Gov. Josh Shapiro said Wednesday in a visit to Pittsburgh that his upcoming budget address will include funding increases for business innovation programs meant to attract and retain science and technology companies in Pennsylvania.

The governor toured Astrobotic Technology on Pittsburgh’s North Side and praised the company for their growth and their upcoming mission to send cargo equipment on the moon. The space company, which employs more than 100 people, is building the spacecraft that is scheduled to start its journey to the moon in May.

Shapiro said Astrobotic is the type of company the state should be investing in, and in his upcoming budget, he is proposing a 50% increase for the Manufacturing PA Innovation Program — which connects Pennsylvania universities to businesses working in innovation fields — and a 25% increase in funding for computer science and STEM education through Pennsylvania’s PA Smart Program.

He said he hopes these funding increases, if approved by the legislature, will boost the state’s “innovation economy” and attract more science and technology companies to Pittsburgh and the state.

“We are excited about not only Astrobotic, but the entire space industry in Pennsylvania,” Shapiro said. “And I want to use Astrobotic as sort of a hub to attract a lot more growth, a lot more development, and a lot more research around space right here in Western Pennsylvania.”

This announcement comes about three months after the U.S. Space Force opened a hub in Pittsburgh meant to help funnel $1 billion in military funding to regional companies working in space fields.

Shapiro didn’t get into specifics about his budget, but said the proposed increases in the two programs could lead to “millions” of additional funds for students and businesses to assure the state is “center for innovation and progress.”

“I want to create thousands more high paying jobs right here in Western Pennsylvania around the idea of venturing into space,” said Shapiro. “Pennsylvania is open for business.”

When asked about other Pittsburgh-area priorities that would make it into his budget, like infrastructure funds to fix roads and bridges, Shapiro said he wouldn’t go into specifics until next week. .

“You will see the commitments I made on the trail come to fruition,” he said.

Shapiro also hinted at his budget supporting several efforts to combat the rise in violent crime that the Pittsburgh area and other parts of the state are seeing. He said as state attorney general he sent resources to McKeesport specifically to address the rise of violence there.

Shapiro added that he supports hiring more police officers and increasing funding for anti-violence programs.

‘This level of violence is absolutely unacceptable,” he said. “You will see a lot more from me on this in my budget address next week.”

The governor will deliver his first budget address in Harrisburg starting around 11:30 a.m. Tuesday.

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