Unprecedented Northeast Ohio partnership chosen for NSF Engine award, providing up to $160M to propel regional manufacturing innovation, technology and jobs

An unprecedented coalition of more than 70 partners, representing private industry, civic and philanthropic organizations, higher education, and state and local government—led by Case Western Reserve University—has been designated an NSF Engine, which could bring up to $160 million in federal investment to propel Northeast Ohio and the entire state as a national center for manufacturing innovation, technology and jobs.

In a multi-phased funding competition, the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) has selected the NSF NEO-SMART Engine in Northeast Ohio for its prestigious Regional Innovation Engines program.

The award (NSF agreement #2532460) means NEO-SMART (Northeast Ohio Strengthening Manufacturing for American Resilience through Technology) stands to receive up to $160 million over 10 years: $7.5 million in each of the first two years, $15 million annually for the following three years and $20 million for each of the final five years as milestones are met.

NEO-SMART partners also have already committed another $120 million for the first two years, with aspirations to attract a total of more than $500 million in public, private and philanthropic investment as the work progresses.

“This is great news for Northeast Ohio and for the entire state of Ohio,” said Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine. “When federal dollars come to our state to strengthen manufacturing and build up our workforce, every Ohioan benefits—and I am grateful for the extensive partnership effort that made this award possible.”

Plans to grow jobs, spur innovation

At the core of NEO-SMART’s vision is capitalizing on—and elevating —Northeast Ohio’s strengths in metals, polymers and chemicals and coatings to become a national hub for what is known as advanced manufacturing, integrating innovative technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI) for materials design, automation and robotics to improve production methods and create new products.

More specifically, NEO-SMART’s goals are to:

• Create or retain 20,000 jobs across the 18-county region through a strategy to re-industrialize Northeast Ohio. That includes training 12,000 workers over 10 years for “in-demand,” meaningful jobs through new curriculum in materials and manufacturing at the region’s universities and colleges. 
• Reinforce domestic supply chains in sectors such as automotive, aerospace, defense and medical devices.
• Propel innovation by advancing key technologies, such as AI/machine learning in manufacturing, and fostering entrepreneurship. The partners plan to increase corporate research and development (R&D) by 50% and support 150 R&D projects over the next 10 years.
• Bolster industry-academic research partnerships that accelerate “lab-to-market” innovation—a strategy to support 1,000 ventures and provide more than 250 “seed” investments for start-up companies.

Multi-sector regional collaboration

Like many Midwest industrial centers that once drove American manufacturing, Northeast Ohio faced significant challenges and decline due to globalization, technological shifts and often disjointed strategies for regional economic growth.

Nick Barendt, NEO-SMART’s CEO, explained successful place-based innovation and economic growth is rooted in the alignment of partners from industry, higher education, government, nonprofits, economic development and philanthropy that co-create ecosystems to solve the research, translation and workforce challenges. 

Coalition buy-in spans partners regionwide, from Greater Cleveland to Akron and Canton, and from Lorain County to Youngstown. Each sector will play a critical role in the vision’s success.

“The manufacturing challenges of the next decade will be solved by academic researchers, industry partners and factory floor teams who work in collaboration to turn scientific insight into commercial reality,” said Case Western Reserve University President Eric W. Kaler, the Morton L. Mandel Presidential Chair. “We are tremendously grateful for the extraordinary support and advocacy we received from federal, state and local elected officials that led to this funding opportunity. Together, we will advance the region's growth and prosperity.”

The NEO-SMART team recognizes Gov. Mike DeWine and JobsOhio President and CEO J.P. Nauseef for supporting a robust state co-investment in the grant proposal. The NSF Engines program also is made possible with support from Ohio's congressional delegation, including: Sens. Bernie Moreno and Jon Husted, and Reps. Shontel M. Brown (OH-11), Greg Landsman (OH-1), Dave Taylor (OH-2), Joyce Beatty (OH-3), Jim Jordan (OH-4), Bob Latta (OH-5), Michael Rulli (OH-6), Max Miller (OH-7), Warren Davidson (OH-8), Marcy Kaptur (OH-9), Mike Turner (OH-10), Troy Balderson (OH-12), Emilia Sykes (OH-13), Dave Joyce (OH-14) and Mike Carey (OH-15).

