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    Features

    Features News Research Park

    New Podcast Episode: Cara Bognar

    In this Innovations @ Research Park episode, host Tanmay Shah interviews Cara Bognar about her transition from student-athlete at Illinois to founder and CEO of Top Tier Lessons. Inspired by her experiences balancing sports and academics, Cara became interested in startups that create meaningful, flexible opportunities for student-athletes like herself. Top Tier Lessons is a company that connects college student athletes with parents in the community looking for sports lessons. “I was a bio-engineer, I didn’t know I was going to come to college and start a company. I had relatively little experience outside of sports [and] classes—everything you expect a nineteen-twenty-year-old to be doing day to day,” Bognar said during the interview. The Innovations @ 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. 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: Cara Bognar Read Post »

    Features Media Mentions News Recognition & Awards Research Park

    Brunswick Site Manager Jeffrey Reifsnyder named to Boating Industry 40 Under 40

    Jeffrey Reifsnyder, Brunswick Boating Intelligence Design Lab’s site manager and Advanced Technology Director, was recently recognized on the Boating Industry magazine’s 40 Under 40 list.  Reifsnyder joined Brunswick’s Research Park team in January 2024. The BI DesignLab works with Brunswick’s corporate office to further accelerate the company’s progress in modernizing the recreational boating experience with autonomous docking technology, AI-powered virtual agents for marine applications, and more. “At the Lab, we have anywhere from 10 to 30 interns [who] work with us throughout the year,” said Reifsnyder. “It’s an opportunity…to give to the future by investing in the interns. My hope is that I can inspire the next generation…to not just join the industry, but bring passion and innovation to it.” Learn more about the 40 Under 40 Program, which highlights leaders from a diverse array of recreational boating industry segments, on the Boating Industry website.

    Brunswick Site Manager Jeffrey Reifsnyder named to Boating Industry 40 Under 40 Read Post »

    EnterpriseWorks Features

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

    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

    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

    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 »

    Community Features Partnerships & Acquisitions

    PowerBox Technology joins POETS at Research Park

    PowerBox Technology is officially a member of The Center for Power Optimization of Electro-Thermal Systems (POETS) at Research Park. The POETS facility will enable PowerBox to optimize factory operations and drive renewable energy system innovation. PowerBox Technology utilizes simulation software to provide cutting-edge power and energy modeling services, working to minimize renewable energy costs and maximize energy security. PowerBox was founded by University of Illinois alumnus Oscar Azofeifa, who currently serves as the company’s CEO. “Joining forces with top-tier corporations and government institutions, we aim to accelerate the commercialization of our cutting-edge technologies while contributing to groundbreaking research,” said Azofeifa. Industry and Innoation Director at POETS Owen Doyle welcomed PowerBox to the team in a recent LinkedIn post, saying that PowerBox’s “work is a great addition to [their] center.” POETS is an initiative of the Grainger College of Enginnering at the University of Illinois and is funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF). Its ambitious approach to improving the power density of next-generation electro-thermal systems involves integrating traditionally separate research efforts in mechanical, electrical, and materials engineering across different technical domains. Learn more on LinkedIn.

    PowerBox Technology joins POETS at Research Park Read Post »

    Community EnterpriseWorks Features Graduates Media Mentions

    Cast21 Founder Ashley Moy Featured by New York Stock Exchange

    EnterpriseWorks startup graduate Cast21 was recently featured in a video by the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE). Host Judy Khan Shaw sat down with co-founder and CEO Ashley Moy on NYSE’s Floor Talk. Moy shared what inspired her to start Cast21 and discussed the technology behind Cast21’s innovative products. Cast21 is introducing a medical cast for treating broken bones to increase patient comfort and decrease medical complications. This product is completely waterproof, giving patients the freedom to shower, and its open design enables doctors to see the break site and dress accompanying wounds. Taking advantage of the company’s patent-pending technology, physicians can benefit from the adaptable-fit device they can grab off the shelf. University of Illinois alumna Ashley Moy co-founded Cast21 in 2016 to change the utilization of technology in healthcare biologics. Watch the full video on LinkedIn.

    Cast21 Founder Ashley Moy Featured by New York Stock Exchange Read Post »

    EnterpriseWorks Features Research Park

    Cache Energy Featured in TechCrunch for Innovative Energy Storage Solution

    TechCrunch is the latest major publication to highlight EnterpriseWorks startup Cache Energy and its novel, inexpensive energy storage solution.  “Rather than store power as heat using sand or specially made bricks, Cache is storing it in chemical bonds inside pellets made of lime derived from limestone,” writes TechCrunch reporter Tim De Chant.  In the interview, Founder and CEO Arpit Dwivedi discussed the company’s development of the lime-based pellets that store energy chemically. This low-cost, sustainable method provides an alternative to traditional batteries by using pellets to produce heat, which can be released on demand. Dwivedi emphasized the solution’s practicality, telling TechCrunch, “It’s a low-cost solid that is able to produce heat and can use some of the similar infrastructure built around fossil fuel.” Read more about Cache Energy’s energy storage solution on TechCrunch.

    Cache Energy Featured in TechCrunch for Innovative Energy Storage Solution Read Post »

    Community EnterpriseWorks Features Investments Partnerships & Acquisitions

    Eleuthra Photonics provides expertise to MarginDx project

    EnterpriseWorks startup Eleuthra Photonics will provide industry and translation expertise for the Margin Diagnostics (MarginDx) project. Funded through the ARPA-H Precision Surgical Interventions (PSI) program, MarginDx combines optical imaging technologies with AI screening tools to ensure, in real-time, that tumor tissue and cells are completely removed during surgery. A large team of researchers and clinicians from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Mayo Clinic, Eleuthra Photonics, and other industry and clinical collaborators are working to find an end-to-end solution that will drastically improve surgical outcomes for cancer tumor removal. Eleuthra Photonics was founded in 2023 and was admitted to the I-Start program at EnterpriseWorks. Eleuthra Photonics specializes in developing and producing rapid image-based diagnostic tools for analyzing tissue and cell samples, with a primary focus on cancer and other disease diagnoses. Learn more on the University of Illinois Interdisciplinary Health Sciences Institute website.

    Eleuthra Photonics provides expertise to MarginDx project Read Post »

    Community EnterpriseWorks Features Graduates Recognition & Awards Research Park

    EarthSense awarded patent for the use of AI-ML-based smart applications

    Research Park agtech startup EarthSense was awarded a patent from the United States Trade and Patent Office (USTPO) for the use of AI-ML-based smart application of treatments in plantations, orchards, vineyards, and other permanent cropping systems. This patent builds on EarthSense’s other patented innovations in robust autonomous navigation, multi-robot deployments, machine vision in challenging agricultural environments, and more. EarthSense is creating dramatic new possibilities for crop breeders, plant protection product developers, crop scientists, and field agronomists. The company joined EnterpriseWorks in 2016, where it operated until opening an office in the Atkins Building in 2021. EarthSense’s robots can work tirelessly and precisely around the clock in challenging environments. With edge-optimized AI, they will be deployed anywhere in the world without expensive communication infrastructure. This AI-enabled precise and intelligent application of fertilizers and chemicals will drive yield improvements and reduce environmental harm, leading to significant financial savings. For more information, visit the EarthSense website or connect with the company on LinkedIn.

    EarthSense awarded patent for the use of AI-ML-based smart applications Read Post »

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