Logo
  • UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS URBANA-CAMPAIGN
MENU
Edit Content
Apply
Visit
Give
Logo
  • UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS URBANA-CHAMPAIGN

Research Park

Close
Edit Content
Apply
Visit
Give

    Investments

    Investments, Research Park

    Nominations Sought for 2025 Glen “GB” Brandt Prize for Ag Entrepreneurism

    /

    CHAMPAIGN – Nominations are now being accepted for the fifth Glen “GB” Brandt Prize for Ag Entrepreneurism, recognizing an Illinois farmer for their role in advancing innovation and entrepreneurship in the ag sector. View the nomination form here. The deadline for submission is February 1, 2025. Established in 2021 to honor the memory of GB Brandt, a legendary figure in the field of Illinois agriculture, the $10,000 cash prize will be awarded to a nominee who exemplifies an entrepreneurial spirit and advances innovation through their business practices, crop growing processes, or product usage. The prize is a partnership between the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and The BRANDT Foundation. The winner will be announced and recognized at the AgTech Innovation Summit, an annual event produced by the University of Illinois Research Park, on March 6, 2025. Those eligible for the Brandt Prize include Illinois farmers, growers, and producers or those engaged with Illinois farmers, growers, and producers. Nominees should be connected with the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and/or its affiliates, including University of Illinois Extension. A full list of eligibility criteria is available in the nomination form. Andrew and Karlie Bowman, the minds behind the popcorn brand Pilot Knob Farms, were the fourth annual recipients of the Glen “GB” Brandt Prize for Ag Entrepreneurism in March 2024. Working with the University of Illinois, the Bowmans developed new popcorn hybrids, resulting in specialty red and blue “hull-less” popcorn. The Bowmans  also pioneered an automated in-store popcorn demonstration unit. Read the full story on the Research Park website. Past Brandt Prize Winners About The BRANDT Foundation The BRANDT Foundation was established in 2012 as a philanthropic extension of BRANDT, Inc. The Brandt family has always stood with their communities and as their company grew, so did the opportunities to give back. The BRANDT Foundation offers donations, grants, and support to the farms, charities, and organizations in the areas where the company does business. About the AgTech Innovation Summit The AgTech Innovation Summit is an interactive conference where participants learn and share knowledge about the current state of AgTech and get a look into the future through dynamic panels, inspiring keynote presentations, and networking opportunities. It is produced by the University of Illinois Research Park in partnership with the College of ACES and the Office of Corporate Relations. One of the premier AgTech hubs in the nation, Champaign-Urbana is uniquely positioned to bring together entrepreneurs, investors, academics, and industry for learning, networking, and advancing this sector. Contacts Karl Barnhart, The BRANDT Foundation, karl.barnhart@brandt.coLaura Bleill, Research Park, lwbleill@illinois.edu

    Nominations Sought for 2025 Glen “GB” Brandt Prize for Ag Entrepreneurism Read Post »

    Community, EnterpriseWorks, Investments, Recognition & Awards, Research Park

    Illinois Ventures unveils Deep Tech Strategic Fund

    /

    Illinois Ventures, an EnterpriseWorks tenant and the venture capital arm of the U of I System, recently unveiled a new fund, the Deep Tech Strategic Fund. The organization is focused on helping students achieve their entrepreneurial dreams and has previously supported Research Park companies including DeepWalk, EarthSense, Natrion, PSYONIC, and more. The Deep Tech Strategic Fund is Illinois Ventures’ largest fund to date, consisting of $48 million from investors including the University of Illinois, Carle Health, and the University of Illinois Foundation. The fund, which targets the next wave of startups, is designed to fuel ideas that come from the University of Illinois ecosystem and is a testament to Illinois Ventures’ commitment to push the boundaries of innovation. Learn more about this investment fund on the Illinois Ventures website, Crain’s Chicago Business website, or connect with Illinois Ventures on LinkedIn.

