SE Valley Times

The National Institute of Standards and Technology, part of the U.S. Department of Commerce, has announced plans to award up to $100 million to Arizona State University (ASU) and Deca Technologies for the SHIELD USA initiative. This project aims to innovate in the domestic microchip packaging ecosystem, expand capacity for advanced packaging, and help regain U.S. leadership in microelectronics while enhancing national security.

"This is a critical step for U.S. semiconductor independence," said ASU President Michael Crow. "ASU is well prepared with a dynamic partner in Deca Technologies."

SHIELD USA is led by ASU's Jason Conrad and Craig Bishop from Deca Technologies. The team will design molded core substrates that enable high-performance computing for artificial intelligence and next-generation wireless communication.

Deca’s technologies have been adopted across multiple device technology nodes in leading smartphones today. SHIELD USA will leverage these building blocks to advance chip manufacturing capabilities.

“To bring substrate manufacturing back to the U.S., we need to change the game,” said Bishop of Deca Technologies.

The initiative focuses on four areas: accelerating R&D, strengthening domestic supply chains, expanding workforce capacity, and supporting U.S. leadership in semiconductor packaging.

“By engaging key design and manufacturing partners early... SHIELD USA will cement the United States’ intellectual property position,” said Sally Morton from ASU’s Knowledge Enterprise.

In addition to Deca Technologies, other major semiconductor companies like AMD, IBM, NXP, Synopsys, Saras Micro Devices, and Analog Devices are involved in this project.

“The key to the United States’ long-term competitiveness hinges on our ability to out-innovate...,” stated U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo.