Governor Kathy Hochul Directs $175 Million for Buffalo and Rochester Advanced Materials Hubs

BUFFALO, N.Y. — Governor Kathy Hochul and Empire State Development (ESD) President, CEO and Commissioner Hope Knight announced on Monday the distribution of $175 million in state economic development capital through the Upstate Revitalization Initiative to construct advanced materials pilot testing cleanrooms, ceramic membrane prototyping lines, and specialized battery characterization facilities across Buffalo and Rochester.

The investment anchors Western New York's position as a national leader in advanced materials and clean technology manufacturing, pairing world-class research universities—including the University at Buffalo, Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT), and the University of Rochester—with high-tech industrial startups at Eastman Business Park and the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus.

Revitalizing Upstate New York's Industrial Innovation Engine Upstate New York possesses a rich manufacturing legacy, abundant zero-emission hydroelectricity from Niagara Falls, and top-tier engineering universities, providing ideal conditions for advanced materials and clean tech hardware startups.

"Western New York and the Finger Lakes are writing the next great chapter in American manufacturing innovation," Governor Hochul said during an announcement in Buffalo. "By investing $175 million in advanced materials cleanrooms and battery prototyping facilities, we are giving our brilliant researchers, startups, and manufacturers the specialized equipment they need to turn laboratory discoveries into commercial products, creating thousands of good-paying high-tech careers and driving economic growth across Upstate New York."

Advanced Materials Facilities Funded The $175 million program includes:

• Buffalo Advanced Materials Prototyping Foundry: $85 million for commercial-grade electron microscopes, laser sintering gantries, and cleanroom prototyping bays.
• Rochester Next-Gen Battery Testing Facility (Eastman Business Park): $60 million for high-voltage battery cell cycling chambers and solid-state electrolyte pilot lines.
• Advanced Materials Workforce Apprenticeship Grants: $30 million providing tuition-free technical certifications for 1,500 local community college students.

University chancellors, startup founders, and building trades labor leaders commended the state awards, highlighting that regional prototyping facilities allow hardware startups to manufacture initial product runs domestically without outsourcing tooling overseas.