Wisconsin Named One of 31 Regional Tech Hubs; Madison College Plays Key Role

President Biden announced that Wisconsin is among 31 regions designated as a Regional Technology and Innovation Hub (Tech Hub). Madison College was one of 15 public and private consortium members that collaborated to achieve this designation for the state.

The federal program was authorized in the CHIPS and Science Act passed last year. Wisconsin was one of 370 applicants and not only received the Tech Hub designation but was also awarded a $350,000 grant to further refine the regional strategy to drive innovation specifically in the personalized medicine and biohealth technologies.

The designation paves the way for the consortium in Wisconsin to compete for up to $75 million in federal dollars to support innovation.

“Wisconsin’s designation as a Regional Tech Hub is a testament to the strength of our state’s biohealth and personalized medicine industry,” said Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers. “As this sector continues to grow, it will mean more high-paying jobs and economic growth for our state, as well as innovations that will transform the future of medical care for people in Wisconsin and around the world.”

Madison College is poised to support the workforce needs of the Wisconsin innovation economy by delivering programs to train the workers needed to support our growing biohealth industry. These well-paying, high-skilled jobs will require new skill sets and, as the college has done in the past, we will create and support the training programs to ensure a trained and ready talent pool.

“The new Regional Tech Hub designation recognizes Wisconsin’s leadership in innovation and biotechnology and brings with it the promise of high skill jobs,” said Dr. Jack E. Daniels, Madison College president. “At Madison College, we’re looking forward to working with our fellow consortium members to identify workforce needs, and we stand ready to meet these emerging training needs in program areas that will support Wisconsin’s growth as a Regional Tech Hub. This includes developing targeted credentials, as well as technical degrees and diplomas, that lead directly to employability in Wisconsin’s biohealth workforce.”

The 15 public and private partners who make up the Wisconsin Biohealth Tech Hub Consortium that successfully pursued the Regional Tech Hub designation include the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation (WEDC), Madison College, 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, the Madison Regional Economic Partnership (MadREP), and Milwaukee7.

Learn more about the 31 communities across the country selected as Tech Hubs by President Biden and to be administered through the Department of Commerce Economic Development Administration. Read Senator Tammy Baldwin’s press announcement of the designation and subsequent press release sharing praise of the decision from Wisconsin consortium partners, including Madison College’s President Daniels. Read press releases from both Governor Tony Evers and the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation celebrating the designation and what it means to Wisconsin innovation and workforce opportunities.