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UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS URBANA-CHAMPAIGN

Research Park

    Nora Lozar

    EnterpriseWorks Media Mentions News Recognition & Awards

    HabiTerre Founder Kaiyu Guan Honored for Excellence in Agricultural Research Innovation

    CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – Kaiyu Guan, founder of EnterpriseWork startup, HabiTerre and scientist in the College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences, has been named the recipient of the 2025 national agInnovation award for Excellence in Agricultural Research Innovation. The award was given in recognition of Guan’s contributions to agroecosystem science, particularly his efforts to improve food security and environmental sustainability. Guan, who was also recognized with the North Central regional award earlier this year, serves as Chief Scientist of NASA Acres and is the founding director of the Agroecosystem Sustainability Center at Illinois. Through his efforts to advance modern agriculture by leading interdisciplinary teams, he has collected over $40 million in research funding, published more than 180 scholarly articles, and received multiple national awards. Guan maintains affiliations with several research institutes at Illinois, including the Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, the Institute for Sustainability, Energy, and Environment, the National Center for Supercomputing Applications, the Center for Digital Agriculture, and the Siebel School of Computing and Data Science. The agInnovation organization represents the national network of State Agricultural Experiment Stations, established under the Hatch Act of 1887. It supports multistate collaborations aimed at addressing critical challenges in agriculture, food systems, and natural resource management. Guan will be honored at a September ceremony alongside ACES Dean Germán Bollero, who will receive the 2025 agInnovation Excellence in Leadership Award. Research in the College of ACES is supported in part by Hatch funding from USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture.

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    Media Gallery

    August 2025 Fire at Five

    August 2025 Fire at Five On the last Thursday of every month from May to October, Research Park professionals and interns gather for a themed celebration with food and festivities around a bonfire at the Atkins Patio & Lawn. August’s theme was “Legomania” and the event took place on Thursday, August 21 from 5 to 6:30 p.m. To learn more about events at Research Park, visit the events page. To see previous Fire At Five themes, visit the Fire At Five page. Add media gallery description here!

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    Community Events News Research Park

    Research Park Summer Softball League: Caterpillar Wins 2025 Summer Championship

    CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – The Research Park Softball League concluded its season with a championship game on Monday, Aug. 4 where the Caterpillar Innovation Center would claim its second consecutive championship. The league ran throughout the summer, bringing together employees from companies across the Research Park for weekly games. Teams competed in a tournament-style bracket, with matches that mixed experienced players with newcomers still learning the rules. Caterpillar’s win marked back-to-back titles for the team, demonstrating consistent performance across two seasons. The championship game capped a competitive season where all 10 teams showed improvement from their early matches. “This year’s league was a blast,” said Bryan Goode, Talent Manager at Research Park. “Beyond the fun on the field, it created friendships across Research Park companies, gave interns a chance to build relationships outside their own teams and strengthened camaraderie within companies. It’s more than just a game, it helps employees old and new connect, encourages collaboration across organizations and builds the kind of trust and teamwork that carries back into the workplace.” The league has grown in recent years, drawing participants from various Research Park companies. Games are played on summer evenings, giving employees a chance to meet outside their usual work environments. We extend a special thank you to all the companies who participated in the Softball League: Champaign Caterpillar Innovation Center Motorola Solutions  U. of I. Community Credit Union Littelfuse Synchrony Emerging Technology Center Electric Power Engineers Center for Energy Innovation University of Illinois Research Park John Deere Technology Innovation Center COUNTRY Financial DigitaLab Mondelēz International

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    Community Events Internships News Recognition & Awards

