CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (July 29, 2026) – Riverside Research, a national security nonprofit, opened a new location in the University of Illinois Research Park in Champaign, IL, on July 15, 2026. Headquartered in Fairfax, VA, near the nation’s capital, Riverside Research’s new location echoes the company’s foundational roots in academia and its current mission of partnering with local universities and capturing top talent in the fields of physics, electrical engineering, computer science, and computer engineering. Located at 2021 S. 1st Street, Riverside Research occupies a 2,800-square-foot office supporting ten employees. This move relocates Riverside Research employees from its previous Champaign office on Fox Drive (where it has been located since 2010) directly onto the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign’s campus along with other companies and researchers in the innovation community This location supports existing contracts for the company, with a focus on its DC to Daylight full-wave computational electromagnetics competency, fueling its independent research and development (IRAD) growth in the areas of software development, physics-based modeling and simulation, electromagnetics, and radar systems. Riverside Research’s current and historical focus on independent research, supporting the mission focus of the Department of War (DOW). “Opening our new location in Research Park is an incredible milestone for Riverside Research,” said Mary Barefoot, Senior Vice President of Business Operations at Riverside Research. “Being embedded directly within the University of Illinois’ thriving research ecosystem gives us unparalleled access to top-tier talent, groundbreaking ideas, and a community that shares our passion for innovation. We’re excited to be here and to expand our collaboration with the university as we continue advancing our mission.” The new office at the Research Park included an $80,000 office renovation to house Riverside Research staff, and the company is investing over $250,000 over the 3-year lease term. Riverside Research is proud to be further embedded in the university’s community, contributing to and interacting with a significant, talented student population in a research environment. Riverside Research has multiple locations throughout the country, including several offices in the Dayton, Ohio, area, near Wright-Patterson Air Force Base. ### About Riverside Research Riverside Research is a national security nonprofit serving the DOW and Intelligence Community. Through the company’s Open Innovation Center (OIC), it invests in multidisciplinary research and development and encourages collaboration. Riverside Research’s areas of expertise include Object and Activity Detection; Accelerated AI/ML; Zero Trust; Open Architectures; Computational Electromagnetics; Plasma Physics; Precision Timing; Terahertz Imaging; Commercial Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR); Collection Planning; and more. Learn more at www.riversideresearch.org. 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 at researchpark.illinois.edu.
