Gov. Greg Abbott announced a Texas Semiconductor Innovation Fund grant of $19,108,579 to Texas Tech University for a next-generation computing cluster project in Lubbock, according to a Nov. 12 news release from the governor’s office.
According to the release, the project will use a network of interconnected high-performance servers designed to function as a single unified system capable of handling massive, parallel workloads. The governor’s office said the system will transform semiconductor research and development at the university.
“Texas is where higher education research powers real-world innovation,” Abbott said. “Equipped with tools that accelerate learning, the bright minds in our public research institutions like Texas Tech University will advance America’s leadership in semiconductor research and development.”
Texas Tech University President Lawrence Schovanec said the support “will expand our ability to apply advanced computing to challenges that matter to Texas while preparing students to lead in an increasingly technology-driven world.”
Texas Tech Chancellor Brandon Creighton said the grant will bring NVIDIA’s most advanced computing technology to the campus. “We will have the fastest and most powerful computing capability at any public research university in the nation — right here in West Texas,” Creighton said. He added that, together with the Texas Tech Innovation Hub and Reese National Security Complex, the investment will accelerate research, develop the next generation of talent and strengthen national security.
State Sen. Charles Perry said the investment will further strengthen the university’s role in preparing future leaders in science and technology, and state Rep. Carl Tepper called the award “a tremendous win for Texas Tech University, Lubbock, and all of West Texas.”
Abbott signed the Texas CHIPS Act into law in 2023, creating the Texas Semiconductor Innovation Fund, a grant program meant to continue the state’s leadership in semiconductor research, design and manufacturing, along with the Texas Semiconductor Innovation Consortium. According to the governor’s office, both programs are administered by the Texas CHIPS Office, a division of the Texas Economic Development & Tourism Office within the Office of the Governor.
The governor’s office said the programs are designed to leverage the state’s investments in the semiconductor industry, encourage semiconductor-related companies to expand in Texas, build the expertise and capacity of the state’s colleges and universities, and maintain Texas’ position as the nation’s leader in semiconductor manufacturing.