The Albany Gazette - With Statewide Initiative, FuzeHub Advances Bid to Establish Upstate New York as Next-Generation Microelectronics Manufacturing Hub

ALBANY, NY / ACCESS Newswire / June 24, 2025 / FuzeHub, a leading nonprofit organization dedicated to assisting New York State manufacturers and technology companies, and a robust coalition of industry, academic and government partners have announced a strategic commitment through their collaborative Upstate Makes initiative to further explore the power of glass as an innovative advanced material to strengthen the U.S. microelectronics industry. This collaborative endeavor-a key element of FuzeHub's proposal for the National Science Foundation's Regional Innovation Engines Competition (NSF Engines)-aims to make Upstate New York a next-generation microelectronics manufacturing hub.

Last year, FuzeHub-led Upstate Makes was awarded $1 million through the Regional Innovation Engines Development Awards to cultivate new partnerships and nurture the state's materials innovation ecosystem. Empire State Development's Division of Science, Technology and Innovation (NYSTAR) furthered the impact of the NSF award with a $200,000 matching grant. Over the last year, Upstate Makes has expanded its project partners and gained significant validation from industry and academic leaders across New York State.

With Upstate Makes' new strategic commitment and the region's historic strength in glass production, Upstate New York is uniquely equipped to deliver new innovations in glass for microelectronics manufacturing-which will directly contribute to America's manufacturing competitiveness and national defense.

"For more than a decade, we've seen glass discussed as a replacement material - and now, with leading-edge design, 6G wireless, and the demands of AI, it's more important than ever to focus on investing in glass packaging in the semiconductor industry," said FuzeHub Executive Director Elena Garuc. "Our region is uniquely positioned to make this vision of a world-renowned next-gen microelectronics manufacturing hub a reality, and we're confident in our decision to focus on glass in our next steps for the Upstate Makes initiative."

Last month, FuzeHub submitted its refined and expanded Upstate Makes proposal for the NSF Engines funding program. It was one of just 71 teams across the U.S. that was asked to submit a proposal-which could secure significant federal funding for the Upstate region.

Upstate Makes Partner Commitments, Vision for Glass Innovation Hub

The Upstate Makes coalition has grown to over 60 partners, ranging from materials science research labs and semiconductor industry leaders to entrepreneurial support centers and workforce development organizations. Spread across five metro areas in Upstate New York, this collection of partners will continue to pursue new innovations to strengthen U.S. microelectronics manufacturing and develop the workforce necessary for jobs in the industry. A list of contributing partners is available at upstatemakes.org/partners.

As part of its strategic initiatives, Upstate Makes is spearheading the development of a glass innovation and training hub in Upstate New York. This hub will offer a one-stop solution for industry partners, equipped with high-volume manufacturing (HVM) tools and infrastructure that support collaborative R&D and packaging innovation as well as workforce training. By fostering cross-sector partnerships and providing access to advanced manufacturing capabilities, the center aims to significantly reduce the time and cost of bringing new glass packaging technologies to market.

"Upstate New York is truly one of the only regions in the world with the capabilities and resources to achieve the vision outlined in the Upstate Makes proposal," said Nicholas Fahrenkopf, NY CREATES Director and Technical Director of the Northeast Regional Defense Technology Hub (NORDTECH). NORDTECH is an Upstate Makes partner and a designated U.S. Microelectronics Commons hub. "With the potential to leverage federal investment through programs like NSF Engines, Upstate Makes can drive our region's microelectronics industry forward, strengthen American manufacturing, and bolster our national security."

Supporting National Security, Manufacturing Competitiveness

The Upstate Makes initiative is also advancing efforts to contribute to national defense. For example, the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) has multiple critical applications for high-performance chips-ranging from fighter jet control systems to intelligence data analysis-where glass is an ideal solution to minimize power loss and improve semiconductor speed. The expertise in glass and microelectronics from Menlo Micro, Mosaic Microsystems and other industry partners can specifically foster this type of innovation.

Further, Griffiss Institute will create experiential learning programs for college and post-doctoral students that provide pathways to obtain security clearances and prepare them to contribute directly to Department of Defense applications. These programs reflect Griffiss Institute's commitment to developing national security talent through nontraditional STEM education and real-world engagement. As a Partnership Intermediary Agreement (PIA) holder with the Air Force Research Laboratory Information Directorate (AFRL), Griffiss Institute also brings unique access to plan and support the transition of dual-use technologies, such as those in the emerging areas.

"Menlo Micro's glass-based device, developed largely in Upstate New York, is addressing key RF, power and defense applications," said Aric Shorey, VP of Glass Technologies and Government Affairs at Menlo Micro. "We are part of the high-performance computing and AI supply chain and addressing several applications important to National Defense. There is significant potential to expand through advanced glass packaging that can be accelerated through initiatives driven by Upstate Makes."

"Domestically and sustainably, sourced glass has the potential to become an economic and technological runway for U.S.-based microsystems packaging in both commercial and defense applications," added Jeff Fitzgerald, Technology Development Manager at FAST Labs™ BAE Systems, Inc.

June 25 Event: Global Leadership in Next-Gen, Glass-Based Microelectronics

Upstate Makes is leading an online event on Wednesday, June 25, to dive deeper into New York State's unique capabilities and the collaborative efforts underway to establish global leadership in next-generation, glass-based microelectronics. To register, visit upstatemakes.org/glass-leadership-webinar/.

To learn more about how to get involved, visit upstatemakes.org.

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 our custom assessment, matching, and referral platform, we help 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.

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SOURCE: FuzeHub

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(D.Lewis--TAG)