Texoma Tech Hub invited by state, federal officials to court potential tech investors in Taiwan

DALLAS (SMU) – Leaders from the Texoma Semiconductor Tech Hub – a regional consortium charged with growing the regional economy and strengthening U.S. production of semiconductor chips and products – will be sharing their vision with more than 100 attendees from companies and academia in Taiwan, hoping to line up new opportunities for collaboration.  

The SMU-led Texoma Semiconductor Tech Hub was invited by the U.S. Department of Commerce, the American Institute in Taiwan, and Texas Governor Greg Abbott’s office to speak on March 14 to Taiwanese tech investors and partners who have expressed an interest in investing in the United States’ semiconductor industry. 

This event is part of the SelectUSA program led by the U.S. Department of Commerce focusing on facilitating job-creating business investment into the United States and raising awareness of the critical role of economic development. Tech hub consortium members will make remote presentations to the representatives attending the meeting in Hsinchu City, Taiwan.

The meeting of tech investors was organized by the American Institute in Taiwan, a U.S. government-sponsored private, nonprofit corporation.

Taiwan is a major global hub for building these semiconductor chips – the brains behind our “smart” electronics – with companies like the Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) leading the way. An alliance with companies from Taiwan could be a boon for the United States – especially the 29 North Texas and Southern Oklahoma counties which are the focus of Texoma Semiconductor Tech Hub.

One of the key advantages of the Texoma Tech Hub is its strategic location, incorporating the burgeoning North Texas semiconductor industry in Dallas and Sherman, and situated within a few hours' drive of other major tech hubs such as Austin and Oklahoma City. This proximity to major metropolitan areas, combined with the region's lower cost of living and business-friendly environment, makes it an attractive destination for tech companies looking to expand or relocate.

“The semiconductor industry is a major driver for global technological advancement, and the strategic vision of the Texoma Semiconductor Tech Hub for workforce development and commercialization will have regional, national, and global significance,” said Suku Nair, SMU vice provost for research and chief innovation officer and one of the leaders of the Texoma Semiconductor Tech Hub.

“The Texoma region is full of high-tech business opportunities providing a sustainable workforce, resources and innovation environments. The Texoma Semiconductor Tech Hub mission aligns perfectly with SelectUSA to bring jobs and investment to enrich economic growth,” added J.-C. Chiao, a Tech Hub leader who is the Mary and Richard Templeton Centennial Chair and professor of electrical and computer engineering at SMU’s Lyle School of Engineering.

Chiao will make his presentation to the potential Taiwanese investors and company leaders, in both English and Mandarin. A representative from Tech Hub consortium member GlobalWafers America will speak about the company’s experience in building a production facility in Sherman.  which was organized by the American Institute in Taiwan, a U.S. government-sponsored private, nonprofit corporation .  

The Texoma Semiconductor Tech Hub, one of 31 announced across the country in October 2023, applied in February to receive up to $75 million in funding through the CHIPS and Science Act. The consortium of more than 50 members from private industry, local governments, colleges and universities, tribal communities, workforce development and nonprofit organizations expects to hear this summer if they have been approved for the U.S. Department of Commerce funding. 

The Texoma Semiconductor Tech Hub is the only Tech Hub designation in Texas. 

Under the leadership of the SMU Office of Research and Innovation, The Texoma Tech Hub was organized by Nair; Jennifer Dworak, professor and associate chair of electrical and computer engineering at Lyle; Scott Douglas, professor of electrical and computer engineering at Lyle; Chiao; David Griffith, professor of business administration at Austin College; Steve Guengerich, associate vice president of innovation and commercialization at UT Dallas and Brian Post, senior director of advanced technology initiatives for the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma. 

More information about the program and a full list of consortium members can be found at TexomaTechHub.org.

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