SMART USA Institute members can now access funding for collaborative projects advancing digital twin technology

The Semiconductor Manufacturing and Advanced Research with Twins USA Institute (SMART USA) has announced the release of its first member project solicitation, offering $50 million in combined federal and industry funding to advance digital twin technology for U.S. semiconductor manufacturing competitiveness.

This invites SMART USA members to submit collaborative proposals for technical development and validation of digital twins, as well as education and workforce development initiatives. Individual awards range from $500,000 to $20 million for projects lasting up to 24 months.

"This solicitation represents a critical milestone in our mission to revolutionize semiconductor manufacturing through digital twin technology," says Todd Younkin, Executive Director at SMART USA. "By bringing together the best minds from industry and academia, we're accelerating the development of digital twin innovations that will reduce costs, improve yields, and strengthen America's semiconductor supply chain.”

The funding targets five priority areas across technical and workforce development topics:

Technical Focus Areas:

• Using Digital Twins to Optimize Core Semiconductor Manufacturing Processes

• Digital Twins for Advanced Packaging and System Technology Co-Optimization

• Digital Twin Validation Across Semiconductor and/or Packaging Technologies

Education and Workforce Development Areas:

• Democratizing Access to Community Colleges and Workforce Programs

• Establishing Libraries of Educational Content and Training Programs

All proposals must involve collaborative teams of at least three distinct organizations from SMART USA's membership, which includes chip manufacturers, equipment providers, software companies, academic institutions, and workforce development organizations.

"The collaborative requirement ensures that innovations developed through SMART USA will benefit the entire semiconductor ecosystem," says Christopher Ritter, Chief Digital Officer at SMART USA. "We're not just funding individual projects – we're building an interconnected network of digital twin capabilities that will transform how semiconductors are designed and manufactured."

Projects funded through this initiative will contribute to SMART USA's five-year targets, including using digital twins to reduce semiconductor manufacturing costs by more than 35%, improve process development times by 30%, and demonstrate production level digital twins spanning the entire semiconductor value chain.

SMART USA's funding model combines federal dollars from the Department of Commerce's CHIPS Research and Development Office with cash and in kind contributions from industry and academic members.

"SMART USA's model creates unprecedented opportunities for collaboration between organizations that might otherwise compete," says Tymeeka Middleton, Chief Workforce Officer. "Our education and workforce development projects will train the next generation of engineers and technicians needed to support America's growing semiconductor industry."

All technical projects must include educational content development as a core deliverable, ensuring that technological advances are accompanied by corresponding workforce development materials accessible through SMART USA's digital marketplace.

Proposals are due by 11th August. Selected projects are expected to begin in January 2026.