1945

• IBM opens the Watson Computing Laboratory: The first corporate, pure-science research facility in the United States and the precursor to IBM Research, the largest corporate research organization in the world.

1947

• Bell Labs demonstrates the transistor: John Bardeen, Walter Brattain, and William Shockley invent the transistor, laying the groundwork for the modern semiconductor.

1997

• Albany NanoTech Complex: The most advanced research facility of its kind at any university is established at SUNY Polytechnic Institute (SUNY Poly).

1999

• Nanofab 99 Initiative: Empire State Development commissions an analysis of potential chip fab sites.

2001

• IBM invests in center: IBM announces plan to create a $100 million Center of Excellence in Nanoelectronics at SUNY Poly.

2002

• Tokyo Electron Ltd. facility: Tokyo Electron establishes its first R&D facility outside Japan, a $300 million center for advancing semiconductor materials and processes.

2003

• SUNY Poly partners with SEMATECH: SUNY Poly enters a major partnership with the nonprofit research consortium devoted to rejuvenating the U.S. semiconductor industry.

2006

• AMD announces chip fab: Advanced Micro Devices announces plans for a flagship chip fabrication plant in Luther Forest in Malta, New York.

2009

• GlobalFoundries makes Malta, NY its global headquarters: AMD spins off its manufacturing branch into a new company named GlobalFoundries, which assumes ownership of the Malta fabrication plant.

2010

• SEMATECH moves to New York: Company moves to Albany from Austin, Texas.

2011

• Global 450mm Consortium: IBM, Intel, GlobalFoundries, Samsung, and TSMC form the G450C, a $4.8 billion, first-of-its-kind collaboration to advance the next generation of chip technology at the Albany NanoTech Complex.

2012

• World Semiconductor Council: New York Loves Nanotech hosts the council with the Semiconductor Industry Association (SIA).

2013

• GlobalFoundries operations: Company starts large-scale operations.

2014

• GlobalFoundries acquisitions: Company acquires IBM’s microelectronics business, including facilities in Essex Junction, Vermont, and East Fishkill, New York.

2015

• AIM Photonics established: The American Institute for Manufacturing Integrated Photonics—a public-private partnership to develop the next generation of integrated photonics and deliver global manufacturing leadership—is launched with a $610 million initial investment.

2017

• Business Connections Forum – Silicon Europe Worldwide: Multiday event is held in Albany convening European and North American subject matter experts, large corporations, universities, and research institutes.
• UAS Testing Corridor launches: 50-mile drone corridor launches near Rome to advance drone testing and development.
• Danfoss Silicon Power new packaging line: Danfoss announces a new silicon carbide chip packaging line at SUNY Poly’s Quad-C lab in Utica.
• Cornell Tech opens: Cornell University opens graduate campus and research center on Roosevelt Island in partnership with Technion—Israel Institute of Technology.

2018

• NY Creates established: The New York Center for Research, Economic Advancement, Technology, Engineering and Science is established by Empire State Development and SUNY to manage industrial and business relationships at SUNY Poly.

2019

• Cree to build fabrication facility: Cree announces plans to build a $1 billion 200mm silicon carbide wafer fabrication plant at the Marcy Nanocenter, the largest facility of its kind in the world.
• Applied Materials partners with NYS: Company and state partner on the Materials Engineering Technology Accelerator (META Center) as part of an overall $600 million investment.
• IBM announces over $2B investment: Gov. Andrew Cuomo announces a $2 billion plan by IBM to grow in Albany and throughout the state, including a new A.I. Hardware Center for A.I -focused computer chip research and development.
• OnSemiconductor acquires GlobalFoundries plant: OnSemiconductor Corp. acquires 300mm fabrication plant in East Fishkill for $430 million.
• Applied Ventures to invest $20M: Applied Materials announces it will co-invest $20 million in venture capital for early-stage businesses across upstate New York. Empire State Development will provide an additional $10 million.
• AIM’s Test, Assembly and Packaging (TAP) facility: 1,200-acre facility in Rochester opens to perform TAP on microchips for semiconductors. Gov. Andrew Cuomo announces the $30 million Photonics Attraction Fund to encourage integrated photonics technologies manufacturers to grow in greater Rochester.
• NY Creates assumes operations at Albany Nanotech Complex: NY Creates assumes operational control of the Albany NanoTech Complex.

2021

• Cree to build fabrication facility: Cree announces plans to build a $1 billion 200mm silicon carbide wafer fabrication plant at the Marcy Nanocenter, the largest facility of its kind in the world.

2022

• Factory of the future: Edwards Vacuum plans 240,000-sq.-ft. semiconductor dry pump manufacturing project at the Science Technology and Advanced Manufacturing Park (STAMP) in Alabama, New York. It is expected to serve semiconductor and advanced manufacturing companies and create 600 skills-based jobs.
• New York passes Green CHIPS Act: Gov. Kathy Hochul signs the Green CHIPS Act, which offers up to $10 billion in economic incentives for ecofriendly semiconductor manufacturing and supply chain projects.
• Wolfspeed (formerly Cree) opens the world’s largest 200mm silicon carbide fab plant: Mohawk Valley Fab in Marcy opens, and is expected to reach full capacity in 2029.

2023

• Onsemi invests in East Fishkill Facility: Arizona-based semiconductor company Onsemi officially takes over GlobalFoundries’ 300mm fabrication plant in East Fishkill. Onsemi commits $1.3 billion to the site, retains 1,000 local workers, and adds 100 more.

2024

• Governor announces $10B partnership for research center: Gov. Kathy Hochul announces $10 billion partnership with IBM, Micron, Applied Materials, and Tokyo Electron to develop a next-generation semiconductor R&D center at Albany NanoTech Complex. The project will include North America’s first High NA Extreme Ultraviolet Lithography Center.

2025

• NY Creates and SCREEN partnership: NY Creates enters partnership with Japan-based semiconductor equipment manufacturer for research and development.
• Stony Brook research facility: Gov. Kathy Hochul announces $20 million semiconductor research facility at university.
• New Corning manufacturing facility: Company plans to invest more than $315 million in new semiconductor glass manufacturing facility in North Country.

2026

• Semiconductor Alliance NY rebrand launch: The consortium known as New York Loves Nanotech rebrands as Semiconductor Alliance NY. Representing an alliance of industry, academia, researchers, and the public sector, its goal is to champion the state’s semiconductor ecosystem and further establish New York as one of the best places in the world for semiconductor-related business.
• NY Creates and Micron partnership: Gov. Kathy Hochul announces strategic workforce development partnership to further build a regional talent pipeline of skilled technicians.