Reps. Cleaver, Davids Announce Kansas City Has Been Selected as Regional Tech Hub, Opening Door to Massive Federal Grant

(Kansas City, MO) – Today, U.S. Representatives Emanuel Cleaver, II (D-MO) and Sharice Davids (D-KS) announced that the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Economic Development Administration (EDA) has designated the greater Kansas City region as a Regional Technology and Innovation Hub (Tech Hub), one of 31 inaugural Tech Hubs in regions across the country that show potential for rapid growth in key technology sectors. The Tech Hubs program, created under the bipartisan Creating Helpful Incentives to Produce Semiconductors (CHIPS) and Science Act, seeks to ensure that industries of the future—and their quality jobs—are created, grow, and remain in the United States. Designated Tech Hubs are now eligible to apply for the next phase of the Tech Hubs Program that will invest between $40-$75 million.

“With world-class institutions and forward-thinking organizations like BioNexus KC, Kansas City has long been a national leader in healthcare innovation, biomedical research, and biomanufacturing—and today’s announcement is a recognition that the work we’re doing in the region has been noticed at the highest levels of the federal government,” said Congressman Cleaver. “Thanks to this designation, BioNexus KC and organizations throughout the region will have an opportunity to receive up to $75 million in federal funding, attract additional philanthropic and private investment, and expand the development of cutting-edge medicines and life-saving vaccines. And we can do all of that while creating quality jobs and boosting the regional economy.”

"The KC BioHub's designation as a Regional Tech Hub holds immense potential for the Kansas City region and Kansas as a whole. It will help companies, organizations, and academic institutions forge better partnerships to advance cutting-edge research. Critically, this prestigious designation will also create good-paying jobs and ensure the technology of the future is developed in Kansas, not overseas. The local economic growth and new discoveries, particularly in medication development, that we'll see over the coming decade cannot be overstated, and I'm glad to have worked in a bipartisan manner to bring these investments home," said Representative Sharice Davids.

“Tech Hubs designation validates our intentional focus on collaboration and innovation in the KC region and builds upon our strong foundation of excellence in life sciences over the past two decades,” said Dennis Ridenour, President and CEO of BioNexus KC. “With our robust ecosystem, assets, and inclusive approach, the KC region is poised for long-term growth in technology innovation. Along with strengthening our economy, Tech Hubs designation will accelerate our mission to be a global leader in biomanufacturing. Thank you to our 60+ partner organizations that contributed to our regional application, including our civic, community, and congressional leaders who gave their full support. Not only are we home to successful sports teams with an innate ability to host world-class events, but now we’re nationally recognized for our work in life sciences and biomanufacturing.”

“Innovation, cutting-edge research, and creativity can be found in every community across America. Thanks to President Biden’s Investing in America Agenda, the Tech Hubs program is seizing that potential and investing in regional consortia that will boost U.S. manufacturing, create more good-paying jobs and bolster U.S. global competitiveness,” said Deputy Secretary of Commerce Don Graves. “The phase 1 designees and grant recipients reflect the diverse technological industries growing here at home and are symbols of American innovation and opportunity. The Tech Hubs program will provide them tools and resources to drive economic growth across the nation, which Americans will feel for generations to come.”

The Kansas City Inclusive Biologics and Biomanufacturing Tech Hub (KC BioHub), a consortium led by BioNexus KC, will increase domestic production of life-saving vaccines and other preventative technologies by strengthening innovation in animal and human vaccine development. With the largest concentration of animal health and nutrition companies in the world, this Tech Hub will leverage the region’s biotechnology assets and existing vaccine manufacturing facilities, research institutions, and startup ecosystem to enable the U.S. to capture a greater market share of human vaccine development.

KC BioHub was one of 31 Tech Hubs selected from more than 370 applications from regional consortia that include industry, academia, state and local governments, economic development organizations, and labor and workforce partners. The Tech Hubs span regions across 32 states and Puerto Rico and represent a cross section of urban and rural regions.

Last year, Reps. Cleaver and Davids supported the bipartisan CHIPS and Science Act, which aims to bring supply chains back to the United States, encourage innovation, strengthen American manufacturing, and secure the nation’s economic and national security in the decades to come. In August, Reps. Cleaver and Davids called on Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo to support the selection of Kansas City as a Tech Hub.

Additional information on designation of Kansas City as a Tech Hub is available here.

Emanuel Cleaver, II is the U.S. Representative for Missouri's Fifth Congressional District, which includes Kansas City, Independence, Lee's Summit, Raytown, Grandview, Sugar Creek, Greenwood, Blue Springs, North Kansas City, Gladstone, and Claycomo. He is a member of the exclusive House Financial Services Committee and Ranking Member of the House Subcommittee on Housing and Insurance. For more information, please contact Matt Helfant at 202-590-0175 or matthew.helfant@mail.house.gov