Media Gallery

Founders Week 2025 Research Park hosted its second annual Founders Week celebration from Oct. 8-11, 2025. Founders Week celebrates our collective entrepreneurial successes and showcases the innovative ecosystem that fosters groundbreaking ventures. Together, we’re building a legacy of innovation and growth, empowering countless entrepreneurs while strengthening our shared commitment to shaping the future of Entrepreneurship at Illinois. Participants included investors actively supporting startups in Illinois, angel groups, entrepreneurship ecosystem leaders, faculty, and students interested in entrepreneurship. 

Synchrony Ribbon Cutting 2025 University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (U. of I.) and Synchrony (NYSE: SYF), a premier consumer financial services company, this week celebrated a major milestone: more than 400 U. of I. students have gained hands-on technology experience through Synchrony’s internship program. At a ribbon cutting ceremony for the expanded Synchrony Emerging Technology Center in Research Park, university leaders, Synchrony executives, and students marked the opening of the nearly 11,000 square foot reimagined space dedicated to advancing innovation and preparing students for the jobs of tomorrow.

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!

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.

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. July’s theme was “Backyard Olympics” and the event took place on Thursday, July 17 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.

The 2025 AgTech Innovation Showcase brought together 84 innovators, farmers and industry stakeholders to get a firsthand look at emerging agtech solutions tailored to Midwestern farming challenges. The event was hosted by the University of Illinois Research Park in collaboration with BioSTL, a St. Louis nonprofit that invests in bioscience startups, and the Illinois Farm Bureau, a nonprofit that advocates for farmers and Illinois agriculture, on Wednesday, July 16, 2025.

Power Skills Speaker Series This summer’s professional development took the form of the weekly Power Skills Series, led by speakersfrom backgrounds in everything from finance to career services. Find more events like these on the Research Park events calendar.