    Illinois Ventures unveils Deep Tech Strategic Fund Read Post »

    Community, EnterpriseWorks, Investments, Recognition & Awards, Research Park

    FAST Center at Illinois receives funding renewal from US SBA

    /

    The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) announced that the Illinois FAST Center, hosted by Research Park, has received a five-year renewal of its funding. The FAST Center at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign provides one-on-one assistance, training, and workshops across the state to increase access to federal research funding for Illinois small businesses. From 2020 to 2023, the FAST Center at the University of Illinois served a total of 2,288 clients, 60% of which came from underserved populations. Clients were awarded a total of $67.2 million in SBIR and STTR funding. This award is one of 49 distributed by the SBA, which provide up to $200,000 to organizations supporting startups through specialized training, mentoring, and technical assistance under the Federal and State Technology (FAST) Partnership Program. “FAST funding, which fuels innovation to keep America competitive globally, has doubled under the Biden-Harris Administration,” said Administrator Isabel Casillas Guzman, head of the SBA. “At a time when we are seeing historic highs in our entrepreneurial activity with a small business boom, investing in America’s innovative startups is a top priority. America’s Seed Fund, powered by the SBA and fueled by 11 federal agencies’ SBIR and STTR programs, is the largest source of early-stage funding in the world. With FAST, we have now expanded our entrepreneurial ecosystem to nearly every state so that entrepreneurs with great ideas can invent it, commercialize it, and build it with America’s Seed Fund in every corner of America.” The Illinois FAST Center hosted America’s Seed Fund Road Tour in Champaign on July 17, 2024, allowing innovators, entrepreneurs, researchers, and small technology startups to connect with federal funding opportunities. Read the official press release on the SBA website. About FAST FAST provides small businesses and startups, particularly those in underserved communities, with specialized training, mentoring, and technical assistance for research and development. FAST’s objective is to strengthen the competitiveness of small businesses and startups across the country, particularly those from underserved communities to help them benefit from the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Programs. Through FAST, the SBA continues to play a critical role in creating inclusive entrepreneurial ecosystems and helping American entrepreneurs grow their networks and revenue opportunities with new capital. Learn more about FAST on the SBIR website. About the FAST Center at the University of Illinois The FAST Center at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign is led by EnterpriseWorks and provides free resources, support, and expertise necessary to submit a highly competitive proposal to help startups and companies bridge the gap between research and commercialization. It has helped companies acquire millions of dollars in federal SBIR/STTR funding at no cost to them.

    FAST Center at Illinois receives funding renewal from US SBA Read Post »

    EnterpriseWorks, Investments, Research Park, Uncategorized

    HabiTerre makes $10m first close on its Series A, aims to become ‘the global standard’ for sustainability metrics

    /

    EnterpriseWorks startup HabiTerre completed an initial close of $10 million on its Series A funding round. Investments were led by investor John Deere, a major partner of the Research Park, conveying the potential impact the technology could have at scale. HabiTerre is the only company with the rights to commercialize technology developed by founder Kaiyu Guan. Guan, the company’s founder, is a professor in the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. The new investment will largely go towards scaling HabiTerre’s technology offering “to make it even more efficient for quality assurance and quality control” for more companies across the ag value chain. “We’ve executed a number of pilots and are working with a number of different commercial customers,” said HabiTerre CEO Nick Reinke. “We’re really getting clear on what the market needs from technology like ours.” HabiTerre is currently aiming to do another $3 million to $4 million as part of its Series A round and is actively looking for investors. HabiTerre is a deep science and technology company offering a holistic approach to farm productivity and resource use efficiency. It monitors, measures, and analyzes environmental impacts with the utmost scientific rigor to provide actionable insights for optimal management of land, nutrient, and water use. Learn more about HabiTerre’s investment milestones on LinkedIn or AgFunder News.

