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    2019

    Community Events News Research Park

    Illinois Conference Center Expansion Celebrated with Groundbreaking Ceremony

    Representatives from campus and community gathered to celebrate the groundbreaking of the Illinois Conference Center expansion on Monday, Nov. 25. The Conference Center expansion will add 32,500 square feet to the facility, nearly doubling its size. The $13 million project will include a 12,500 square foot exhibit hall and add roughly 140 parking spaces. The expansion will provide the campus and community with a dynamic event space that can hold more than 600 attendees at one time. The building is scheduled to be completed in September of 2020. “The expansion of the Illinois Conference Center is the result of the university’s commitment to serve our students, staff, faculty, and the Champagin-Urbana community,” said Danita M. B. Young, Ph.D., Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs.  “The expanded Conference Center will serve as a gathering, learning, and networking space for a larger number of patrons than we have ever been able to engage with previously. The new modern facility will provide students with the opportunity to display and discuss what they are learning in classrooms and labs, gain access to expert speakers, and discover chances to expand their knowledge, thanks to the access the larger conference space will provide.” Located adjacent to the I-Hotel, the Conference Center has been a fixture in Champaign-Urbana since 2008. A public-private partnership, the Conference Center is owned and operated by the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, while the hotel is owned and managed privately. “The first exposure many people have with the Research Park is the iHotel and Conference Center, which makes it an important part of our outreach,” Research Park executive director Laura Frerichs said. “In addition to hosting companies and organizations for collaboration, conferences, and events, it is a place that bridges the university and the community.” Currently the Illinois Conference Center hosts over 3000 events per year, and there are already 2000 on the books for 2020. The project addresses the concern that the community has been unable  to cater to large conferences of 700+, including meetings of interest to Illinois faculty as well as meetings for Illinois-based associations and business. “To this point we’ve been selling a concept,” said Jayne DeLuce, President and CEO of Visit Champaign County. “After today it’s a reality. We are ready to bring in more and more business.” The project is being constructed by Fox/Atkins Development, the development partner of the University of Illinois Research Park. This story was featured in the News Gazette. Read their coverage here.

    Illinois Conference Center Expansion Celebrated with Groundbreaking Ceremony Read Post »

    EnterpriseWorks News Research Park

    Susan Martinis Named Vice Chancellor for Innovation and Research

    On November 7, 2019, Chancellor Robert J. Jones announced that Susan Martinis accepted the offer to become the vice chancellor for research and innovation at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Dr. Martinis was appointed as interim vice chancellor for research in September 2017. According to Chancellor Jones, “Since taking on the role, Dr. Martinis has provided stellar performance, collegiality, creativity and agility in leading some of the most complex and pioneering activities in the Urbana-Champaign research enterprise. Her accomplishments during this period are impressive, and the addition of ‘innovation’ to the VCR title reflects the breadth of her portfolio and scope of her impact.” Further accomplishments include the transition of the Research Park and EnterpriseWorks back to the Urbana-Champaign campus and supporting the Illinois Program for Research in the Humanities as it moves towards IBHE-approved institute status. Additionally, The Cancer Center at Illinois and the Center for Social and Behavioral Sciences became the 8th and 9th university-wide research centers during Dr. Martinis’ time as interim vice chancellor. EnterpriseWorks and the Research Park thank Dr. Martinis for her support and applaud her for her extensive work at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. For more information, view the Illinois News Bureau article here.

    Susan Martinis Named Vice Chancellor for Innovation and Research Read Post »

    EnterpriseWorks Graduates News Recognition & Awards

    EnterpriseWorks Graduate SNOOZ Raises $1.35 Million

    SNOOZ, an EnterpriseWorks graduate, raised $1.35 million in a seed round led by Serra Ventures. Founded in 2015 by Matthew Snyder and Eli Lazar, SNOOZ  has developed a white noise machine designed to improve sleep. The product is designed for both the hospitality industry and at-home use.  Lazar is an alumus of the University of Illinois, where he studied Mechanical Science and Engineering. “As sleep has emerged as a key focus of the health and wellness space, we think we’re in a perfect position to help improve the bedroom environment for millions around the world. To that end, we’re thrilled to have the support and investment of Serra to help us accelerate our roadmap and continue spreading the good SNOOZ,” CEO and Co-founder Matthew Snyder said. Serra Ventures, located in downtown Champaign, is a venture capital firm that invests in technology companies and works alongside entrepreneurs to develop strategic business development plans. Several of its partners are Entrepreneurs-in-Residence at EnterpriseWorks. Read the original press release here.

