Institute Members Can Access Up to $20 Million for Collaborative Projects Advancing Digital Twin Technology
The Semiconductor Manufacturing and Advanced Research with Twins USA Institute (SMART USA) today 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.
The solicitation, released June 11, 2025, 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,” said Todd Younkin, Executive Director of 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 diverse membership, which includes chip manufacturers, equipment providers, software companies, academic institutions, and workforce development organizations. Members and non-members who are interested in exploring teaming opportunities for proposal submissions are encouraged to attend the SMART USA Summit in Arlington, VA, being held June 26-27, 2025.
“The collaborative requirement ensures that innovations developed through SMART USA will benefit the entire semiconductor ecosystem,” explained 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 solicitation will contribute to SMART USA’s ambitious 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.
The solicitation represents SMART USA’s unique funding model, which 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. This approach ensures both government and private sector investment in advancing critical semiconductor technologies.
“SMART USA’s model creates unprecedented opportunities for collaboration between organizations that might otherwise compete,” said 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 August 11, 2025, at 11:59 PM Eastern Time. Selected projects are expected to begin January 1, 2026. Learn more about joining SMART USA as a member.
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