    HabiTerre makes $10m first close on its Series A, aims to become ‘the global standard’ for sustainability metrics Read Post »

    EnterpriseWorks, Investments, Research Park

    EnterpriseWorks startup Natrion lands $1.5 million in Air Force Contracts

    /

    EnterpriseWorks startup Natrion recently secured contracts from the United States Airforce to bring its high-performance battery materials to the Department of Defense. The company was selected for two Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) contracts from the US Air Force, a Phase I from Air Force Global Strike Command (AFGSC), and a Phase II from AFWERX, the Air Force’s innovation arm. This funding will enable Natrion’s technology to continue gaining traction in the industry and build on the company’s longstanding collaboration with the Department of Defense (DoD). Natrion is developing new batteries and battery components that eliminate fire risk while diminishing material costs. Natrion’s Lithium Solid Ionic Conductor (LISIC) combines a proprietary high-performance ceramic made from a clay mineral that is already used in cosmetics and paper with a type of plastic that’s typically found in building fire insulation. Learn more about Natrion’s accomplishment on TechNexus.EnterpriseWorks startup Natrion recently secured contracts from the United States Airforce to bring its high-performance battery materials to the Department of Defense. The company was selected for two Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) contracts from the US Air Force, a Phase I from Air Force Global Strike Command (AFGSC), and a Phase II from AFWERX, the Air Force’s innovation arm. This funding will enable Natrion’s technology to continue gaining traction in the industry and build on the company’s longstanding collaboration with the Department of Defense (DoD). Natrion is developing new batteries and battery components that eliminate fire risk while diminishing material costs. Natrion’s Lithium Solid Ionic Conductor (LISIC) combines a proprietary high-performance ceramic made from a clay mineral that is already used in cosmetics and paper with a type of plastic that’s typically found in building fire insulation. Learn more about Natrion’s accomplishment on TechNexus.

    EnterpriseWorks startup Natrion lands $1.5 million in Air Force Contracts 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, Features, Investments, Media Mentions, Recognition & Awards, Research Park

    iFAB awarded $51 million grant to propel Central Illinois as a biomanufacturing leader

    /

    The Illinois Fermentation and Agriculture Biomanufacturing (iFAB) Tech Hub has been awarded approximately $51 million from the Tech Hubs Program through the Department of Commerce‘s Economic Development Administration. This funding enables the iFAB consortium to position Central Illinois as a global leader in biomanufacturing and precision fermentation, supporting national security, economic growth, and job generation. Led by the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, iFAB seeks to scale precision fermentation to convert underutilized corn feedstocks into high-value, customized alternative proteins, food ingredients, materials, chemicals, and more. It was named an EDA Regional Innovation and Technology Hub in October 2023, opening the door to government support and funding. “Today’s EDA grant not only acknowledges but actively fuels our mission to establish Central Illinois as a pivotal biomanufacturing player on the global stage. With these new resources, we are equipped to accelerate our initiatives, ensuring that our region not only meets but sets the gold standard for biomanufacturing innovation,” said U. of I. Chancellor Robert J. Jones. “This partnership exemplifies how the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign can leverage its expertise and resources to fuel progress and prosperity right in our backyard.” iFAB’s 30+ partners include the University of Illinois Research Park and others from industry, higher education, trades, workforce development agencies, agribusiness, and producers. Two of the private sector partners, ADM and Boston Bioprocess, have operations at Research Park. Gener8tor, the leader of the Illinois AgTech Accelerator, is also involved with iFAB. The iFAB leadership team includes Laura Appenzeller from the University of Illinois Research Park along with representatives from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Champaign County Economic Development Corporation, and Economic Development Corporation of Decatur-Macon County. iFAB seeks to scale precision fermentation to convert underutilized corn feedstocks into high-value, customized alternative proteins, food ingredients, materials, chemicals, and more. By leveraging this funding alongside regional assets in corn and soy feedstocks, food processing infrastructure, and research leadership, this Tech Hub will continue to provide a domestic biomanufacturing testbed through the development and deployment of multi-use pilot and demonstration capacity and equipment for biomanufacturing innovators. To learn more, visit the iFAB website.