    Research Park Celebrates Interns During the 19th Annual Intern Awards Ceremony

    The 19th Annual Research Park Intern Awards Ceremony, which celebrates the contributions of outstanding student interns at Research Park corporate innovation centers and startups, took place on July 24, 2025. The awards ceremony brings together interns representing diverse skill sets and industry sectors, as well as their managers and colleagues. It reflects the overall depth and breadth of excellence of intern work that occurs daily at Research Park. Awards were given in the following categories: Best Startup Intern Best Technical Innovation Best Business Innovation Most Outstanding Graduate Student Intern Most Outstanding Undergraduate Student Intern Most Competent and Collaborative Team Among the notable projects showcased was an intern who developed an in-house model that once deployed saved their company $60,000 in expenses. Another standout project involved a group of interns who developed XR prototypes that have been deployed and utilized in tech centers across three different continents and did so an entire year ahead of the original schedule. The ceremony and nominations highlighted the incredible talent within the Research Park community and underscored the vital role that internships play in fostering the next generation of industry leaders. Best Startup Intern  Hrishikesh Sarda | Earthsense | Mechanical Engineering Intern | Master of Science in Technology Management | Gies College of Business “Hrishi has very quickly demonstrated his value to our team. He takes on responsibility with the trustworthiness of a full-time engineer. He works independently, gives valuable design feedback, and shows comfort in the unknown. He found an error in my calculation, researched the topic to correct it, and brings a level of attention to detail rare at his experience level.” Finalists: Dongjoon Jeong | Hinetics | Mechanical Engineering Intern | Mechanical Engineering | Grainger College of Engineering Daniel Ormsbee | Boston Bioprocess | Bioprocess Intern | Molecular Biology and Mechanical Engineering | Cedarville University Best Technical innovation Undergraduate winner: Om Mistry | Brunswick Boating Intelligence Design Lab | Data Engineering Intern | Industrial Engineering and Statistics | Grainger College of Engineering “During his internship, Om’s primary responsibility was to enhance our data ingestion pipelines across multiple projects. One of his most impactful contributions was improving our propeller recommendation tool, which helps customers select the right propeller for their boat and engine combination—reducing both customer and dealer stress and driving internal sales. He brought initiative, technical curiosity, and a structured mindset—researching machine learning, building a user-focused interface, and delivering high-quality code. His adaptability, collaboration, and impact on a high-visibility project stood out throughout his internship.” Graduate winner: Farid Ahmed | Rivian | Thermal Modeling Intern | Nuclear Plasma and Radiological Engineering | Grainger College of Engineering “In a context where mileage per watt is a key performance metric, Farid’s contributions are especially impactful. His initial studies indicated an 8–10% improvement in cooling efficiency compared to the current design. He is self-motivated, thoughtful, and collaborative. His technical rigor and clear communication have made him a valued team member influencing high-priority design decisions.” Best Business Innovation Shravani Bhupal | COUNTRY Financial DigitaLab | Project Manager/UI-UX Intern | Master of Science in Information Management  “Shravani led development of a Power BI dashboard for technology budget tracking, producing a tool now essential for strategic reporting. Her precision, innovation, and ability to bridge technical and business needs earned praise from leadership, who highlighted her fresh perspective and strong communication on complex financial data.” Finalists: Luke Peng | Synchrony Emerging Technology Center | Operations Analyst- Data Engineering Intern | Statistics Most Outstanding Undergraduate Student Intern Miguel Aenlle | PrairieLearn | Software Engineering Intern | Computer Science | Grainger College of Engineering “As a freshman, he immediately led a full redesign of our navigation system—interviewing users, building an accessible UI, and engineering a staged rollout. His work is already in production. In 20 years of mentoring interns, Miguel is the best I’ve worked with. His impact has been extraordinary.” Finalists: Isabella Chou | Mondelēz International | XR Intern | Computer Science | Grainger College of Engineering Austin Carlen | Applied Pavement Technology | Engineering Technician Intern | Engineering Technology | Lake Land College Most Outstanding Graduate Student Intern Nanguan Lin | Boston Bioprocess  | Software Engineering Intern | Computer Engineering | Grainger College of Engineering  “Nanguan has been instrumental in building a new Lab Information Management System from scratch. He rapidly grasped requirements, led stakeholder interviews, and delivered a robust dashboard that’s now a cornerstone of operations. He balances professionalism and approachability—equally comfortable leading technical discussions and bringing positive energy to everyday team interactions.” Finalists: Charlie Du | Brunswick Boating Intelligence Design Lab | Computer Graphics Software Developer Intern | Computer Science | Grainger College of Engineering Kinjal Parekh | COUNTRY Financial DigitaLab | Project Manager/Software Developer Intern | Computer Science | Grainger College of Engineering Most Competent and Collaborative Team Mondelēz International XR Team Isabella Chou | XR Intern | Computer Science | Grainger College of Engineering Josh Sutanto  | XR Intern | Computer Engineering | Grainger College of Engineering Roshni Dave  | XR Intern | Computer Science | Grainger College of Engineering “The Mondelez XR team delivered both high-quality work and a remarkable number of prototypes, despite being new to XR. Their teamwork, adaptability, and dedication exceeded every brief—so much so, new ones had to be created. Their prototypes are now being deployed across three continents, with one fast-tracked for consumer research a year early. This accelerated timeline reflects the immediate business value of their work and is expected to drive faster ROI and greater digital adoption.” Finalists: Brunswick Boating Intelligence Design Lab Aashish Subramanian | Computer Graphics Software Developer Intern | Computer Engineering | Grainger College of Engineering Charlie Du | Computer Graphics Software Developer Intern | Computer Science | Grainger College of Engineering Jaden Ambrocio Alcantara | Computer Graphics Software Engineering Intern | Computer Science | Grainger College of Engineering Kaavya Vassa | Front End Development Intern | Computer Science and Bioengineering | Grainger College of Engineering Melody Breg | Mechanical Engineer Intern | Mechanical Engineering | Grainger College of Engineering Swathi Sureshmoorthy | Computer Graphic Software Developer Intern | Computer Science | Grainger College of Engineering  Ameren Innovation Center Jason Liao | Data Science Intern | Computer Science | Grainger College of

