Indiana tech hub awarded nearly $51 million in federal implementation grant

One of Indiana’s three regional tech hubs will receive more than $50 million in funding to support the implementation of biotech resources.

Heartland BioWorks was designated as a regional tech hub as a part of the CHIPS and Science Act of 2022. Of the 31 designated tech hubs, Heartland BioWorks is one of 12 to receive implementation funding.

The consortium is led by the Applied Research Institute and includes members such as industry leaders like Eli Lilly and Roche Diagnostics, higher education institutions like Indiana University and the University of Notre Dame, and the cities of Fishers and Indianapolis.

ARI said in a news release this funding will allow for further investment in attracting and connecting workers, creating a biomanufacturing training and testing facility, and providing financial and mentorship resources for innovators.

READ MORE: Indiana named a tech hub under federal CHIPS Act in 'major win for Hoosiers'
 

Join the conversation and sign up for the Indiana Two-Way. Text "Indiana" to 765-275-1120. Your comments and questions in response to our weekly text help us find the answers you need on statewide issues.
 

The nonprofit said it is using Heartland BioWorks to bring together “key stakeholders from industry, academia, government and nonprofit sectors to ensure bioproducts invented in America are also made in America.”

U.S. Sen. Todd Young (R-Ind.) has long championed these tech hubs and worked to pass the CHIPS and Science Act of 2022.

In a statement, he said funding for Heartland BioWorks will “solidify Indiana’s place on the global map as the preeminent location for biotech innovation and manufacturing.”

The award is approximately $51 million, though the final amount will be decided in the coming months. It’s part of a $504 million investment from the U.S. Department of Commerce.

Violet is our daily news reporter. Contact her at vcomberwilen@wfyi.org or follow her on Twitter at @ComberWilen.