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    EnterpriseWorks

    EnterpriseWorks, Events, Investments, News, Research Park

    Calling AgTech Startups: Apply Now to Pitch at Champaign’s Agriculture and Food Startup World Cup Regional

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    CHAMPAIGN – A regional qualifier for the global finale of the Startup World Cup will take place as part of the 10th Annual AgTech Innovation Summit on March 6 in Champaign. The pitch competition will give 10 entrepreneurs the opportunity to showcase their ideas at the AgTech Summit, one of the region’s largest and most recognized agtech conferences. The winner will receive travel expenses to compete for a chance to win a $1 million investment at the Startup World Cup competition in October. The application platform will be open until Wednesday, Feb. 5. Startups selected to participate in the regional event will be notified no later than Feb. 12. The Champaign Agriculture and Food Regional is a partnership between Serra Ventures, Gener8tor, the University of Illinois Research Park, Pegasus Tech Ventures and Startup World Cup. Click here to Apply! About the AgTech Summit The AgTech Innovation Summit brings together leaders in agriculture technology, entrepreneurship, investment, and academia to address pressing agricultural challenges and explore emerging solutions. This interactive conference, occurring March 6, 2025, features dynamic panel discussions, keynote presentations, and valuable networking opportunities. Participants will gain insights into current agricultural technology trends while exploring future innovations that will shape the sector. To register for the 10th Annual AgTech Innovation Summit visit the Research Park website. About the Startup World Cup The Startup World Cup is a global series of startup competitions and conferences, powered by Pegasus Tech Ventures. With over 100 regional events across 60+ countries, the competition culminates in a Grand Finale in Silicon Valley on October 17, 2025, where the top startups from each region will compete for a $1 million investment prize. For a complete list of regional events, visit: Startup World Cup. About Pegasus Tech Ventures Pegasus Tech Ventures is a leading global venture capital firm based in Silicon Valley, with over $2 billion in assets under management. Pegasus supports emerging technology companies worldwide by providing both intellectual and financial capital. They also offer a unique Venture Capital-as-a-Service (VCaaS) model for large corporations looking to partner with cutting-edge startups. Learn more at Pegasus Tech Ventures.

    Calling AgTech Startups: Apply Now to Pitch at Champaign’s Agriculture and Food Startup World Cup Regional Read Post »

    EnterpriseWorks, Graduates, Recognition & Awards

    EnterpriseWorks Graduate Ascent Integrated Tech Wins at the 23rd Annual Chicago Innovation Awards

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    EnterpriseWorks graduate Ascent Integrated Tech was named one of the winners of the 23rd Annual Chicago Innovation Awards, a celebration of the most innovative products and services in the Chicago region. The Chicago Innovation Awards recognize winners across all industries, including startups, corporations, not-for-profit, and more to demonstrate the breadth of innovation thriving in Illinois. Winners were celebrated on Thursday, November 14, 2024, during a ceremony held at the University of Illinois: Chicago Forum. As a winner, Ascent Integrated Tech will be celebrated on a global stage next summer when they ring the Nasdaq Bell in New York City.  The top 100 finalists will also be awarded a scholarship to “The Practical Innovator” at Northwestern’s Kellogg School of Management, an executive education course with a $2,500 value. Ascent Integrated Tech was founded at EnterpriseWorks in the Research Park by Paul Couston and Alex Gorsuch. Couston and Gorsuch designed a software program for first responders, including firefighters, special forces, and SWAT teams. The platform optimizes 3D tracking technology, placed inside helmets and bracelets, to provide commanders with critical information, such as their team’s location. These tracking sensors provide details about the team members’ health and environment, such as CO2 levels, humidity, and airborne metal oxide. Read a full news story about this on Ascent’s website, or view the full list of winners on the Chicago Innovation Awards website.

    EnterpriseWorks Graduate Ascent Integrated Tech Wins at the 23rd Annual Chicago Innovation Awards Read Post »

    EnterpriseWorks, Media Mentions, Recognition & Awards, Research Park

    DeepWalk Co-Founders Named to Forbes’ 30 Under 30: Transportation and Mobility List

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    Anshul Shah and Brandon Yates, co-founders of the EnterpriseWorks startup graduate DeepWalk, have been named to  2025 Forbes 30 Under 30- Transportation and Mobility list. DeepWalk was launched out of the University of Illinois in 2019 to improve sidewalks with planning software and make it easier for cities to bring them into compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act. The company operated out of EnterpriseWorks from 2021 to 2023 before relocating to Chicago, Illinois. Using iPhone LiDAR scanners, DeepWalk’s platform allows city maintenance staff to quickly assess sidewalks for accessibility. The software generates planning, construction and maintenance documents that cut down the time and cost to make sidewalks ADA-compliant. Since its founding, DeepWalk has raised $2 million and worked with 39 cities, counties, universities and state transportation departments to inspect 1,600 miles of sidewalks. Shah and Yates are joining an esteemed group of EnterpriseWorks startup founders previously named on the Forbes 30 Under 30 list. They include Natrion‘s Alex Kosyakov, Ascent Integrated Tech’s Paul Couston, IntelliWheels‘ Scott Daigle, Psyonic‘s Patrick Slade, and Electrolinks‘ Brett Walker. View the entire 30 under 30: Transportation and Mobility list on the Forbes website.

