People walk through HP’s Corvallis campus in this provided photo taken in March 2024. The hub houses a silicon microfluidics fabrication facility that helps advance semiconductor innovation.
KARL MAASDAM / Karl Maasdam
Oregon’s semiconductor industry is receiving what could be a critical lifeline in its effort to grow and stabilize in the state.
A statewide initiative called the Frontiers of Advanced Semiconductor Technology, or FAST, has been awarded a U.S. National Science Foundation Regional Innovation Engines grant of up to $160 million over the next 10 years.
Oregon’s FAST effort is one of 12 tech and innovation-based programs across the country that received the grants, which the NSF officially announced Tuesday morning.
The FAST initiative includes close to 100 partners, including state government entities, higher education institutions, workforce and economic development agencies, tech companies and community organizations.
Oregon State University is leading the statewide effort.
State leaders backing the project, which went through a competitive process that took four years, say the federal boost will help accelerate the state’s semiconductor ecosystem and place Oregon at the forefront of technology innovation.
“I firmly believe that Oregon will shape the future of the semiconductor industry,” said Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek at a press conference announcing the grant Tuesday.
“With our combination of technical expertise, manufacturing experience, world-class research institutions, and our commitment to sustainable innovation, we are positioned to lead this industry for decades to come.”
These federal engine grants are an outgrowth of 2022’s CHIPS and Science Act. That law authorized close to $280 billion in spending to revitalize semiconductor manufacturing and other scientific research in the U.S.
Semiconductor chips are used in everyday electronic devices from personal phones and LED light bulbs to complex medical devices, industrial machines and electric vehicles.
Some of the world’s largest semiconductor manufacturers and researchers have a big presence in Oregon, like Intel, Lam Research, ASML and Nvidia. But in recent years Intel – one of the state’s largest private employers – has been shedding workers, laying off more than 3,000 employees last year.
The state’s manufacturing sector, which includes semiconductor jobs, has been shrinking overall. In the last year, Oregon has lost more than 8,000 manufacturing jobs. A recent report commissioned by Business Oregon raised further concerns about the long-term health of the industry. The federal grant gives confidence to industry leaders looking to elevate the state’s role in the tech sector.
“Oregon’s position as a semiconductor leader was built through decades of sustained innovation and partnership,” said Intel Chief Technology Officer Pushkar Ranade in a statement. Intel is among the project’s core partners.
In this provided photo taken in June 2025, Oregon State University engineering professor Josh Gess (left) and faculty research associate Alec Nordlund (right) work on a system to cool servers by immersing them in dielectric oil.
KARL MAASDAM / Karl Maasdam
“The next generation of breakthroughs will require continued investment across the full technology ecosystem—from research and workforce development to manufacturing,” Ranade said. “Oregon State University’s leadership in convening industry, academic, and government partners through FAST is helping strengthen that ecosystem and accelerate innovation at scale.”
Funding from the federal grant will go toward FAST’s three priority areas: semiconductor innovation research; supporting and growing tech startups; and streamlining career pathways and job training for the sector.
Although the state has fallen behind other states’ recent semiconductor manufacturing boom, FAST’s interim CEO Rob Stone said the project is more than a short-term boost for Oregon’s technology industry.
“It’s about people and creating opportunities for students, researchers, entrepreneurs, and workers across the region,” Stone said. “It’s also about ensuring that more Oregonians can participate in one of the world’s most important industries.”
Although the state initiative is receiving the grant, the full $160 million is not a given. To continue to receive funding going forward, the projects need to prove that their industry-boosting ideas are improving their region’s economy and tech sectors.
All federal grantees, including the FAST project, are set to pocket $15 million in the first two years of the award. Projects that are able to demonstrate progress after that initial period are then eligible to receive up to the full grant amount in the upcoming years.
Kyra Buckley contributed to this story.
Correction: An earlier version of this story included a photo caption that misidentified the name of HP’s facility and who was walking inside of it.
