Federal legislation would create innovation hubs

U.S. Rep. Susan Wild (D-PA) recently introduced legislation in the U.S. House of Representatives seeking to create regional innovation hubs.

The bipartisan Regional Innovation Act of 2021 would incentivize collaborative partnerships between private industry, colleges and universities, local governments, nonprofit organizations, and community organizations that promote and support regional technology hubs. It would direct the secretary of commerce to issue grants and awards.

The legislation’s goals are to enable leadership in technology and innovation sectors; support regional economic development and resilience; promote the benefits of technology development and innovation; conduct ongoing research, evaluation, analysis, and dissemination of best practices; improve market readiness, industry maturation, and overall commercialization; and
ensure hubs address emerging technologies and either regional challenges or national challenges.

“By fostering public-private partnerships that harness the wells of talent in communities like mine, we can create regional innovation hubs that promote national competitiveness while creating good-paying jobs,” Wild said. “This legislation isn’t just bipartisan, it’s commonsense – every corner of our country stands to gain by incentivizing the type of collaborative economic development that will ensure American resilience from the Silicon Valley to the Lehigh Valley.”

Rep. Jim Baird (R-IN) co-introduced the bill.

Wild is a House Science, Space, and Technology Committee member.