Bush, Blunt Celebrate St. Louis Tech Triangle Winning $25 Million Federal Build Back Better Regional Challenge
ST. LOUIS, MO — Today, Congresswoman Cori Bush (MO-01), Senator Roy Blunt (R-MO), and Greater St. Louis Inc. celebrate the Department of Commerce’s Economic Development Administration (EDA) naming the St. Louis Tech Triangle as one of 21 “Build Back Better Regional Challenge” winners. The EDA is awarding approximately $25 million in grants to the St. Louis Tech Triangle, led by Greater St. Louis, Inc., to boost biosciences, geospatial, and advanced manufacturing industries. In March, Congresswoman Bush and Senator Blunt teamed up on a bipartisan effort with Reps. Blaine Luetkemeyer (MO-03) and Rodney Davis (IL-13) to support the investment, urging the EDA to move forward with the St. Louis Build Back Better Regional Challenge application.
The $25 million award will be distributed towards several projects that will serve as a national model for inclusive economic growth including AMICSTL, Inclusive Cross-Cluster Economic Development, Preparing Women for Advanced Manufacturing Careers, Advanced Manufacturing Training Academy, Advanced Manufacturing Technology Training Center, Racial Equity in Innovation and Entrepreneurship, and Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient Innovation Center.
The grant will be used to unlock the full potential of the region’s advanced manufacturing cluster, fueling its growth and contributing to the continued development of two of the metro’s next-generation industries: bioscience and geospatial technology. These sectors comprise the St. Louis Regional Tech Triangle, which will grow the regional economy through workforce development, community revitalization, locational equity, and innovation and entrepreneurship—all while embracing economic equity, creating good-paying jobs, and driving US competition globally.
"This groundbreaking funding for the St. Louis Tech Triangle will serve as a national model for inclusive economic growth built on innovative, next-generation technologies," said Congresswoman Bush. "This funding is more than just an investment in technology—it is an investment in people. By funding projects in historically disinvested areas of St. Louis, this grant will boost economic pandemic recovery and help rebuild our communities. I have been proud to work with Greater St. Louis, Inc. and elected leaders like Senator Roy Blunt to secure vital federal funding for our technology sector.”
“This investment will accelerate the St. Louis region’s path toward becoming a national hub for many of the nation’s most innovative and fastest growing industries, from advanced manufacturing, artificial intelligence, and geospatial intelligence to biosciences and agricultural technology,” said Senator Blunt. “I have been proud to work with Greater St. Louis, Inc. and Congresswoman Bush over the past several years to secure federal support for the St. Louis Regional Advanced Manufacturing Innovation Center. This project will bring exciting new opportunities to the area and I look forward to seeing it move forward.”
“One voice with one plan led to a big win for St. Louis,” said Jason Hall, CEO of Greater St. Louis, Inc., which is the formal applicant on behalf of the St. Louis metro, an effort it coordinated and spearheaded with the public-sector St. Louis Economic Development Partnership. “We can’t say this enough: when the St. Louis metro works together and speaks with one voice, we succeed. Working together as a metro is working, and it is how we will win this next decade for St. Louis.”
Link to March letter here
###
Congresswoman Cori Bush sits on the House Judiciary and Oversight Committees, serves as the Progressive Caucus Deputy Whip, and proudly represents St. Louis as a politivist in the halls of the United States Congress