Site selection decisions include evaluating available infrastructure and transportation, and relevant incentives and programs. This week’s Infrastructure & Incentives Update from Business Facilities features the latest news from Indiana, New Jersey, Texas, and Veracruz, Mexico. Plus, Natcast launches semiconductor workforce initiative.
Indiana Grants Nearly $1M For Community-Led Growth Projects
Indiana’s Commerce Office awarded $925,107 in grant awards to accelerate entrepreneurial activity and resources statewide through its Community Collaboration Fund (CCF). These awards will assist 28 community-led projects focused on entrepreneurial education, connection and acceleration, across the state. CCF provides matching grants to support new community collaborations, services and programming.
The Commerce Office selected 28 projects for matching grants based on potential to fill critical gaps across the entrepreneurial ecosystem and support underserved markets. The projects will result in a variety of new programs and resources, such as AI education, business planning, financial literacy, online visibility, and prototyping design, for businesses across industries such as the creative economy, childcare, food and beverage, defense, and in rural communities.
Below is a selection of the organizations/projects selected. Click here to view the full list of 28 CCF projects.
- Childcare Entrepreneurial Training Program: SEED Fort Wayne and Brightpoint Development Fund will address a critical ecosystem gap by providing structured education, mentorship and resources to childcare entrepreneurs.
- INdiana Strategic Defense Accelerator (INSDA): The Defense Innovation Networking Group (D!NG) will bridge a gap in Indiana’s defense ecosystem by creating a unified accelerator for small businesses. This training program will help businesses compete for DoD opportunities through education, connection initiatives and utilizing Indiana’s already vast number of business and DoD related resources.
- Level Up Business Branding: The Greater Kokomo Economic Development Alliance will begin a 12-month initiative designed to empower local small businesses through professional marketing and branding support.
- Muncie Regional Mentorship Hub: The city of Muncie will establish a structured mentorship program that spans the entirety of east central Indiana. The Muncie Regional Mentorship Hub connects business owners to experienced mentors, essential resources and collaborative networks.
- Flywheel Fund Evansville: Flywheel Fund will expand its operations to Evansville in partnership with Circular Venture Lab to serve Vanderburgh, Warrick, Posey and Gibson counties. The program aims to resolve the lack of early investor capital in southwest Indiana through small, regional funds from local angel investors.
- The Catalyst Academy Incubator & Fund: The Columbus Area Chamber of Commerce will expand its entrepreneurial academy and incubator through an online education platform.
New Jersey Creates NJ BASE Landing Pad For International Business
The New Jersey Economic Development Authority (NJEDA) Board has approved the creation of a Jersey City-based landing pad for established international businesses looking to scale operations in the state. The New Jersey Business Acceleration and Softlanding Ecosystem — (NJ BASE) — will serve as the state’s first ever facility to attract foreign companies in key industries. NJ BASE will companies offer a supportive co-working space to expand and grow their business in the United States.
New Jersey is a global destination for business, investment, trade, and market expansion — positioned in close proximity to some of the largest markets in the U.S., including New York, Philadelphia, Boston, and Washington, DC. New Jersey is deeply interconnected with the rest of the country and the world via the Northeast Corridor, Newark International Airport, and Port Newark, making it a prime location for international firms looking to do business in the U.S.
NJ BASE will focus on attracting international companies in industries that are critical to New Jersey’s economy, such as cyber security, artificial intelligence, fintech, and other innovative technologies and services. The center will allow a business to establish itself in New Jersey, with access to the larger U.S. market, so businesses can then expand, attract investment, and create high quality, long-term jobs.
NJ BASE will house approximately 15-20 companies as a first cohort, and will be located in downtown Jersey City. NJ BASE will be operated by a third-party entity, and the NJEDA has released a Request For Proposal (RFP) for an operator.
New Jersey’s footprint in foreign markets has expanded throughout Governor Murphy’s Administration, and the NJ BASE landing pad will serve as a point of attraction during future economic mission trips. During Gov. Murphy’s tenure, New Jersey leadership has embarked on economic missions, including to India, Canada, Ireland, Israel, Germany, East Asia, and several Gulf Arab states.
Texas Energy Fund Dispatches First Loan Agreement
Governor Greg Abbott has announced that the first Texas Energy Fund (TEF) loan agreement will fund a 122 megawatt (MW) natural gas power plant in the state. With the TEF executed by the Public Utility Commission of Texas (PUC), the Rock Island Generation Project will provide new reliable, dispatchable power generation near one of the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) region’s largest electricity demand centers.
The Texas Energy Fund (TEF) provides funding opportunities for electric generation projects — both inside and outside of the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) power region — through four programs based on an application process and award system developed by the Public Utility Commission of Texas. The Texas Legislature appropriated $5 billion to fund the TEF for Fiscal Years 2025-2026 and an additional $4 billion for Fiscal Years 2027-2028.
