Rogue Valley Microdevices is set to receive $6.7 million in proposed direct CHIPS and Science Act funding, the first such investment for a women- and minority-owned business.
The Department of Commerce said Monday that it has signed a non-binding preliminary memorandum of terms with RVM to facilitate the funding, which would aid in the construction of a pure-play microelectromechanical systems, or MEMs, and sensor foundry facility in Palm Bay, Florida.
The investment is intended to help bolster the domestic supply of microelectronics and increase U.S. supply chain resilience. Projected for mid-2025, the completion of the facility is expected to result in additional employment opportunities in Florida.
Commenting on the investment, RVM Founder and CEO Jessica Gomez said the company is “deeply committed to the onshore manufacturing of advanced microelectronics.”
“We plan to use this capital infusion to increase production of the miniature, intelligent sensors that are critical to markets for which a robust supply chain is essential, including automotive, biomedical, and industrial,” she said.
Laurie Locascio, under secretary of commerce for standards and technology and director of the National Institute of Standards and Technology said, “As one of the only U.S. based MEMS foundries, RVM is positioned to support the U.S. semiconductor ecosystem with its 300mm MEMS foundry services.”
