SAN FRANCISCO, Feb. 22 (Xinhua) -- Apple announced on Monday that the company has invested over 1.3 billion U.S. dollars from its Advanced Manufacturing Fund to support American manufacturing and innovation, and supported more than 450,000 supplier jobs across all 50 states in the United States.

As an example, after receiving 10 million dollars from Apple's fund, COPAN Diagnostics has shipped more than 15 million COVID-19 sample collection kits for communities across the country, according to the announcement.

"We are proud our Advanced Manufacturing Fund is supporting companies like COPAN who are playing a critical role in the fight against COVID-19 and assisting healthcare professionals and communities across the country," said Jeff Williams, Apple's chief operating officer. "This collaboration helped produce, ship, and deliver millions of sample collection kits to hospitals from coast to coast."

Apple's Advanced Manufacturing Fund was designed to foster and support the innovative production and high-skill jobs that will help fuel a new era of technology-driven manufacturing in the United States, the company said.