$180,000 in grants awarded to projects in the Central New York, Mohawk Valley, Capital Region, Finger Lakes, and Southern Tier Regions
New initiative from FuzeHub aims to strengthen national defense through the advancement of New York’s microelectronics industry
ALBANY, N.Y. — FuzeHub, the statewide New York Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) center, today announced the winners of the New York State Microelectronics Innovation Challenge. Three projects with ties to Cazenovia, Syracuse, Utica, Albany, Rochester and Binghamton, will each receive $60,000 from the Jeff Lawrence Innovation Fund. These grants will support groundbreaking advancements that enhance national defense through developments in the microelectronics industry.
FuzeHub received numerous applications for the funding initiative launched in December 2025. They challenged New York’s innovators to advance New York State’s manufacturing capabilities within the microelectronics industry, either through advancing innovative technologies, or strengthening the microelectronics supply chain within New York State.
The Innovation Challenge focuses on the following areas within microelectronics:
- Electronic components on the micrometer-scale or smaller
- Components and materials necessary for assembling printed circuit boards
- Materials, equipment, and processes necessary for the manufacturing and assembly of the above two categories
“Programs like the Microelectronics Innovation Challenge help bridge the gap between promising ideas and real-world impact,” said Ben Verschueren, Executive Director of Empire State Development’s Division of Science, Technology and Innovation (NYSTAR). “By supporting early-stage research and helping innovators bring new technologies to market, we can advance critical industries like microelectronics while strengthening supply chains, creating high-quality jobs and expanding economic opportunity for New Yorkers.”
For the video announcement, click here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1LZDWf_0YM0
The selected projects will develop a new way to inspect semiconductor materials, smarter testing for electronic components, and rethink how computer chips communicate internally. These projects show how innovation happens at every stage of the technology community. They are:
- The partnership between the Alliance for Manufacturing & Technology of the Southern Tier (AMT) and Pelco Component Technologies (Southern Tier/ Central NY) will help to integrate advanced in-circuit testing technologies to automate the testing and verification of circuit boards. The project is expected to increase throughput by more than 20X, while improving the accuracy of detecting defects in electronic components and improving their overall performance. This will enhance Pelco’s ability to deliver reliable electronic assemblies, and it translates to a more resilient supply chain serving the defense and industrial markets.
- Syracuse University CASE Center and Mosaic Microsystems (Central NY/ Finger Lakes) will demonstrate a breakthrough approach that builds wireless communication directly into glass-based chip systems, allowing chiplets (small modular chip building blocks) to share data more flexibly and reliably than wired connections alone. The work brings together experts in advanced computer hardware and wireless technology at Syracuse University with engineers at Mosaic Microsystems to help enable faster, more resilient electronics for applications like Artificial Intelligence, high-performance computing, and next-generation communication systems, all with substantially reduced manufacturing cost.
- The Research Foundation at SUNY Polytechnic, Electrical and Computer Engineering Department will collaborate with Xallent (Mohawk Valley/ Capital Region) to validate a new inspection technology. This project is focused on developing a non-contact, non-destructive inspection system that uses terahertz radiation, a safe form of electromagnetic energy between microwaves and infrared light, to examine semiconductor materials without the risk of causing damage to them. This will translate to a reduction in waste, and improved component reliability and performance, and should be especially impactful for components with fragile films and post-CMP surfaces where probe damage is especially costly.
“New York State is leading the growth in semiconductor manufacturing,” said Patty Rechberger, Innovation Fund Manager at FuzeHub. “FuzeHub is proud to support collaboration between academic institutions, regional manufacturing extension partnership centers, and manufacturers in order to accelerate innovation and buttress the microelectronics industry.”
The Jeff Lawrence Innovation Fund — which serves as the source of funding for this Innovation Challenge — supports a set of activities designed to spur technology development and commercialization across New York State. Launched in December 2016, the fund is named for Jeff Lawrence, a champion of the New York manufacturing and entrepreneurial communities. Each year, the Innovation Fund provides more than $1 million in direct assistance to the manufacturing, research and development, technology and entrepreneurial ecosystems. To date, the fund has awarded over $11 million in funding to support collaborative projects throughout the state. This Innovation Challenge is made possible through funding and support from Empire State Development’s Division of Science, Technology and Innovation (NYSTAR) and the U.S. Department of Defense Office of Local Defense Community Cooperation (OLDCC) as part of the Defense Manufacturing Community Support Program (DMCSP).
About Jeff Lawrence
During his more than 20 years at the Center for Economic Growth, the Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) affiliate in the Capital Region where he served as executive vice president and MEP Center Director, Jeff Lawrence directed programs of direct assistance to manufacturers and technology companies to increase their competitiveness. He is remembered for being an invaluable and generous mentor to many in the area’s business community and a tireless advocate for manufacturing innovation throughout New York.
About FuzeHub
FuzeHub is a not-for-profit organization that connects New York’s small to medium-sized manufacturing companies to the resources, programs, and expertise they need for technology commercialization, innovation, and business growth. Through a custom assessment, matching, and referral platform, FuzeHub helps companies navigate New York’s robust network of industry experts at Manufacturing Extension Partners centers, universities, economic development organizations, and other providers. FuzeHub is the statewide New York Manufacturing Extension Partnership Program (MEP) center, supported by Empire State Development’s Division of Science, Technology & Innovation. For more information on FuzeHub, visit www.fuzehub.com.
About Empire State Development
Empire State Development is New York’s chief economic development agency, and promotes business growth, job creation, and greater economic opportunity throughout the state. With offices in each of the state’s 10 regions, ESD oversees the Regional Economic Development Councils, supports broadband equity through the ConnectALL office, and is growing the workforce of tomorrow through the Office of Strategic Workforce Development. The agency engages with emerging and next generation industries like clean energy and semiconductor manufacturing looking to grow in New York State, operates a network of assistance centers to help small businesses grow and succeed, and promotes the state’s world class tourism destinations through I LOVE NY. For more information, please visit esd.ny.gov, and connect with ESD on LinkedIn, Facebook, and X.
About U.S. Department of Defense (DOD)
The Department of Defense is America’s largest government agency. With the military tracing its roots back to pre-Revolutionary times, the department has grown and evolved with the nation. Their mission is to provide the military forces needed to deter war and ensure the nation’s security. https://www.defense.gov/