BRIDG Hosts Commercial Fab Facilities CHIPS-NOFO Meeting at NeoCity

Collaboration with SCALES to bring fabrication facilities to the Southeast region

 

Kissimmee, Fla., April 14, 2023 – As Florida strengthens its role in providing microelectronics to support the
nation’s domestic supply chain, Osceola County, Florida welcomed partners throughout the state and other regions
to NeoCity this week. The Southeastern Consortium for Assured Leading-Edge Semiconductors (SCALES), a
nonprofit organization that seeks to enable new R&D centers and prototyping facilities in the Southeast region,
partnered with BRIDG, a not-for-profit, public-private partnership specializing in advanced system integration and
packaging, to hold a day-long meeting at NeoCity to prepare for a response to the first CHIPS Notice of Funding
Opportunity (NOFO) focusing on Commercial Fabrication Facilities, due June 2023.

“The time to invest in the expansion of semiconductor manufacturing in Florida has never been more obvious,”
stated Dr. David Arnold, associate chair for faculty affairs and George Kirkland engineering leadership professor at
the University of Florida Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering. “This is a once-in-a-lifetime
opportunity to foster national, state, and regional ecosystem partnerships that will shape the 21st century and impact
generations to come.”

“We were excited to host the SCALES consortium and to be part of the developing discussions surrounding the
CHIPS Act,” stated Osceola County Manager Don Fisher. “We believe NeoCity is perfectly positioned to be the hub
for a CHIPS investment in Advanced Packaging.”

Entities from industry, labs, and academia that can support heterogeneous integration and advanced packaging
fabrication were invited to attend in efforts to bring fabrication facilities to the Southeast region of the country. The
agenda included presentations by several companies, state and local government representatives (including Florida
Secretary of Commerce Laura DiBella), and breakout sessions focused on commercial viability, workforce
development, and broader impacts. The meeting was focused on five major objectives:

• Identify partnership opportunities to create/enhance semiconductor ecosystems in the Southeast.
• Introduce and solidify support from state and regional partners on workforce development.
• Define infrastructure, utility, and transportation needs for growth of the semiconductor industry in Florida.
• Define how to leverage Florida’s leadership in aerospace and defense industries for synergistic growth of
semiconductor manufacturing and advanced packaging.
• Establish U.S. manufacturing leadership.

“It was an honor for BRIDG to host the University of Florida and SCALES event,” stated Jim Vandevere, BRIDG
president. “We hopefully formed an alliance between our NeoCity coalition, regional commercial industry, and higher
learning institutions to support a statewide CHIPS proposal. This monumental effort will galvanize a state and funds
to stimulate growth in workforce development, R&D, and manufacturing in the semiconductor market focused on
advanced packaging throughout Florida. The timing for a unified approach leveraging Osceola County’s vision and
investment to grow a much-needed U.S. capability is now. This is a historical moment, and a united Florida is a
great step forward!”

With the signing of the bipartisan CHIPS and Science Act, the U.S. is making historic investments of more than
$52B to strengthen American manufacturing, supply chains, and national security, while investing in research and
development, science and technology, and the workforce of the future to keep the United States the leader in the
industries of tomorrow. Currently, the U.S. produces only about 10 percent of the world’s supply of semiconductors
and none of the most advanced chips. The CHIPS and Science Act is expected to boost American semiconductor
research, development, and production to ensure the nation’s leadership in technology foundational to everything
from cars and appliances to defense and healthcare.

“As our region leverages federal investments to reshore and expand semiconductor manufacturing capabilities,
having partners from around the state and other regions convene to strategize on the importance of semiconductors
at NeoCity validates BRIDG’s goal to serve as the nation’s hub for advanced packaging,” stated Dr. John Allgair,
BRIDG chief technical officer. “We are very excited to continue growing an advanced packaging ecosystem
together.”

 

About BRIDG
BRIDG is a not-for-profit, public-private partnership specializing in digital, RF, and photonics interposer technology development
coupled with advanced packaging capabilities. As an ITAR-certified and DMEA trust-ready supplier, BRIDG offers R&D expertise
and a 200mm microelectronics fabrication facility geared toward system miniaturization, device integration, hardware security,
and product manufacturing key to aerospace, defense, automotive, telecommunications, medical, and the IoT/AI revolution.
Supported by Osceola County, Florida High Tech Corridor Council, imec, Orlando Economic Partnership, TEL, SUSS, Siemens,
and SkyWater Technology (Center for NeoVation operator), BRIDG provides the physical infrastructure and collaborative
process to connect challenges and opportunities with solutions; “Bridging the Innovation Development Gap” making
commercialization possible. Located at NeoCity BRIDG is centrally located 20 minutes from Orlando International Airport and
within a mile of Florida’s Turnpike. www.GoBRIDG.com

About SCALES
SCALES, the Southeastern Consortium for Assured Leading-Edge Semiconductors, is a non-profit organization that seeks to
enable new R&D centers and prototyping facilities in the Southeast region. SCALES brings together leading experts from
academia, industry, and national labs in the area of advanced semiconductor design and fabrication; advanced packaging and
heterogeneous integration; 2.5D and 3D design; quantum physics; emerging devices and technologies; EDA; test,
characterization and assurance. Although SCALES is primarily focused on the Southeastern region of the US, its broad scope
includes national and economic security, and any organization is welcome to contribute. http://scales-consortium.org/http://scales-consortium.org/

About NeoCity
Following the impacts of the Great Recession, Osceola County decided to make a long-term investment to create a 500-acre
technology district, known as NeoCity to diversify its economy. Since then, Osceola County, and their regional partners, have
invested over $273 million to make NeoCity the hub to Central Florida’s burgeoning semiconductor industry. NeoCity’s anchor
building, the Center for Neovation, (total of 109,000 sq. ft) consisting of a 36,000 square ft. cleanroom, is one of the most
technologically advanced manufacturing research centers in the western hemisphere, home to SkyWater Technology, imec
USA, BRIDG, TEL, and SUSS MicroTech. The Osceola County School District’s NeoCity Academy, located next to the Center
for Neovation, works with SkyWater, BRIDG, and imec USA to provide internships for the high school students to work in the
fab. www.NeoCityFL.com

About Osceola County
Osceola County is the third fastest growing county in the nation. We anticipate the future before it happens, forever pioneers
when it comes to planning communities and economies that work. We are a diverse community of lifelong residents and recent
transplants, third-generation immigrants and new arrivals – all who flourish here because Osceola County brings you closer to
what’s most important. Residents have the opportunity to lead a full life alongside people who share your aspirations for the
future. We excel at turning the most ambitious ideas into reality. People here aren’t just hardworking. They are innovative,
visionary, and entrepreneurial; they are the free-flowing energy that powers every industry in Central Florida. Our legacy is
leading Central Florida by example – you can always count on Osceola to put you in the right place at the right time, so you can
be first to what’s next. www.osceola.org

For further information:
Gloria LeQuang, BRIDG, glequang@gobridg.com
Harry Monkhorst, Electrical and Computer Engineering Department, University of Florida, hmonkhorst@ece.ufl.edu
Mark Pino, Osceola County, mark.pino@osceola.org