July 5, 2024 /SemiMedia/ -- According to reports, MEMS wafer foundry Rogue Valley Microdevices will receive up to $6.7 million in direct government funding under the CHIPS Act to build its next 300mm wafer fab.

The report pointed out that Rogue Valley has signed a non-binding preliminary memorandum of terms with the US Department of Commerce to support its construction of a second wafer fab in Palm Bay, Florida, which will have the production capacity of 300mm wafers.

“We are working to ensure American companies have a steady domestic supply of MEMS technology as global demand increases,” said U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo.

“As the first MEMS foundry to receive CHIPS Act funding, Rogue Valley is committed to domestic manufacturing of advanced microelectronics. We plan to use this funding to increase production of tiny smart sensors that are critical to markets that require a strong supply chain, including automotive, biomedical and industrial. We will also expand our foundry on the West Coast of Oregon to a new facility on Florida’s Space Coast, which will soon become the industry’s first MEMS pure-play foundry to offer 300mm capacity,” said Jessica Gomez, founder and CEO of Rogue Valley.