Rep. Tom Reed (R-NY) recently procured $500,000 in federal funding through the Economic Development Administration’s i6 Challenge to assist the his home state’s regional ceramics manufacturing industry in boosting innovation and further develop current projects.
“This funding award recognizes the role that manufacturing is playing in our district and across New York State,” Reed said. “Having just recently toured a facility affiliated with the Ceramics Corridor, I have seen firsthand the potential for innovation of new manufacturing technology and creating good-paying jobs right here in our backyard. I sincerely care about fostering an economic environment here that creates these jobs and will continue to push for worthy projects like this.”
The funding will bridge the Ceramics Corridor to Cornell University, Corning Incorporated and Binghamton University to encourage the expansion of regional industry startups while maintaining Reed’s Revitalize American Manufacturing and Innovation Act.
“I am really delighted to hear that the Southern Tier Startup Alliance (formerly known as the Southern Tier Innovation Hot Spot) will be a recipient of the EDA i6 award,” Executive Director of IncubatorWorks Ceramic Corridor Innovation Center Alan Rae said. “This builds on the really strong foundation we have built over the past year between Corning, Binghamton and Cornell, and will greatly increase the resources available to startups and small hardware manufacturing businesses in the region.”