Draper awarded $25 million in state and local funding for Lowell IMPACT Center construction

Draper awarded $25 million in state and local funding for Lowell IMPACT Center construction
by Clarence Oxford
Los Angeles CA (SPX) Oct 28, 2025

Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey has announced up to $25 million in state and local funding in partnership with the City of Lowell to support the construction of Draper's Integrated Microelectronics Production and Advanced Chip Technology (IMPACT) Center. This initiative is part of the state's strategy to expand support for the defense sector in Massachusetts.

The planned 75,000 square foot IMPACT Center will be located in the Lowell Innovation Network Corridor (LINC) and is set to house advanced facilities for microelectronics design, production, and packaging. Draper will deliver technology from these facilities to its U.S. Military, Aerospace, and Government customers. The center is expected to create over 150 new jobs in national security, including technicians, engineers, and executive roles.

Governor Healey said, "Massachusetts is proud of our defense leadership - we are the birthplace of the National Guard, the U.S. Navy and the U.S. Coast Guard, and we've carried that legacy of innovation and service forward for generations. We are proud to support Draper's efforts to strengthen this leadership by establishing the IMPACT Center, which will create good jobs, grow our economy and bolster our national security in partnership with UMass Lowell and the City of Lowell."

Jerry Wohletz, Ph.D., President and CEO of Draper, stated, "Today's investment reflects Governor Healey's ongoing commitment to the needs of the nation's defense sector. The IMPACT Center will significantly expand the nation's secure, on-shore microelectronics production capacity and deliver new capabilities to our military. The facility will also strengthen the Commonwealth's manufacturing base and create new jobs for a highly skilled workforce, educated and trained in our local universities, colleges, and trade schools. We are grateful to the Healey-Driscoll Administration, the Commonwealth, and our partners in state and federal government for supporting our vision of what can be accomplished by this investment."

Draper's partnership involves collaboration with the University of Massachusetts Lowell (UML), the University of Massachusetts Building Authority, the City of Lowell, and the Commonwealth. Draper intends to provide up to $10 million over the next decade for programming, research, and education at UML.

Earlier this year, Draper opened a corporate campus at UML as the anchor tenant in LINC, a 1.2 million square foot development designed to foster an innovation ecosystem and economic growth for Lowell. LINC was made possible through a joint effort of UML, UMBA, the City of Lowell, and significant support from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.