New York’s SMART I-Corridor: the Buffalo-Rochester-Syracuse Tech Hub
Wed, Feb 26
|Webinar
By 2034, one in four American-made chips will come from within a 350-mile radius of the upstate NY Tech Hub


Time & Location
Feb 26, 2025, 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM EST
Webinar
About the Event
By 2034, one in four American-made chips will come from within a 350-mile radius of the NY SMART I-Corridor – cementing our region as the epicenter of U.S. semiconductor production.
Semiconductors power our world. They’re the brains inside everything from smartphones and electric vehicles to advanced medical devices and national security systems. But did you know that only 1% of semiconductor advanced memory chips are currently produced in the U.S.?
That’s about to change, and the NY SMART I-Corridor, spanning the Rochester-Buffalo-Syracuse super-region, is leading the charge. In 2023, the Corridor was designated as one of the first 31 Regional Tech Hubs by the U.S. Department of Commerce — and in 2024, it was among a dozen to receive first-in-the-nation implementation funding to activate an innovative growth strategy.
This region is already home to five cutting-edge semiconductor fabrication plants (fabs) and around 100 innovative supply chain firms – making it a rising powerhouse in the industry. Looking ahead, we’re positioned for transformational growth. We’re building a thriving ecosystem to support new fabs while supercharging opportunities with Micron’s Syracuse megafab – the largest semiconductor facility in the nation.
The future of U.S. semiconductor manufacturing starts here. As nations around the world race to create silicon clusters, the NY SMART I-Corridor shines on the international stage, delivering unmatched innovation and scale.
Driving this success is a first-of-its-kind coalition of over 100 institutions, united by a bold vision. We’re crafting an integrated strategy to tackle workforce development, ensure supply chain resilience, and accelerate commercialization – seizing the opportunity to redefine the future of technology.
What does this mean to the Greater Rochester area and Upstate NY? Come hear from two local leaders, one from Rochester and one from Syracuse, who were instrumental in the creation of the I-Corridor project and are continuing to drive the initiative forward.
About our speakers
Dr. Joseph Stefko is President/CEO of OneROC, the economic alliance established in 2019 to accelerate growth in the Greater Rochester (NY) region through coordinated investments in business growth, talent strategy, downtown revitalization, and regional marketing. OneROC played a lead role in securing federal Tech Hub designation and a first-in-the-nation implementation award for the NY SMART I-Corridor, for which he serves as Regional Innovation Officer. Previously, he served as President/CEO of Rochester-based Center for Governmental Research, overseeing strategic direction of the management consultancy and its work in government/education and economics/public finance. Joe holds B.A., M.A. and Ph.D. degrees from the University at Buffalo.
Benjamin Sio is Chief of Staff and Senior Vice President of Strategy, Policy and Planning at CenterState Corporation for Economic Opportunity (CenterState CEO). At CenterState, Ben is responsible for strategizing the future of the CenterState economic development organization and overseeing policy development and government affairs. During his 17 years at CenterState, he has helped lead multiple Syracuse-region activities including downtown revitalization, high-speed rail, regional partnerships, young leaders, workforce development, semiconductors, housing, and equity and inclusion initiatives. Ben is a graduate of Hobart and William Smith Colleges with B.S. degrees in Public Policy and Political Science.
PLEASE JOIN US FOR THIS FREE GRQC WEBINAR
Date: Wednesday, February 26
Time: 12:00 - 1:00 pm EST
Location: On-line, via Zoom
Cost: Free to GRQC members and non-members
Registration: Click below to register. Note: Registration may not work with Internet Explorer; please use a currently supported browser.
If you require special accommodation, please let us know by February 17.
Please direct questions to events@grqc.org.
Greater Rochester Quality Council events, programs and initiatives are supported in part by the Greater Rochester Chamber Foundation.