The Kerrville Public Utility Board (KPUB) is the sponsor of the Rock Island Generation Project and will develop the facility, which is projected to begin operations by June 1, 2027. The loan agreement between the PUC and KPUB is the first finalized under the TEF’s In-ERCOT Generation Loan Program, which provides low-interest loans for projects that add new, dispatchable power to the ERCOT region.
Under the loan agreement, which is subject to customary financial closing procedures, total project costs are not to exceed $175 million, with the PUC providing a 20-year TEF loan of up to $105 million at a 3% interest rate. The facility, which will be located in Colorado County, approximately 10 miles south of Columbus, will interconnect to the South Texas Electric Cooperative Rock Island substation in the ERCOT South Load Zone. This area sits adjacent to ERCOT’s Houston Load Zone, which is one of the largest electricity demand centers in Texas, encompassing Houston, Pasadena, and the Woodlands.
In addition to the loan agreement signed this week, there are currently 18 applications to the TEF In-ERCOT Generation Loan Program that are active and moving through a due diligence review process. Together, they represent an additional 9,102 MW of proposed new dispatchable generation for the ERCOT grid.
Gulf Of Mexico Gains Logistics Hub — UAC Logistics Park
The UAC Logistics Park in the Veracruz state of Mexico was inaugurated earlier this month, expanding the industrial and logistics landscape in the Gulf of Mexico region. Spanning a little over 180 acres (73 hectares), UAC is designed to be a world-class multimodal logistics hub. The park is part of the broader “Plan México” initiative released by President Claudia Sheinbaum, which is focused on establishing the country as a hub for multinational companies seeking to nearshore operations to the U.S. market.
With direct access the Veracruz-Cardel Highway, UAC is the first logistics hub in the Gulf of Mexico. Located 1.2 miles (2km) from the Port of Veracruz, the site offers a key competitive advantage, and it also offers connections to Mexico’s major highways and a private rail station linked to the FERROMEX, FERROSUR, and CPKC rail networks. With more than 33 million tons of cargo moved in 2024, according to data from the Veracruz Port Administration (API Veracruz), the port of Veracruz is a significant logistics hub on the Gulf of Mexico.
UAC Industrial Park seeks to attract businesses in sectors such as automotive, heavy machinery, logistics, and light manufacturing. UAC aims to attract companies interested in the Built to Suit model, as well as those seeking to lease or purchase industrial lots, offering tailored services for logistics, automotive, manufacturing, and warehousing operations.
The park’s infrastructure includes a desalination plant, solar-powered lighting, a heliport, rail spur, hydraulic concrete roads, aerial and ground surveillance, and corporate services such as office towers, a gas station, and a diesel supply center.
Natcast Highlights Semiconductor Workforce Programs
Natcast, the purpose-built, non-profit entity designated by the Department of Commerce to operate the National Semiconductor Technology Center (NSTC) established by the CHIPS and Science Act, has launched a program focused on growing the U.S. semiconductor industry workforce — the NSTC Top Workforce Solutions program.
The latest initiative under the NSTC Workforce Center of Excellence (WCoE), the NSTC Top Workforce Solutions program will be an annual recognition that complements the recently announced 2025 NSTC Workforce Awards by evaluating and showcasing highly effective programs that strengthen the semiconductor workforce in the U.S. By increasing the visibility of exemplary initiatives, the NSTC Top Workforce Solutions program will encourage investment in and facilitate the broader adoption of training, education, and workforce programs that effectively build the pool of talent required to support the growth and global competitiveness of the U.S. semiconductor industry.
In its first year, the pilot program will recognize certificate programs offered by community colleges or technical training providers that prepare participants for technician roles. Eligible applicants include universities, colleges, community colleges, career and technical colleges, workforce development organizations, regional training centers, and other providers of relevant technician training.
Recognized programs will receive a digital badge that can be displayed on their website and in promotional materials, which will enhance program appeal for students seeking reputable educational opportunities. Programs will also gain national visibility through promotion on the Natcast website and in NSTC and WCoE resources and publications. This year’s pilot program is part of a phased approach, with additional workforce segments and training format iterations to be incorporated annually.
Natcast is accepting applications for the 2025 NSTC Top Workforce Solutions program through August 25, 2025. Applicants will be evaluated for recognition using criteria designed to assess program effectiveness, including quality of program design, industry alignment, program capacity, employment outcomes, learner outcomes, and program cost. Selection notifications will be made this winter.
For more information on the program’s eligibility requirements and to apply, visit natcast.org/workforce/solutions.