    EnterpriseWorks Graduate SNOOZ Raises $1.35 Million Read Post »

    EnterpriseWorks Graduates Media Mentions News

    Personify Named One of Crain’s Chicago’s Most Innovative Companies

    EnterpriseWorks graduate Personify landed in the top 10 on Crain’s Chicago’s Most Innovative Companies list. The company was named number 4, but this isn’t the first time Personify has appeared on the Most Innovative Companies list. Crain’s Chicago Business named Personify tenth on the list in 2018. Personify was founded in 2009 by University of Illinois Professor Sanjay Patel and his colleagues Minh Do and Wen-mei Hwu. The company has developed advanced video technology that allows users to have an immersive video experience. Users can use Personify’s “virtual green screen” to blur video background or customize their background. Learn more about Personify’s technology here.

    Personify Named One of Crain’s Chicago’s Most Innovative Companies Read Post »

    Events News Partnerships & Acquisitions Research Park

    Greenhouse Groundbreaking at the University of Illinois Research Park

    Representatives from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation broke ground Wednesday, October 23 on a new, state-of-the-art greenhouse in the Research Park. The planned greenhouse will support a research project, “Realizing Increased Photosynthetic Efficiency” (RIPE) for sustainable increases in crop yield, led by Illinois researchers Steve Long and Don Ort. RIPE is funded by the Gates Foundation, the Foundation for Food and Agriculture Research, and the UK Government’s Department for International Development.     The greenhouse will be a modern plant phenotyping facility and joins a growing agtech cluster in the Research Park that includes major global seed companies, equipment manufacturers, retailers, and bioprocessing leaders. “The RIPE project is a spectacular example of the way Illinois is leading forward to sustainably feed our growing global population. Advancements in the digital agriculture space, including this phenotyping facility and our new Center for Digital Agriculture, are needed to make that goal a reality. We’re grateful to the Gates Foundation, as well as Drs. Long and Ort, for their commitment,” said Kim Kidwell, Dean of the College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences at Illinois.     Located on Fourth Street, just south of St. Mary’s Road, the building will be owned by the University of Illinois and operated by the College of ACES in collaboration with the Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology. Fox/Atkins Development will construct the greenhouse, with September 2020 as the projected completion date.

    Greenhouse Groundbreaking at the University of Illinois Research Park Read Post »

    EnterpriseWorks Features Graduates Media Mentions News

    EnterpriseWorks Graduate Serionix Featured in NASA’s Spinoff

    EnterpriseWorks graduate, Serionix was featured in the NASA’s 2019 Edition of Spinoff, an annual publication that features commerical technologies that have origins to NASA-backed research. Serionix was founded in 2011 by two Materials Science and Engineering PhD students at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. While at EnterpriseWorks, Serionix was awarded multiple SBIR awards from the Johnson Space Center. These awards allowed the company to research and design filters for spacesuits and spacecrafts. However, this technology used to filter space can also be used in the home to improve indoor air quality and reduce pet odors. “All of the challenges that we have here are simply magnified up in space. That’s the environment up there, and people’s lives depend on solving those problems,” he says. “The challenges of deploying the technology in space definitely serve us well in making a more robust product for our customers on Earth,” said Co-Founder and President James Langer in the the Spinoff article. Learn more about Serinox’s partnership with NASA and their filtering technology here.

    EnterpriseWorks Graduate Serionix Featured in NASA’s Spinoff Read Post »

    Community Features News Research Park

    Campus Conversation with Susan Martinis, Interim Vice Chancellor for Research

    Susan Martinis, the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign‘s Interim Vice Chancellor for Research, spoke with Julie Wurth from The News Gazette on September 18, 2019, about efforts on campus to reduce campus sexual harassment, her experience as a woman in STEM, and the impact of ownership within the Research Park. In regards to the latter, Martinis noted that, “I think that it’s given us a few more players to think about. And I think with a few more players and getting to know our partners, it’s also given us some more opportunities…. They are interested in growing the Research Park, which again is my mission, to double the Research Park in whatever capacity that means.” Martinis provides leadership for campus-wide interdisciplinary research institutes while promoting research initiatives and overseeing appropriate research conduct at the University of Illinois. Her research focuses on leucyl-tRNA synthetase, and she currently leads a W.M. Keck Foundation-supported team to characterize mammalian variants of the synthetase. To hear the full episode, click here for the article.

