U.S. Senator Chuck Schumer announced Monday that Buffalo, Rochester and Syracuse were awarded a Federal Tech Hub designation.

The New York Smart I Corridor Tech Hub designation means it will be eligible for money to manufacture semiconductor microchips. The funding could reach up to $75 million if chosen by the federal government to receive the maximum amount. That decision will be made in early spring.

The chips are used in cars, appliances and in the growing field of artificial intelligence.

Schumer said he likes the region's chances.

About a year ago, Micron announced it was investing $100 billion to manufacture chips in the Syracuse area. Schumer said that decision was pivotal in looping that area into joint application with Rochester and Buffalo.

In Central New York, Schumer spoke at East Syracuse’s SAAB Inc., a manufacturer of radar systems for the U.S. military. In addition to their contribution to national security interests, Schumer touted SAAB as an early example of a company that saw the potential in Central New York long after companies like Carrier left the region.

Micron’s plant in Central New York is expected to create 50,000 jobs, with about 9,000 of them at the plant itself. Micron CEO Sanjay Mehrotra said the rest will be those supporting industry jobs that are part of the semiconductor supply chain.

Local officials, as well as Micron reps, hope the designation will attract even more of those support industries and not just in Syracuse but in Buffalo and Rochester, as well.

He said Micron already has a partnership in the works with Linde, an industrial gas supplier in Western New York, and Edwards Vacuum, a semiconductor supply chain manufacturer, that has announced plans to build a plant in Genesee County.

Rob Simpson, president and CEO of CenterState, said the success of the program depends on economic drivers across the corridor working together, and from that partnership he hopes to see more of these companies come to New York state.

“We expect hundreds of businesses are going to find their way to Central New York because of Micron’s historic investment, and we’re excited to partner with other communities along the Thruway, not just in support of Micron’s investment, but leveraging that investment in a world-leading position in semiconductor manufacturing,” he said.

He said he hopes collaboration will extend from the Mohawk Valley all the way to through the Finger Lakes and Western New York.

Construction on the plant is expected to heat up next year, and the hope is the support industries will ramp up ahead of production beginning in 2027.