    DeepWalk Co-Founders Named to Forbes’ 30 Under 30: Transportation and Mobility List Read Post »

    EnterpriseWorks, Features

    EnterpriseWorks Startup Radiant Looms Gains Media Spotlight for Radiation-Blocking Infant Onesies

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    EnterpriseWorks startup Radiant Looms was featured in WCIA for its innovative infant onesie, designed to protect NICU babies from radiation exposure. Radiant Looms is a student-run startup at EnterpiseWorks and a winner of the Student Startup Tenancy Prize at the 2024 Cozad New Ventures Challenge, a campus-wide program run by the Technology Entrepreneur Center. The all-female team is creating thin, lightweight, comfortable, and hypoallergenic suits that help shield infants during frequent chest X-rays in the NICU, with hopes to use NASA anti-radiation technology in the future. Team leader Annie Tigranyan, a Carle Illinois College of Medicine student, developed the idea after learning about the cumulative risks of radiation exposure for NICU patients. “It is important to minimize radiation exposure given their [infants] increased vulnerability,” Tigranyan said to WCIA. With prototypes underway and plans to market to hospitals, the team, including students from medicine and chemical engineering, envisions broader uses, such as shielding infants from sunlight. Read the full article at WCIA.

    EnterpriseWorks Startup Radiant Looms Gains Media Spotlight for Radiation-Blocking Infant Onesies Read Post »

    EnterpriseWorks, Features

    Epivara Featured For Innovative Nonsurgical Sterilization Products

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    EnterpriseWorks startup to graduate, Epivara, founded by Dr. CheMyongJay Ko was highlighted on WCIA for developing ground-breaking nonsurgical sterilization products to improve animal care. iSpay and iNeuter are injectable biodegradable pellets that safely prevent animal reproductive organ development without affecting overall growth and health. Ko discussed the impact and efficiency of iSpay and iNeuter, emphasizing how the company’s nonsurgical sterilization technologies can streamline veterinary care by reducing the need for invasive procedures. Read the full story on WCIA.

    Epivara Featured For Innovative Nonsurgical Sterilization Products Read Post »

    Community, EnterpriseWorks, Features, Research Park

    New Podcast Episode: Yummy Future

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    In the November Innovations @ Research Park podcast episode, host Tanmay Shah talked to Yummy Future CEO Jack Cui about the company’s journey, Cui’s entrepreneurship journey, working with autonomous robots, and more. Jack Cui is the CEO and co-founder of Yummy Future, an autonomous coffee shop that offers a taste of the future by servicing customers through an autonomous robot.  The company also provides robotic solutions for food and beverage businesses, lowering costs and enhancing efficiency. “I couldn’t imagine a robot able to do such a delicate task. So I showed him [Garrett Yan, Yummy Future co-founder], and  I said, ‘Why don’t we start a business, a robots servicing business,’ Cui said when describing how the idea of Yummy Future started. The Innovations @ Research Park podcast highlights the thriving entrepreneurial and corporate innovation culture in Champaign. It is hosted by University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign alumnus Tanmay Shah. Subscribe to The Innovations @ Research Park to catch up on the latest innovations and news on Apple Podcasts,  Spotify, or your preferred podcast network. 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? Do you want to provide other feedback? Contact Laura Bleill (lwbleill@illinois.edu).

    New Podcast Episode: Yummy Future Read Post »

    EnterpriseWorks, Graduates, Media Mentions, Recognition & Awards, Research Park

    EnterpiseWorks Graduate Prenosis Earns Spot on TIME’s Best Inventions List

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    Prenosis, EnterpriseWorks startup graduate, has earned a place on TIME’s Best Inventions of the Year list for its innovative Sepsis ImmunoScore. Sepsis ImmunoScore is an AI diagnostic tool transforming sepsis care—a critical need in U.S. hospitals, where nearly 1.7 million patients are affected annually. The system analyzes 22 health metrics, including vital signs and blood measurements, to provide a rapid sepsis risk score, helping doctors diagnose and predict severe cases within 24 hours. “The Sepsis ImmunoScore is setting a new standard of proactive sepsis care—where faster and more accurate prediction and diagnosis is essential to saving lives,” CEO and co-founder Bobby Reddy Jr. said in a press release. “We are honored to be recognized by TIME for the potential of our work to improve patient outcomes and to bring precision medicine to acute care.” Reddy was also recently honored as one of Crain’s Chicago Business 40 Under 40, a recognition given to executives, founders, creators, and strategists driving change and innovation in the Chicago area. Prenosis was an EnterpriseWorks tenant from 2017 to 2018. Founder Rashid Bashir, Dean of Grainger College of Engineering and Research Park Board of Managers member, developed these technologies with his research group in the Micro and Nanotechnology Laboratory, along with Bobby Reddy Jr. While at the Research Park, the Prenosis team earned a second-place prize in the 14th Annual Dale V. Cozad New Venture Competition. For more information, visit the Prenosis website

