New York State to Chip in $1 Billion for $10-Billion Albany Nanotech Complex

ALBANY—New York Gov. Kathy Hochul announced on Monday a $10-billion partnership with leaders from the semiconductor industry, including Armonk-based IBM, Micron, Applied Materials, Tokyo Electron, and others to establish a next-generation semiconductor research and development center at NY CREATES’ Albany NanoTech Complex here.

The partnership will fund the construction of a cutting-edge High NA Extreme Ultraviolet Lithography Center—the first and only publicly owned High NA EUV Center in North America – that will support the research and development of the world’s most complex and powerful semiconductors. In addition to the transformative investment in New York’s Capital Region, this partnership will make New York State home to the nation's most advanced, publicly owned semiconductor R&D infrastructure, support the long-term growth of New York’s tech economy, and create and retain thousands of direct, indirect, and union construction jobs.

To support the project, New York State is investing $1 billion to expand the Albany NanoTech Complex with the establishment of the High NA EUV Center through the purchase of ASML’s EXE:5200 High NA EUV scanner, as well as the construction of NanoFab Reflection, a new, highly sophisticated building with more than 50,000 square feet of cleanroom space that will encourage future partner growth and support new initiatives like the National Semiconductor Technology Center, National Advanced Packaging Manufacturing Program, and Department of Defense Microelectronics Commons program, the latter of which was recently awarded to New York State. The project will create an estimated peak of 500 to 600 union construction jobs at prevailing wage during the two-year construction phase.

“This $10-billion partnership to bring innovative chips research to the Capital Region should send a message to the entire industry: New York is open for business,” Gov. Hochul said. “From our Green CHIPS legislation to Micron’s historic investment and the creation of GO-SEMI, we’re building the future of semiconductor research right here in New York. This industry is creating real opportunity in our state with major regional investments, countless new jobs, and bold commitments to workforce development and sustainability, and my administration will keep working with elected and industry leaders to make New York a global chipmaking superpower.”

Under this new initiative, NY CREATES will acquire and install a High NA EUV lithography tool, designed and manufactured by ASML, at its Albany NanoTech Complex, where industry partners including Micron, IBM, Applied Materials, Tokyo Electron, and others will use the most advanced semiconductor equipment ever made. Once built, New York’s High NA EUV Center will position the state as a destination for research and development of the innovative chip technology that powers nearly every smartphone, tablet, laptop, and computer server today. The Center will also foster international partnerships as world-renowned research organizations expand their presence here, drawing businesses from around the globe.

The project is critical to further growing NY CREATES’ Albany NanoTech Complex. In addition to creating 50,000 square feet of state-of-the-art cleanroom space at Albany NanoTech, it is anticipated that this investment opens the door to the construction of additional future cleanroom space to enable the projected long-term growth of new and existing collaborations spurred by the High-NA EUV Center and federal initiatives.

In addition, this partnership will significantly enhance New York State’s position as a leading candidate to secure anchor hub status under the federal National Semiconductor Technology Center, a designation with the potential to unlock more than $11 billion in federal CHIPS and Science Act funding.

This project will create at least 700 new direct jobs and retain thousands of jobs, leverage at least $9 billion in private spending and investment, and establish significant commitments to support and build talent development pipelines, including through partnerships with the State University of New York. Partners have committed to either expanding or initiating support for workforce development programming, including investments in SUNY, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, and other public and private workforce development activities; K-12 STEM academic programs; training, internships, and experiential learning to undergraduate and graduate students in engineering and related STEM fields, and academic research partnerships.

NY CREATES and industry partners have also agreed to a range of sustainability commitments throughout the construction and operational phases of the project that are closely aligned with New York’s nation-leading Green CHIPS program, including use of best available technology for greenhouse gas emission reduction; prioritization of renewable energy, with preference for New York sources; and pursuit of minimum Gold LEED status certification for new buildings related to the project. Additionally, partners are committed to integrating sustainability as a primary goal of R&D activities, including sustainable semiconductor manufacturing processes, materials use, waste reuse and reclamation, and fab design. Through this new focus, the High NA EUV Center is positioned to become a global leader in the development of sustainable and climate-friendly semiconductor manufacturing processes and technology.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said, “This is a landmark day for the Capital Region. With this groundbreaking $10 billion public-private partnership, spurred by my CHIPS and Science Act, industry has made it clear: the Albany NanoTech Complex is home to America’s semiconductor R&D future. This historic partnership will bring the most cutting-edge machinery in the world to Upstate NY, helping make discoveries that engineers today cannot even fathom—ensuring the U.S. leads the world in semiconductor innovation and manufacturing and bringing us closer to turning science fiction into reality by producing microchips smaller than a nanometer, right here in the Capital Region.”

Senator Kirsten Gillibrand said, “This investment in Albany NanoTech will reinforce New York’s position as a global leader in semiconductor research and development. This next-generation research and development center will be the only facility of its kind in the Western Hemisphere and will draw in major businesses from around the world, grow the state’s tech economy, and potentially unlock billions in federal investments to the Capital Region. Establishing this new semiconductor center will also bolster our national security, allowing the United States to develop the world’s most complex and powerful semiconductors right at home. I am proud to see this partnership come to life and look forward to continuing to work to make the Capital Region a global leader in semiconductor research and manufacturing.”

The Albany NanoTech Complex, owned and operated by the non-profit New York Center for Research, Economic Advancement, Technology, Engineering, and Science, or NY CREATES, is the most advanced, publicly-owned 300 mm semiconductor R&D facility in North America and has been at the forefront of semiconductor innovation for more than two decades. The site currently totals 1.65 million square feet houses the current generation of EUV lithography equipment, which IBM recently used to produce the world’s first 2 nanometer chip technology—the smallest scale ever developed. The High NA EUV Center will bring the next generation of EUV equipment to Albany NanoTech and firmly establish New York as the epicenter of leading-edge semiconductor R&D.