About the NSF Regional Innovation Engines program

The U.S. National Science Foundation established its NSF Engines program in 2022 to accelerate the development and deployment of U.S.-produced technology in sectors critical to national security and American competitiveness.

In only its second round of funding awards since 2022, the NSF chose NEO-SMART from over 300 concepts submitted for rigorous, multi-stage evaluation. NEO-SMART is one of 12 Engines selected nationwide in this round of funding, and the only one in Ohio.

Teams that demonstrate progress on well-defined milestones will have the potential to receive up to $160 million each from NSF over the next decade as they seek to build an internationally competitive technology and innovation cluster in their region.

“NSF Engines investments in critical technologies and future industries will transform America’s innovation infrastructure for decades to come,” said Brian Stone, performing the duties of the NSF director. “The NSF NEO-SMART Engine will expand domestic manufacturing capacity, grow the region’s skilled workforce, and create economic opportunities, fostering a more resilient U.S. industrial base and supply chain.”

NEO-SMART’s Governing Board members are: Michael Oakes, Case Western Reserve University’s executive vice president for research and economic development; Marcia Ballinger, president of Lorain County Community College; Bethia Burke, president of The Fund for Our Economic Future; Matt Dolan, CEO of TeamNEO; Julie Edgar, chief technology officer of The Lubrizol Corporation; Steve Millard, president and CEO of the Greater Akron Chamber; Baiju Shah, president and CEO of the Greater Cleveland Partnership; Nigamanth Sridhar, executive vice president and provost at Cleveland State University; and Nick Barendt, CEO/principal investigator of NEO-SMART.

What key partners say about the transformative potential of the NSF Engines award: 

Baju Shah, president and chief executive officer of the Greater Cleveland Partnership and NEO-SMART governing board member: “Greater Cleveland Partnership and our companies are ready to invest and move. We will work hand-in-hand with the institutions, public partners, and community to ensure every dollar of this historic investment is deployed to drive innovation, jobs and regional growth. Greater Cleveland does not just want to participate in the next era of American manufacturing—we intend to create and lead it.”

Steve Millard, president and chief executive officer of the Greater Akron Chamber and NEO-SMART governing board member: “This is a tremendous win for Northeast Ohio, and frankly, it's a long time coming.The Greater Akron region has never stopped making things. Greater Akron is home to a world-class concentration of polymer companies, scientists, advanced manufacturers, skilled tradespeople, and innovators who help drive American competitiveness every day. Anchored by the University of Akron, industry leaders like Goodyear and Lubrizol, Bounce Innovation Hub and the Polymer Industry Cluster, our region has built one of the nation's strongest ecosystems for polymers and advanced materials. NEO-SMART builds on the success of the EDA Sustainable Polymers Tech Hub award and affirms what we've known all along: Northeast Ohio has the talent, expertise, and collaborative spirit to lead the next era of advanced manufacturing

Julie Edgar, Lubrizol chief technology officer and NEO-SMART governing board member: “We compete globally every day, and the depth of technical and scientific talent in this region helps us continue to compete and grow. We must actively develop the next generation of chemists, engineers and advanced manufacturing technicians—this funding creates the opportunity to do that at scale.”

Lillian Kuri, president and chief executive officer of the Cleveland Foundation: “The Cleveland Foundation has spent more than a century believing in the potential of this region and the people who call it home. This federal investment speaks directly to that potential—and it arrives at a moment when Northeast Ohio is genuinely ready to transform that potential into opportunity.”

J.P. Nauseef, president and CEO of JobsOhio: “Northeast Ohio’s competitive advantages in advanced manufacturing and next-generation technologies make the NSF Engine award a natural fit and will enhance the region’s existing strengths in these areas. Unshakable, collaborative partnerships are an important reason Ohio was named the top state for business, and when there is investment in innovation, Ohio’s leadership in these industries will only accelerate.”