THE NATIONAL SEMICONDUCTOR 

TECHNOLOGY CENTER

Update to the Community

CHIPS Research and Development Office

November 16, 2022

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INTRODUCTION

The CHIPS for America initiative will invest $50 billion 

to supercharge the U.S. semiconductor industry and 

revitalize our innovation ecosystem. This funding 

includes $11 billion for research and development—the 

focal point of which will be the National Semiconductor 

Technology Center (NSTC), an innovation hub that 

will advance semiconductor technology and seed new 

industries built on the capabilities of a wide range of 

advanced chips.

The NSTC will be a public-private consortium that 

provides a platform where government, industry, 

customers, suppliers, educational institutions, entrepreneurs, workforce representatives, and investors 

converge to address the semiconductor ecosystem’s 

most pressing challenges and opportunities. 

The National 

Semiconductor Technology 

Center (NSTC) will serve as the 

focal point for research and 

engineering throughout the 

semiconductor ecosystem, 

advancing and enabling disruptive 

innovation to provide 

U.S. leadership in the 

industries of the future.

Focal Point

Will have a core of centrally operated, 

in-house research, engineering, and 

program capabilities combined with a 

network of directly funded and 

aliated entities that takes advantage 

of regional expertise and assets 

throughout the country. The NSTC 

also will serve as a key convening 

body for the ecosystem.

Industries of the Future

Will welcome the participation of 

semiconductor users, device makers, 

designers, application and software 

product developers, and other 

market shapers to develop promising 

use cases to bring to 

commercialization.

Disruptive Innovation

Will focus research and 

engineering on challenging 

projects with a time horizon 

beyond 5 years. NSTC will focus 

on delivering broad benefits to 

the U.S. semiconductor 

ecosystem, even when working 

with individual entities. 

U.S. Leadership

Will work with allies to 

complement and 

reinforce existing 

research assets and 

capabilities, while 

strengthening and 

growing U.S. capacity.

Advancing and Enabling

Will engage in and support 

research through collaboration, 

technical exchanges, convenings, 

and grant programs.

Semiconductor Ecosystem

Will work across the semiconductor technical stack and 

its supply chain, including 

design, materials, capital 

equipment, and facilities. The 

NSTC charter also extends to 

the broader community that 

supports and enables the 

industry, such as workforce 

and training institutions, 

capital providers, and 

semiconductor end users.

Research and Engineering

Will work across a range of 

activities including applied 

research, start-up company 

support, prototyping of 

devices and processes in a 

real-world environment, 

challenges related to scaling, 

or development of advanced 

manufacturing tools and 

processes. 

National Semiconductor Technology Center Mission
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Using a whole-of-government approach, and as 

specified by statute,* the NSTC will develop a comprehensive semiconductor research and development 

program that will include research, prototyping capabilities, an investment fund, and workforce development programs.

NSTC STRUCTURE

The NSTC will be a public-private consortium, as 

required by statute. The Department of Commerce 

(the “Department”) anticipates the creation of an 

independent entity with NSTC leadership reporting 

to a governing board informed and advised by industry, academia, government, and key stakeholders. 

The U.S. government is developing further guidance 

regarding the governance structure but anticipates a 

structure that includes public interest directors both 

to ensure that public objectives are met and to provide accountability for spending taxpayer funds.

NSTC DEFINITION PROCESS

To inform the development of the NSTC, the 

Department has conducted and continues to conduct 

significant stakeholder engagement. The Department 

received more than 250 responses to a request for 

information (RFI) that included questions on the 

scope of the NSTC. Responses represented input from 

different sectors of the semiconductor supply chain 

including design software developers; integrated 

device manufacturers; materials suppliers and equipment vendors; fabless, automotive, industrial, and 

consumer companies; and academic institutions and 

organizations representing labor. In alignment with the 

RFI, the Department hosted 26 workshops and listening sessions with different parts of the semiconductor 

value chain. Two workshops specifically focused on 

the NSTC and the National Advanced Packaging and 

Manufacturing Program, drawing a combined 350 

registrants. The Department also is considering the 

recommendations from the President’s Council of 

Advisors on Science and Technology, public reports 

like one recently published by the Semiconductor 

Industry Association, and input from potential partners. The Department will continue to reach out to 

interested members of the community as plans are 

developed. 

* 15 U.S.C. § 4656(c).

At present, the Department is engaged in four 

high-priority tasks:

1. Evaluating potential gaps in research and engineering that could be filled by the NSTC. As part 

of the whole-of-government effort, the NSTC will 

complement the many excellent centers already 

established by industry, academia, allies, and other 

governmental agencies. The Department will create 

a preliminary landscape analysis with the benefit 

of recommendations developed by the CHIPS 

Industrial Advisory Committee. Ultimately, the NSTC 

itself will finalize the focus areas, but this early work 

will inform further decisions.

2. Evaluating and defining a structure and governance 

model that fulfills the CHIPS for America goals of 

promoting U.S. economic and national security and 

protecting taxpayer investments while ensuring 

technical excellence and leadership.

3. Creating a preliminary operating, business, and 

financial model that will serve as a road map for 

near-term investment informed by an understanding 

of what will be required for long-term sustainability.

4. Identifying a slate of candidates for the NSTC chief 

executive. 

The Department will release a white paper in the first 

quarter of 2023 that will summarize the results of the 

landscape analysis, governance structure, and preliminary operating and financial model. At that time, the 

Department will issue guidance on when to expect 

requests for proposals.

CONCLUSION

The Biden-Harris Administration and a bipartisan 

group in Congress made the bold decision to establish 

a new and important public-private consortium that 

will benefit the country for generations to come. The 

Department will invest taxpayer funds deliberately 

and effectively to ensure the greatest potential impact 

for the U.S. economy and national security, and looks 

forward to working with the broader community to 

achieve this objective.