The Partnership awarded Congressman Soto the 2023 Chips Champion Award for being instrumental in Osceola County’s $50.8 million award through the Build Back Better Regional Challenge.
Washington D.C. — The Orlando Economic Partnership (the Partnership) recognized Congressman Darren Soto (FL-09) with the 2023 Chips Champion Award for his leadership and advocacy for Congress to invest boldly in our nation’s semiconductor manufacturing capacity through funding the CHIPS and Science Act (CHIPS Act) and being instrumental in Osceola County’s securing of $50.8 million through the Build Back Better Regional Challenge.
One of 21 regional coalitions recipient selected from a pool of 529 applicants — and the only Florida— the Osceola County led $50.8 million award, developed in collaboration with BRIDG, the Florida High Tech Corridor, the Osceola Chamber, the Partnership, SkyWater Technology, the University of Central Florida, and Valencia College, establishes the Orlando region, and Osceola County’s NeoCity, at the forefront of our nation’s efforts to secure fractured supply chains and mitigate inflationary pressures through investments in the reshoring of semiconductor research, development, and manufacturing.
We are thrilled to have someone like Darren Soto in our corner advocating and helping us take advantage of federal investment opportunities. We are in a much different position now with semiconductor industry investments which help us spark an industry cluster and overall investment in tech and growth.
Tim Giuliani, the Partnership’s President, and CEO.
The award, presented on Wednesday, April 26 during the Partnership’s annual Washington D.C. Fly-in, celebrates the power of partnerships to strengthen regional assets and the importance of advocating for regional priorities to help us write the next chapter Orlando’s story.
I am honored to accept the 2023 Chips Champion Award from the Orlando Economic Partnership. Central Florida’s continued success through its Build Back Better Regional Challenge award is a testament to our region’s ability to work together and will help address our nation’s microchip shortage, lower costs and boost local high paying jobs.
Congressman Darren Soto (FL-09)
The coalition, dubbed the Prosperity Coalition, was one of 21 regional coalitions selected out of 529 total proposals and was the only proposal focused solely on reshoring domestic semiconductor manufacturing capacity. This win was a direct result of the work conducted during one of our Washington, D.C., Advocacy Fly-In.
“We thank all our partners who joined us and our leaders on the Central Florida Delegation, behind the leadership of Congressman Darren Soto, who worked tirelessly on our behalfto receive $50.8 million from the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Economic Development Administration to develop Central Florida’s semiconductor and microelectronics industry cluster,” Giuliani added.
Giuliani pointed out the importance of working hand-in-hand “with local and regional leaders and elected officials who believed in the power of partnerships and the capacity we have in our region to lead these efforts.”
The Orlando region continues to develop and strengthen regional industry clusters across the country while embracing economic equity, creating good-paying jobs, and enhancing U.S. competitiveness globally.
We are seeing how the funding received from the U.S. Economic Development Administration’s Build Back Better Regional Challenge is already moving pieces to have a compounding ripple effect throughout the economy and positions the region to lead the nation in semiconductor reshoring.
Tim Giuliani, the Partnership’s President, and CEO
The decision by the EDA to invest in Osceola County’s vision for semiconductor manufacturing at NeoCity is a landmark moment for the Orlando region.
This grant was among the first-ever major federal investments in the reshoring of U.S. semiconductor manufacturing, making the Orlando region emerge as a national leader in innovation and advanced manufacturing.
As our federal partners begin the process of allocating funds through the recently passed CHIPS Act, this grant positions our region as an epicenter for federal investment in the reshoring of semiconductor research, development, and manufacturing.
To learn more about NeoCity, visit Orlando.org/neocity. To access the media toolkit, click here.
About The Orlando Economic Partnership
The Orlando Economic Partnership (the Partnership) is the Orlando region’s economic and community development organization that is seizing the moment to advance Broad-based Prosperity® by growing the diversity of the economy and driving investment into the region. The Partnership catalyzes the collaborative ethos of the region to fuel regional leadership and improve the region’s competitiveness. Learn why opportunity in Orlando is Unbelievably Real™ at InvestOrlando.org