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    News Partnerships & Acquisitions Recognition & Awards Research Park

    Genective Poised for Commercial Success After Pipeline Delivered Breakthrough Insect Control Results

    CHAMPAIGN, Ill. and CHAPPES, France, June 25, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Genective, a 100% subsidiary of Limagrain, a French Agri-food conglomerate and world’s fourth largest seeds company, is poised for commercial success after its R&D pipeline for transgenic insect control delivered industry leading breakthrough results. “It’s a very exciting time at Genective,” said Qiaoni Linda Jing, President & CEO. “Through extraordinary team collaboration in the last 5 years, we have made breakthroughs at different stages of our R&D pipeline.  To name a few, we created a whole new class of insect control protein that no one else in the industry has.  Our other lead genes delivered excellent results against Fall Armyworm (FAW) populations that have developed resistance to all currently commercialized solutions.” FAW is a devastating pest originating from the Americas but quickly spread to the rest of the world in the last 10 years causing an estimated 5 billion dollars annually in economic losses.   Jing continued, “I am extremely proud of what my team has achieved and look forward to bringing our novel solutions to the farm fields around the globe through successful commercial partnership with industry partners.” “As an innovation driven company, Limagrain has unwaveringly supported Genective since its inception,” said Fermin Azanza, Global Head of Research for Limagrain Field Seeds and Chairman of the Board of Directors of Genective. “We are very excited the novelty-driven strategy of Genective is bearing fruit.  We will continue standing behind Genective’s innovation and foresee commercialization through partnerships with global players in the agriculture market.” Since relocating its global headquarters from Paris, France to Central Illinois in 2020 amid Covid 19, Genective has emerged as a key contributor to the industry’s agtech innovation landscape. “Genective has been an exemplary member of our innovation community,” said University of Illinois Research Park Executive Director and Assistant Vice Chancellor for Innovation, Laura Appenzeller. “The fast-growing company not only brought in great talent and high paying jobs but also created a winning culture that is fundamental to its success. The University of Illinois Research Park is committed to supporting Genective’s continued achievements in every possible way as an agtech leader.” With scientific momentum, global and local backing, and a strong foundation for commercialization, Genective is fulfilling its vision of being a globally impactful contributor to agriculture through biotechnology for corn, soy, and cotton. About GenectiveGenective is a 100% subsidiary of Groupe Limagrain, a French Agri-food conglomerate and world’s 4th largest seeds company. Genective is dedicated to the research, development, and commercialization of transgenic traits for corn, soy, and cotton. About LimagrainLimagrain is a global company with deep local roots. The parent company is an agricultural cooperative based in the Limagne-Val d’Allier plain, in the heart of Central France’s Auvergne region, while Limagrain is an international seed and agri-food group with some 9,600 employees working in 53 countries. The company breeds, produces, and sells high value-added field and vegetable seeds, drawing on a long history of expertise in plant improvement. Uniquely, Limagrain also has agri-food chain businesses, in France and internationally, to transform the produce of the Cooperative’s 1,300 farmer members. The world faces escalating climatic, environmental and demographic challenges, and the company’s various businesses help address its food and farming issues. As the 4th largest seed company in the world, Limagrain achieved sales of 2.522 billion euros in 2023-2024, with additional sales of 729 million euros from activities carried out in collaboration with strategic partners. www.limagrain.com About University of Illinois Research Park The University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Research Park is an innovation hub for technology commercialization with a unique environment that cultivates startups and increases capabilities for established companies. Located on campus, Research Park has more than 120 companies and growing, employing over 2,100 people in high-technology careers.  Media ContactsGenective: Erin Yarling, erin.yarling@genective.comGroupe Limagrain: Michelle Cornu, michelle.cornu@limagrain.comUniversity of Illinois Research Park: Laura Bleill, lwbleill@illinois.edu SOURCE Genective

