WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH) announced $3 million has been awarded to the Youngstown Edison Incubator Corporation by the U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA) to renovate the Youngstown Business Incubator (YBI) Tech Block Building #5. The building will be used as a regional business accelerator, additive manufacturing incubator, and a workforce training center. This project is expected to create 80 jobs in the region and double YBI’s economic impact. The total project cost is $5 million.

YBI was recently named by UBI Index as the number one university-affiliated incubator in the world.

“The Youngstown Business Incubator provides essential tools to encourage the growth of Mahoning Valley businesses,” Brown said. “I’ve been impressed with the work being done there every time I have visited and this federal investment will help YBI do even more. We can replicate Youngtown’s success across the country by enacting policies like the Revitalize American Manufacturing and Innovation Act – a bill that supports collaboration between businesses and leverages their resources to spur innovation.

The Revitalize American Manufacturing and Innovation Act (RAMI) – which passed the House of Representatives last week – would bring together industry, universities and community colleges, federal agencies, and all levels of government, to accelerate manufacturing innovation in technologies with commercial applications. RAMI would create thousands of high-paying, high-tech manufacturing jobs while enhancing the United States’ role as the world’s leader in advanced manufacturing.

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