Traditionally celebrated for idyllic landscapes and artisanal products, Vermont is now pioneering a shift toward high-tech innovation. The transformation is centered around the burgeoning Vermont Gallium Nitride Tech Hub (V-GaN), spearheaded by Essex Junction’s GlobalFoundries who, no big deal, produces chips used in nearly 80% of smartphones worldwide. Chip design is taking place at the University of Vermont in Burlington and there’s a new testing lab at OnLogic in South Burlington. The initiative has the full weight of the state and federal government behind it. It’s supported by a CHIPS Act investment to the tune of a cool $1.5 Billion, which will reshape the Greater Burlington Area’s economic landscape and introduce a future built on advanced tech and community growth.
What is Gallium Nitride? It’s kind of like the superhero version of silicon, which appears in the chips of all kinds of familiar gadgets. It offers better performance in a smaller package. From fast-charging adapters to electric car components to renewable energy systems, Gallium Nitride is going to revolutionize the way we power our world. By extension, Vermont is a pivotal player in the global narrative, with GlobalFoundries now poised to be the leader in mass production of GaN right here in our backyard.
Doug Merrill, regional innovation officer at the University of Vermont, further underscores this point expressing “The V-GaN Tech Hub will leverage the advancements in Gallium Nitride being made by GlobalFoundries to build a development environment that will create a powerful force attracting organizations designing high-power and high-frequency electronics to our region.”
Governor Phil Scott celebrated the future economic vitality of the state in an April 9, 2024 press release, saying “This Tech Hub designation will expand Vermont’s tech sector and introduce new and lucrative career opportunities for Vermonters.” Vermont's early adoption of GaN tech accelerates a wider economic ripple effect, elevating the state's profile as a technology leader and generating downstream demand in real estate, professional services, and secondary industries. This means more jobs, higher incomes, and a more diverse, stable, and resilient economy.
The development of a Tech Hub in Vermont forecasts a vibrant expansion of the community, as well, promising to infuse new energy, perspectives, and families into the area, drawn by the idea of performing exciting, groundbreaking work in a community that values quality of life.
For current residents, and those contemplating making this region their home, the Tech Hub designation signals an opportunity to help shape a future where Vermont is synonymous with innovation, sustainability, and community. And still, the evolution from maple syrup to microchips is not just about creating jobs or leading in technology. It’s about redefining what it means to be a community in the modern world. It’s a story of collaboration and a forward-thinking spirit. It’s about revealing that our greatest strength may actually be our bifurcated nature; we’re a little bit country, a little bit rock ‘n’ roll; we’re at once rooted in tradition while steeped in innovation; we’re surrounded by nature and exploding with technology. It’s about nurturing an ecosystem where people can thrive, not just in their careers but in their lives, surrounded by a Vermont that demonstrates it is as richly layered as its landscapes.
Vermont strides into the future as a model for how rural areas can flourish in the digital age. Governor Phil Scott encapsulated this vision, stating “My Administration is standing by to help V-GaN anyway it can.” He continued, “The Vermont Agency of Commerce and Community Development and Vermont Department of Labor are working closely with the University of Vermont, the Vermont State Colleges, and GlobalFoundries to support V-GaN and to help it thrive.” The state's initiatives, from the Vermont Employment Services' focus on recruitment and retention to a substantial $4.5 million grant for training at GlobalFoundries, underscore Vermont’s course to be not only a witness to technological advancement but a key player shaping it.
