CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (September 23, 2026) — Mark Laufenberg, co-founder and president of PowerWorld Corporation, a power grid visualization and analysis platform used by organizations worldwide, joined the Innovations at Research Park podcast to discuss nearly three decades of building his company and how surging data center and AI demand is reshaping the power grids.
Laufenberg co-founded PowerWorld Corporation in 1996 while finishing his PhD in electrical engineering at the University of Illinois, working alongside Professor Thomas J. Overbye to commercialize a visualization tool Overbye had originally built as an educational aid. The company grew up within the Research Park, moving from a cubicle on campus into UIRP’s early buildings and staying there for over 25 years.
“I think it has paid off for us in the last 30 years due to our ability to remain independent, make our own decisions and tell people no when we want to tell them no,” Laufenberg stated, reflecting on the choice to bootstrap the company rather than raise venture capital.
Laufenberg cited projections of roughly 260 gigawatts of new demand over the next decade, driven largely by data centers and AI. He further noted that PowerWorld has had to rebuild its models to keep pace. “We’ve seen more changes to the grid in the last five years than I saw in the previous 20,” Laufenberg explained, adding that the shift has pushed the company toward cloud-based computing and new operating systems.
To hear the full conversation with Mark Laufenberg, listen to the Innovations at Research Park podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or your preferred podcast network.
The Innovations at Research Park podcast highlights Champaign’s thriving entrepreneurial and corporate innovation culture. It is hosted by Tanmay Shah, a University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign alumnus.
Is there something you want to know about Research Park? Do you have an idea for a guest for the show or a story we should pursue? Contact Kaleb Medina at kmedin22@illinois.edu
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About Research Park at the University of Illinois
Research Park at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign is a technology hub for startup companies and corporate research and development operations. Within Research Park, there are 120 companies employing students and full-time technology professionals. More information is available at researchpark.illinois.edu.