Graduates

The Rising Star Award recognizes an early-stage startup for its innovation, creativity, and position as the next great hard-tech company to emerge in the region. Winners for the rest of the awards were announced at the March 13 Fourth Revolution Awards Reception, but the Rising Star Award finalists pitched live at the mHUB HardTech Summit the following day. The winner of the Rising Star award receives two three-month shared workspace memberships at mHUB, local and national recognition, and opportunities to network with leaders of the region’s growing innovation ecosystem. Ascent Integrated Tech was founded at Research Park by Paul Couston and Alex Gorsuch, where they created 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. The Fourth Revolution Awards are sponsored by mHUB, a leading independent hard-tech and manufacturing innovation center that exists to convene the entrepreneurial ecosystem around physical product innovation to ensure that the manufacturing industry continues to accelerate, grow, and thrive. Learn more on the mHUB Chicago website.

Two EnterpriseWorks graduates qualified for Inc. Magazine’s 2023 “5000 Fastest-Growing Private Companies in America” list. Both continue to grow their companies in Champaign County.  Serionix, which is known as Colorfil on the list, placed at #752. Eden Park Illumination placed at 2,858.  “Given the tremendous growth we’ve experienced—going on almost 36 months at 13% CMGR (compounded monthly growth rate) —it wasn’t exactly a surprise but is nevertheless a great honor and recognition for our team,” said Jim Langer, Serionix co-founder and CEO.  Eden Park manufactures and deploys patented wafer-thin panels that deliver reliable, safe, and effective Far-UVC 222nm technology that continuously reduces and inhibits air and surface pathogens in densely populated spaces. It was co-founded by faculty at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.  During its days at EnterpriseWorks, Serionix focused on developing products for industrial air purification. The team also enlisted numerous Research Park resources and mentors, including EnterpriseWorks’ SBIR Technical Assistance Program, who helped with grant proposals – a process that CEO Jim Langer said further “helped refine our story and our goals.” The company’s  technology benefits everyone from astronauts to the average cat owner. Langer shared that the next step for the company is to fuel investment in people, channels, and product– investments that will collectively unlock the potential growth for Colorfil. For more information, visit Colorfil’s website. 

“Chicago is a tough city… it makes entrepreneurs with grit,” wrote Paul Couston, co-founder of Ascent Integrated Tech on LinkedIn. He continued, “Today, I’m honored that Ascent Integrated Tech has joined other incredible ventures listed on the Forbes Under 30 Local list in Chicago.” After his first startup Optivolt Labs, Couston cofounded Ascent Integrated Tech at Research Park with business partner Alex Gorsuch. Together they created 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 also provide details on the team members’ health and environment, such as CO2 levels, humidity, and airborne metal oxide. Ascent Integrated Tech’s innovations are helping teams be best prepared when urgent calls come in and assist in making life-saving choices in real time. Couston acknowledged Research Park’s role in his personal entrepreneurial success, as well as the company’s. He explained, “Ascent’s journey began at EnterpriseWorks, from the confines of a humble 100 sq feet office on the second floor… The journey from that tiny space to where we stand today would have been inconceivable without the invaluable resources and the expansive network that EnterpriseWorks offered.” The co-founder further detailed his Research Park experience. “The community is truly unparalleled — supportive, innovative, and immensely helpful.  But more important than the space are the people and the network on campus. The people working at Enterpriseworks, the TEC, Gies, and Grainger made Ascent’s early goals possible,” – Paul Couston, Co-founder of Ascent Integrated Tech While Couston was admittedly shocked by the Forbes article, fellow co-founder Alex Goursch was not surprised that Couston made the list. “I have not met someone else who has Paul’s combination of cleverness, ferocity, and mission-driven nature,” said Goursch. “Paul is a singularly driven individual who gives a crap about the problem we are solving and has the intelligence to find solutions, and the diligence to instantiate them.” Seems safe to say that the team’s hard work and determination have paid off. “This recognition isn’t a personal milestone; it’s a testament to everyone who believes in and works toward Ascent’s mission,” said Couston. Read the full Forbes article HERE.