Official websites use .gov
A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.
Secure .gov websites use HTTPS
A lock (
) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.
NIST in California
$464.9M
in recent and planned financial awards from NIST to organizations in the state of California since 2021.
NIST supports key sectors in California
Advanced manufacturing
- In FY 2024, NIST’s CHIPS for America program granted nearly $2 million to seven small businesses throughout California for the development of
measurement science solutions for the semiconductor industry. - The CHIPS program is investing $5 million to establish an Entrepreneurial Fellowship Pilot program that will fund up to 10 early-stage companies focused on innovations in semiconductor manufacturing technologies.
- CHIPS has proposed to provide up to $93 million to support the construction of a new semiconductor fabrication facility in San Jose, California.
- Sunnyvale, California, is the expected location for the CHIPS Design and Collaboration Facility, which will play an important role in advancing semiconductor design, research, workforce development, investment and collaboration.
- The Manufacturing USA network, managed by NIST, has two institutes in California: CESMII - the Smart Manufacturing Institute, funded by the Department of Energy, and NextFlex, funded by the Department of Defense. CESMII accelerates smart manufacturing adoption through the integration of advanced sensors, data, platforms and controls to radically impact manufacturing performance. NextFlex furthers U.S. development and the adoption of flexible hybrid electronics.
Energy and climate
- Each year, NIST’s measurement standards help to validate the volume of liquid fuel in billions of dollars’ worth of transactions. Our calibrations of industrial natural gas flow meters ensure fair and transparent sales of millions of dollars’ worth of product. Trillions of dollars of commerce in the energy, aerospace, chemical, automotive and aerospace sectors are traceable back to NIST calibrations of gas flow meters.
- NIST’s calibrated solar cells help manufacturers, energy providers, and researchers and test laboratories measure the output of their solar cells and modules. Among their many applications, these reference cells assure designers of solar powered satellites that they will produce enough electrical energy to provide essential functions, from GPS positioning to weather forecasting.
Technology and innovation
- Since FY 2021, NIST has provided over $3 million in awards to small businesses across California, including for companies working in microelectronics, semiconductors, and cybersecurity and IT.
- In FY 2024, NIST supported advancing California’s quantum information science sector with nearly $1.9 million for the UCLA Quantum Information Science Hub and the Inland Empire Quantum Initiative at the University of California, Riverside.
- NIST supports a fair and dependable EV charging infrastructure that gives EV drivers the same assurances as gas pump users. To address this, NIST accumulates, updates and disseminates good practices for measurement and device reliability for EV chargers.
- In FY 2023, NIST supported development of California’s cybersecurity workforce with awards of nearly $400,000 to the San Diego Workforce Partnership and the Sierra College Foundation.
- In FY 2024, NIST awarded $1.4 million to the Cal State San Bernardino Tech and Workforce Hub project and to the Lundquist Institute for Biomedical Innovation at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center for bioscience research training for underserved populations.
- In FY 2024, California Manufacturing Technology Consulting (CMTC), part of the NIST Manufacturing Extension Partnership, received over $15.6 million in federal funds, with the same amount matched in nonfederal funds, to enhance operational performance and productivity and drive new product development, market expansion, and technology adoption for California’s manufacturers.
CMTC helped MRIaudio in Carlsbad obtain ISO certification, validation of its processes for assuring the quality and consistency of its patient care products. CMTC also helped MRIaudio build its capacity with Lean Six Sigma and other training. As a result. MRIaudio has realized $190,000 in new sales and $136,000 in cost savings.
Public safety, health and resilience
- In FY 2024, NIST helped UC San Diego address wildland fire challenges with nearly $2 million for the Wildfire Science & Technology Commons.
- NIST worked with the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s U.S. Fire Administration, and the town of Paradise to collect data about the Camp Fire disaster and issued guidance to help improve preparedness for and protect lives from wildfires.
- From 2012 to 2022, the NIST Public Safety Communications Research Division invested $16.9 million through prize challenges, grants and internal research projects to California companies and universities to increase the safety of first responders and their communities. This investment resulted in:
$49.2M
in economic activity
$35.9M
in household earnings
448
jobs
- NIST provides near real-time identification of illicit street drugs submitted by state partners and has now expanded that service into more than 10 states, including California. Reports on trends in detected drugs along with never before-seen substances are released monthly.
CHIPS Funding
MEP Success Stories
Featured Video
Preventing Wildfires from Spreading: Insights from Cutting-Edge Fire Experiments
News & Updates
Learn how NIST improves the lives of all Americans by conducting research and fostering collaborations that make possible everything from reliable vaccine storage and fair fuel transactions to next-generation MRIs and fair stock trades. Check out NIST Works for You.
