Central Montana Times

U.S. Senator Steve Daines today announced that following the passage of his bipartisan “Endless Frontier Act,” Montana secured $41 million in funding for the Montana Headwaters Hub, led by Accelerate Montana. The “Endless Frontier Act” aims to position Montana at the forefront of technological innovation.

“Montana is leading the country in tech innovation, which will help us win the race against China, create good-paying jobs here at home and further boost our economy,” said Daines. “From optics and photonics to quantum computing, I am grateful to help advance Montana’s ability to contribute even further to the important research, development, and jobs that will help strengthen our national security and help the country stay competitive globally.”

Following Daines’ efforts, Montana was selected out of 198 applicants to receive one of 31 new Tech Hub designations. The Headwaters Regional Technology and Innovation Hub will leverage existing companies and infrastructure in Missoula, Bozeman, and surrounding areas to develop and deploy smart photonic sensing systems and autonomous systems to address critical defense, resource management, and disaster prevention needs.

Montana is already home to leading photonics companies, and this designation is expected to further spur economic development and cutting-edge technologies. Daines emphasized his commitment to ensuring this bill benefits Montana programs like the MonArk Quantum Foundry at Montana State University.

To learn more about how this bill will impact Montana, listen to Dean of College of Letters and Science and Director of the MonArk Quantum Foundry Dr. Yves Idzerda, MonArk Quantum Foundry Associate Director and Associate Professor Nick Borys, and Montana Instruments founder Luke Mauritsen.

Senator Daines led efforts for Montana’s Tech Hub designation by sending a letter to the Economic Development Administration (EDA) encouraging them to select Montana. The “Endless Frontier Act” was signed into law as part of the “Chips and Science Act.” Senator Daines was the only member of the Montana delegation to sponsor this legislation.