AARP Opens Tech Nest at Research Park
The University of Illinois community, including campus leadership, faculty, staff and students, officially welcomed AARP’s Tech Nest to Research Park on October 13. The welcome announcement was featured in Business Wire.
News Coverage:
Crain’s Chicago Business
WCIA News Channel 3
The News-Gazette
Daily Illini
AARP and the University of Illinois Announce the Opening of The Tech Nest at Research Park
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (Oct. 13, 2016) – AARP and the University of Illinois today announced the grand opening of The Tech Nest at AARP in Research Park, the latest addition to AARP’s Innovation portfolio. The new technology lab, a 2,700 square-foot innovation-focused facility, enables AARP to collaborate with students and faculty on leading-edge, technology-based research and creative solutions to address the needs of the 50-plus population.
The Tech Nest will focus on developing prototypes in the fields of artificial intelligence, mobile apps, information security, biometrics and software engineering. By leveraging the university’s academic research and adjacent startup community, AARP will create opportunities to enhance the daily lives for us all as we age.
“Our presence at the Research Park is an opportunity for AARP to show up in a unique way and allows us to further disrupt aging by tapping into leading-edge, university-based research and talent,” said Jose Hernandez, VP, IT Business Operations, AARP. “Innovation is central to AARP’s mission to improve the lives of people 50-plus. By working with the University of Illinois, there is an enormous opportunity to unlock innovation and product research and development that exists within one of our nation’s world-class universities.”
“The Tech Nest provides a unique opportunity to leverage the depth of our campus’ interdisciplinary research in aging with our strengths in data science and computing,” University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign chancellor Robert Jones said. “AARP adds a welcome new dimension to the experiential learning opportunities available to our students through the Research Park.”
For more information about AARP’s innovative initiatives, visit http://www.aarp.org/technology/innovations/innovation-50-plus/
About AARP
AARP is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization, with a membership of nearly 38 million that helps people turn their goals and dreams into “Real Possibilities” by changing the way America defines aging. With staffed offices in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands, AARP works to strengthen communities and promote the issues that matter most to families such as healthcare security, financial security, and personal fulfillment. AARP also advocates for individuals in the marketplace by selecting products and services of high quality and value to carry the AARP name. As a trusted source for news and information, AARP produces the world’s largest circulation magazine, AARP The Magazine, and AARP Bulletin. AARP does not endorse candidates for public office or make contributions to political campaigns or candidates. To learn more, visit www.aarp.org or follow @aarp on Twitter.
Photos from the event can be found here.