Governor Gavin Newsom announced that California has awarded more than $149 million in grants and tax credits to 12 innovative companies, creating nearly 6,000 full-time jobs and bringing in an estimated $1.3 billion in private investment over the next five years.
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Joby, a leader in the electric aircraft field, will be making over $40 million of capital investments and creating nearly 700 new jobs as part of its expansion efforts in Santa Cruz and Marina.
AIBOT received a $15 million grant to further its manufacturing and R&D capabilities in Long Beach and Mojave as it continues developing artificial intelligence software and building autonomous electric aircrafts. In exchange, they will create almost 700 new jobs and invest nearly $500 million across the two locations.
Two California businesses will be expanding their efforts to increase domestic production of the next generation of semiconductors and microchips in the hopes of attracting additional federal investments through the CHIPS Act.
Tynergy received a $15 million grant to relocate its headquarters from Wyoming to Fresno, where they will manufacture semiconductors and energy storage systems. In the process, they will create at least 500 new, full-time jobs and make nearly $21 million of capital investments in the region.
Infinera, a semiconductor chip developer and manufacturer, received a $14 million grant to expand its operations in San Jose and Sunnyvale. Between the two locations, they will make over $180 million of capital investments and create nearly 250 new jobs.
Sparkz, a lithium iron phosphate battery manufacturer, received an $11.2 million grant to create 500 new, full-time jobs and make over $83 million in capital investments in Rancho Cordova.
Snapchat, who is expanding their operations in Palo Alto, San Francisco and Santa Monica, will use their award to advance their manufacturing capabilities for their augmented reality devices.
Helm.ai and Humane, both of whom will use their award to further develop artificial intelligence software, will be expanding their respective operations in San Francisco and the broader Bay Area.
The California Competes Grant Program was created in 2021 and extended each of the following two years, with a total of $120 million allocated for the 2023-24 fiscal year.
A significant priority for this grant program is to make resources available to businesses who cannot take advantage of a non-refundable tax credit and is one of the state’s main incentive programs to leverage tens of billions of federal funds available under the Creating Helpful Incentives to Produce Semiconductors (CHIPS) Act, and to encourage growth and expansion of semiconductor manufacturing and research and development in California.
In total, CalCompetes has awarded grants and tax credits to more than 1,200 businesses, creating nearly 165,000 jobs. ■