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    EnterpriseWorks Features Media Mentions News Recognition & Awards

    EnterpriseWorks Startups Meet with Venture Investors in Silicon valley

    CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – Crain’s Business Chicago highlighted EnterpriseWorks startups Cache Energy, Natrion Inc., Photon Queue and EarthSense, Inc. as they visited San Francisco for Deep Tech Demo Day, offering the opportunity to pitch to 200+ venture investors. The University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign also joined startup teams from the University of Chicago and Northwestern University for this collaborative pitch event. Industries represented at the event included quantum, space, energy, materials science and artificial intelligence. The event aptly took place during San Francisco’s Deep Tech Week.  EnterpriseWorks Entrepreneur-in-Residence and Executive Director of the Technology Entrepreneur Center, Jed Taylor, stated “We’re hoping to get our teams in front of venture capitalists and result in some meetings and get some teams funded…If we get one or two of the teams funded, that would be a huge win for us.” Read the full article on Crain’s Chicago Business.

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    Media Gallery

    Fireside Chat and Book Signing With LaTonya Wilkins

    EnterpriseWorks held a fireside chat with LaTonya Wilkins author of “Leading Below the Surface” on Friday, October 15, 2021. Wilkins is a diversity and inclusion coach and wrote her book to prompt thoughtful discussion on how to achieve diverse, equitable, and inclusive cultures of belonging in the workplace. A book signing followed the fireside chat where Wilkins was able to continue her discussion with individual attendees. Find more UIRP events like this here.  The Research Park was pleased to host Dennis Hastert, former United States Speaker of the House in the Research Park this week on 2/8/10. He was interested in learning more about technology commercialization at the University of Illinois. He also visited with Nanosi, an EnterpriseWorks company making ultra small fluorescent silicon nanoparticles. Nanosi founder, Munir Nayfeh has been talking with him about energy-efficient lighting. NanoSi, has been a partner with PolyBrite, a company that Hastert is consulting, in developing new lighting technologies. In recent years, Hastert has traveled with Nayfeh to Brazil, Saudi Arabia and South Korea to pursue business opportunities. Learn more about State Farm’s operation from yesterday’s News Gazette article:http://www.news-gazette.com/news/education/2010-02-09/ex-house-speaker-stops-ui-talk-technology-agriculture.html .

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    Media Gallery

    FIRE @ FIVE 2021

    Fire at Five Happy Hour and Bonfire is an event open to Research Park employees and their families and friends. This event occurs on the last Friday of every month between May and October and includes food, activities, and music.  Some of the themes from 2010’s virtual Fire at Fives include Game Night, Scavenger Hunt, Ice Cream Social, and Pet Picnic. Learn more on the events calendar.

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