Natcast could have been the US equivalent of imec if it was permitted to run.
From the article:
Natcast, the non-profit organization created to run the U.S. CHIPS & Science Act’s National Semiconductor Technology Center (NSTC) told the majority of its staff they would be laid off this week, IEEE Spectrum has learned. A small core team will continue on to shut Natcast down over the next few weeks, a person familiar with the matter said.
The organization was founded in 2023 to run NSTC, which the law established to conduct “research and prototyping of advanced semiconductor technology and grow the domestic semiconductor workforce to strengthen the economic competitiveness and security of the domestic supply chain.”
However, on 25 August Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick stated that the department would not deliver the US $7.4 billion in funds under its contract with the government. In an accusatory letter to Natcast CEO Deirdre Hanford and a press release, Lutnick claimed the nonprofit was not created legally, and said that the National Institute of Standards and Technology would be taking over NSTC operations.
spectrum.ieee.org
From the article:
Natcast, the non-profit organization created to run the U.S. CHIPS & Science Act’s National Semiconductor Technology Center (NSTC) told the majority of its staff they would be laid off this week, IEEE Spectrum has learned. A small core team will continue on to shut Natcast down over the next few weeks, a person familiar with the matter said.
The organization was founded in 2023 to run NSTC, which the law established to conduct “research and prototyping of advanced semiconductor technology and grow the domestic semiconductor workforce to strengthen the economic competitiveness and security of the domestic supply chain.”
However, on 25 August Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick stated that the department would not deliver the US $7.4 billion in funds under its contract with the government. In an accusatory letter to Natcast CEO Deirdre Hanford and a press release, Lutnick claimed the nonprofit was not created legally, and said that the National Institute of Standards and Technology would be taking over NSTC operations.
Natcast to Lay Off Majority of Its Staff
Non-profit operator of CHIPS Act R&D hit by government withdrawal
spectrum.ieee.org
It will be interesting to see the NATCAST Form 990 to see what the executive staff was paid. Our tax dollars hard at work.