    Campus Conversation with Susan Martinis, Interim Vice Chancellor for Research Read Post »

    News Partnerships & Acquisitions Research Park

    Motorola Solutions Opens Innovation Center at University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

    CHICAGO – Sept. 13, 2019 – Motorola Solutions announced the opening of its first college campus innovation center at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Research Park. The innovation center will employ undergraduate and graduate students from a variety of backgrounds and talents to focus on developing products, applications and services in key growth areas, including command center software and video. Students will focus on projects for the company’s Chief Technology Office, Advanced Technology and Products organizations. “Partnering with the University of Illinois provides access to a depth of talent across a number of disciplines, encouraging research in areas that are critical to Motorola Solutions’ future,” said Kelly Mark, executive vice president, Services & Software, Motorola Solutions and University of Illinois alumnus. “The new innovation center will provide an opportunity for the next generation of students and employees to make valuable contributions to the company and broader tech community.” The new Motorola Solutions innovation and design center, located in the University’s Research Park, will open in the Fall 2019 semester and has capacity for up to 40 interns with an option for full-time employees in the future. Interns and employees will work directly with Motorola Solutions staff to help move ideas to test mode more quickly. “We are excited to expand Motorola Solutions’ footprint to the University of Illinois, a top-tier engineering university and my alma mater,” said John Kedzierski, senior vice president, Video Security Solutions, Motorola Solutions. “The university’s Research Park is an incubator for new ideas and technologies, and we look forward to contributing to that culture of innovation and creativity.” “We are excited to welcome Motorola Solutions to the Research Park. Their presence offers new opportunities for collaborations around some of the most critical elements of our public safety infrastructure,” said University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign chancellor Robert J. Jones. “The Motorola Solutions design center is an example of our university strategic goal of establishing ourselves as a testbed for the technologies and services that will enable the safe, healthy, and sustainable communities of the future.” The team will be managed by site director Craig Ibbotson, distinguished member of the technical staff, Motorola Solutions and computer science alumnus of the University of Illinois. About Motorola SolutionsMotorola Solutions is a global leader in mission-critical communications. Our technology platforms in communications, command center software, video security solutions and managed and support services make cities safer and help communities and businesses thrive. At Motorola Solutions, we are ushering in a new era in public safety and security. Learn more at http://www.motorolasolutions.com. About the Research Park at the University of Illinois The Research Park at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign is a technology hub for startup companies and corporate research and development operations. Within the Research Park there are 120 companies employing students and full-time technology professionals. More information at researchpark.illinois.edu.

    Motorola Solutions Opens Innovation Center at University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Read Post »

    News Partnerships & Acquisitions Research Park

    Purchase of 2001 S. First St. by Arvum Partners LLC

    Research Park’s “State Farm Building” at 2001 S. First St., has found new a new owner under Arvum Partners LLC. The company is now under contract to buy the building next month. One of the entities involved with Arvum Partners LLC is commercial real-estate firm Oxford Partners. The company is Texas based but have offices located in the Midwest. For the many tenants there, not much should change with the new owners. As the new owners of 2001 S. First St., Arvum Partners LLC does not plan on changing much, allowing for a smooth transition. “The new owners, if they’re able to close on this, have made it clear that their intent is to keep the tenants happy, and that tenant-servicing is a priority for them, and that they want to see a well-maintained facility,”  UI Research Park Director Laura Frerichs said. “And that’s important to us as well.” Learn more here.

    Purchase of 2001 S. First St. by Arvum Partners LLC Read Post »

    Community News Research Park

    Cargill Innovation Lab Opens at University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Research Park

    HOPKINS, Minn. (August 21, 2019) – University of Illinois students focused on solving some of the world’s greatest challenges across the global food and agriculture systems will soon have a new space to test their work thanks to a partnership with Cargill. The Research Park at the Urbana-Champaign campus will be the home of the newest Cargill Innovation Lab, the company announced today. Led by Cargill’s digital labs team of data scientists, Innovation Lab students and staff will work directly with Cargill business leaders, operations teams and customers to help move digital ideas – in weeks, not months – to test mode. “Cargill’s commitment to engaging our students in its innovation process will add a new dimension to their educational experiences at Illinois,” said Robert J. Jones, chancellor, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. “I had the good fortune to visit Cargill’s headquarters and engage with their leadership in this process. I am excited that Cargill has decided to join the dynamic environment in our Research Park.” In turn, the Innovation Lab provides Cargill with a pipeline of talented software engineering and data science students and graduates ready to modernize agricultural supply chains and food systems across the globe. “We are on a constant search for new innovations and new talent, whose fresh thinking can help us bring new technologies to life,” said Keith Narr, vice president, Cargill’s digital labs team. “With an impressive engineering and computer science program, the University of Illinois is an ideal partner to spur the growth and innovation in our digital business.” The Cargill Innovation Lab formally opens its doors this fall, following a successful first phase of the partnership, including a 12-week internship program. “We know our students are motivated by making an impact in their communities,” said Jones. “There are few greater ways to do so than by helping Cargill fulfill its purpose of feeding the world.” This article was featured in Food Business News.

    Cargill Innovation Lab Opens at University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Research Park Read Post »

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