    EnterpiseWorks Graduate Prenosis Earns Spot on TIME’s Best Inventions List Read Post »

    EnterpriseWorks, Events, Research Park

    Cache Energy expands with new manufacturing hub in Champaign

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    EnterpriseWorks startup Cache Energy has expanded its operations into a 10,000-square-foot warehouse at 301 E. Mercury Drive in north Champaign. The new facility will serve as a dedicated manufacturing warehouse, where Cache will build its limestone-based long-term energy storage from scratch, including mechanical and electrical components. Currently, the company can produce one ton of energy storage material per hour, and it plans to expand further in the coming months. “The whole purpose of getting this warehouse was expanding our manufacturing and making Champaign-Urbana the hub in the Midwest region where we manufacture and ship around our products,”Arpit Dwivedi, founder and CEO, said. With this expansion, Dwivedi anticipates creating 20 to 25 new jobs in the Champaign-Urbana area. Cache Energy develops safe-to-install and transportable long-duration energy storage solutions utilizing technology inspired by thermal power plants, allowing an easier transition to clean energy. Its scalable, cost-effective storage can support the shift to renewable energy by storing grid electricity and capturing biogas energy from wastewater treatment plants and landfills, which would otherwise go to waste.

    Cache Energy expands with new manufacturing hub in Champaign Read Post »

    EnterpriseWorks, Graduates, Partnerships & Acquisitions

    EnterpriseWorks Graduate Network Perception Acquired by Dragos

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    EnterpriseWorks startup Cache Energy has expanded its operations into a warehouse at 301 E. Mercury Drive in north Champaign. The new addition will act as a manufacturing warehouse where Cache will build its long-term energy storage from scratch, including assembling mechanical and electrical components of its limestone-based energy storage. Currently, the company can produce one Ton an hour. Cache also plans to expand to more locations, including potential manufacturing facilities beyond Illinois, although focusing on Champaign-Urbana as its central hub. “The whole purpose of getting this warehouse was expanding our manufacturing and making Champaign-Urbana the hub in the Midwest region where we manufacture and ship around our products,” said Arpit Dwivedi, founder and CEO of Cache Energy. With the expansion, Dwivedi anticipates creating 20 to 25 new jobs in Champaign, seeking passionate individuals willing to contribute to a project with global impact.

    EnterpriseWorks Graduate Network Perception Acquired by Dragos Read Post »

    Community, EnterpriseWorks, Events, Graduates, Recognition & Awards, Research Park

    Inaugural Founders Week at Research Park Celebrates Illinois Entrepreneurship 

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    The inaugural Founders Week, held Oct. 17-19 at Research Park, was an inspiring celebration of innovation at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. “Entrepreneurship is a team sport,” said EnterpriseWorks Director of Entrepreneurship Gerald Wilson. “Founders Week is a recognition that we are all co-founders of the future of Illini Entrepreneurship.” Wilson was a key proponent in organizing the event, working closely with the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research and Innovation, Illinois Ventures, the Technology Entrepreneur Center, and more partners across campus. Founders Week highlighted the university’s role in fostering groundbreaking ventures, which consistently ranks in the top five nationally for number of companies founded, founders, and capital raised. The event brought together founders, Illini Angels, active investors, ecosystem leaders, faculty, and students interested in entrepreneurship. View the event booklet for more event highlights and relevant resources Thursday, October 17 The Founders Week celebration kicked off with a Summit on Capitalizing New Ventures on Thursday, Oct. 17. Speakers led discussions on capital formation, attraction, and allocation to fund companies. The Summit was followed by a Founders Sandbox at, including a pitch workshop. Simultaneously, a campus tour took attendees through spaces on campus that are inventing the future, including the Institute of Genomic Biology, the Integrated Bioprocessing Research Lab, and EnterpriseWorks. That evening, the first “live” TechRise pitch competition in central Illinois invited historically underrepresented founders to compete for a $25,000 cash prize. Finalists included. Finalist: Oscar Azofeifa, PowerBox Technology, CEO Finalist: Aryan Indarapu, AVEA Robotics, CEO Finalist: Shrikar Lekkala, MetaFrazo, CEO & Founder Finalist: Ohm Vyas, ShotHawk, Co-Founder Winner: Tessabella Magliochetti, AmnioAlert, President & Co-Founder Thursday’s events concluded with EnterpriseWorks’ 20th Anniversary Homecoming Dinner. Friday, October 18 On Friday morning, Illini Angels held its meeting to foster community for experienced entrepreneurs and investors who invest in and mentor Illini founders. If you are interested in learning more about or joining this group, contact Paul Magelli. Later that morning, the Founders Technology Showcase began. This all-day event included panels, fireside chats, and more highlighting the hottest technologies being spun out of university research labs. Following the Founders Technology Showcase, a networking reception and startup expo allowed participants to meet more companies and turn Illini pride into a connected community Saturday, October 19 The final day of Founders Week included an Illinois Football Tailgate at EnterpriseWorks preceding the Illinois football game against Michigan at 2:30 p.m. Find more event photography in the Founders Week media gallery.

    Inaugural Founders Week at Research Park Celebrates Illinois Entrepreneurship  Read Post »

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