobs across our state.”

“The Phase 2 award is a pivotal opportunity for Wisconsin to demonstrate the breadth of our biohealth industry and the strength of our statewide manufacturing capabilities,” said Lisa Johnson, CEO of BioForward Wisconsin. “In Wisconsin, we excel at both innovation and execution. This EDA tech hub initiative will enable us to contribute significantly to the EDA’s goals of enhancing economic and national security, as well as maintaining our competitive edge on a global scale.”

“Today’s announcement is a win for Wisconsin,” said WEDC Secretary and CEO Missy Hughes. “This award recognizes the groundbreaking potential that the collaboration between Madison and Milwaukee, between our educational institutions, our start-ups and advanced manufacturing leaders, and our world-class health care providers offers to the people of Wisconsin and to the future of patient care around the world. We are grateful to EDA and to Senator Baldwin that the consortium WEDC has assembled will now have the resources to continue its vital work.”

Over the first 10 years, the Tech Hub designation is projected to create more than 30,000 jobs in the personalized medicine sector and over 111,000 indirect jobs attributable to the Tech Hub in Wisconsin. Additionally, the Tech Hub is projected to create $9 billion worth of economic development in Wisconsin within the first decade.

Today, Wisconsin was one of 12 Tech Hub applicants awarded a Phase 2 Implementation Grant under the U.S. Economic Development Administration’s (EDA) Regional Technology and Innovation Hubs (Tech Hubs) program. To apply for this funding, projects first had to earn a Phase I Planning Grant – which Wisconsin was one of 31 projects selected for in October 2023. The competitive program saw more than 370 applications from 49 states and four territories.

As a member of the Commerce Committee, Senator Baldwin helped write and create the Tech Hub program in the CHIPS and Science Act of 2022 and has advocated for Wisconsin’s Tech Hub and investing in the Badger State’s growing personalized medicine and biohealth technology industry every step of the way. Senator Baldwin has supported Wisconsin’s application to be selected as a Tech Hub, including:

• January 2022: Senator Baldwin voted to pass the CHIPS and Science Act, successfully including $500 million for the Tech Hub program to help the United States develop new technology, create jobs, and expand innovation, a provision modeled off a Brookings Institute report that identified Wisconsin as a top destination for a regional hub.
• March 2023: In a letter to the EDA, Senator Baldwin urged the Department of Commerce to select Wisconsin to house one of the Tech Hubs.
• August 2023: Senator Baldwin advocated for Wisconsin’s application to the Tech Hubs program, highlighting the state’s potential to be on the cutting edge of the biotech and personalized medicine sector. Senator Baldwin also hosted events in Madison and Milwaukee to call on the Biden Administration to bring a Tech Hub to the Badger State.
• September 2023: Senator Baldwin again called on the Biden Administration to select Wisconsin for a planning grant to advance a Biohealth Tech Hub.
• October 2023: Senator Baldwin announced Wisconsin was selected as one of 31 Tech Hubs nationwide and awarded a $350,000 planning grant to execute its Biohealth Tech Hub strategy, advancing Wisconsin onto Phase II to compete for an implementation grant, which was awarded today. Senator Baldwin also rallied support from local and state partners to demonstrate Wisconsin’s commitment to bringing a Tech Hub to the state.
• February 2024: Senator Baldwin called on the Biden Administration to support the Wisconsin Biohealth Tech Hub’s application for implementation funding for the state.
• June 2024: Senator Baldwin met privately with U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo to make a final pitch for Wisconsin to be selected for implementation of its Biohealth Tech Hub.

The Wisconsin Biohealth Tech Hub Consortium members include the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC), the University of Wisconsin System Administration, the University of Wisconsin-Madison, GE HealthCare, Rockwell Automation, Exact Sciences Corporation, BioForward Wisconsin, Employ Milwaukee, Accuray, Plexus, WRTP Big Step, Milwaukee Area Technical College, Madison Area Technical College, the Madison Regional Economic Partnership (MadREP), Milwaukee7, Medical College of Wisconsin, Forward BIOLABS, and University Research Park.

More information about the EDA’s Tech Hubs program is available here.

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