    iFAB awarded $51 million grant to propel Central Illinois as a biomanufacturing leader Read Post »

    Community, EnterpriseWorks, Events, Investments, Media Mentions, Recognition & Awards

    Nine Cozad New Venture Challenge Teams Receive Awards from EnterpriseWorks

    /

    EnterpriseWorks and Research Park awarded the Student Startup Tenancy Prize to nine teams that competed in the 2024 Cozad New Venture Challenge. This prize, which was awarded to Pathlit, AVEA Robotics, Radiant Looms, AminoSense, ClimeCast, Provenance Security, SeriesFarm, Terravate Energy, and Med Terms, includes access to co-working space, conference rooms, common areas, support services, and entrepreneur assistance. Provenance Security and SeriesFarm received the Catapult Award of $5,000 to be used for startup professional services. ClimeCast, which joined EnterpriseWorks as a tenant earlier in the year, also won third place with a $25,000 investment. ClimeCast uses AI to optimize decarbonization strategy for commercial real estate. ClimeCast also won the Dr. Paul Magelli Innovation Award, Best Pitch at Finals, as well as the Student Startup Tenancy Prize. Cozad New Venture Challenge (CNVC) is a campus-wide program run by the Technology Entrepreneur Center that provides mentoring to teams through the phases of venture creation, and resources in idea validation, pitching skills, and customer development. Between the 200 registered teams, 11 campus colleges and 85 majors were represented. The 2024 CNVC kicked off with registration and kickoff events in January and continued throughout the spring semester with workshops, mentorship opportunities, and training for over 500 undergraduate and graduate students. Between the 200 registered teams, 11 campus colleges and 85 majors were represented. The Demo Day on Thursday, April 11, was held at the Illinois Conference Center and featured several members of EnterpriseWorks and Research Park judging student work. The program concluded on Wednesday, April 24, with a Year-End Celebration and Awards Ceremony at the Campus Instructional Facility. Past participants of the program include EnterpriseWorks graduates Cast21, DeepWalk, Mesh++, Prenosis, Psyonic, and Serionix, in addition to EnterpriseWorks startups Natrion and ZiteAI.

    Nine Cozad New Venture Challenge Teams Receive Awards from EnterpriseWorks Read Post »

    cache
    EnterpriseWorks, Investments, Media Mentions, Recognition & Awards, Research Park

    Cache Energy Wins EPIC DC Pitch Competition

    /

    EnterpriseWorks clean energy startup Cache Energy won first place in the Energy Program for Innovative Clusters (EPIC) pitch competition. Founder Arpit Dwivedi presented at the White House for this competition on May 15, 2024, winning $30,000 for the company. The Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) Office of Technology Transitions (OTT) announced $70,000 total of prize money to three clean energy startups and one incubator through the prize collaboration event. Attendees participated in a collaborative discussion, and a Q&A about supporting incubators,  and traveled to Capitol Hill to meet with Congressional representatives and staff. Cache Energy focuses on creating energy storage that is non-toxic, non-flammable, and safe to transport and install anywhere through long-duration electricity storage. This technology can store grid electricity cheaply on a large scale and helps commercial and residential entities move away from fossil fuel. Learn more about the EPIC DC Pitch Competition on the Office of Technology Transitions website.

    Cache Energy Wins EPIC DC Pitch Competition Read Post »

    Illinois Innovation
    EnterpriseWorks, Investments, Research Park

    Illinois Innovation Voucher Initiative Accepting Applications

    /

    The Illinois Innovation Voucher (IIV) initiative is accepting applications on a rolling basis. This is a new program through the State of Illinois that is being administered through the Illinois Science and Technology Coalition (ISTC) to help Illinois small businesses work with Illinois higher education partners. Vouchers can help Illinois-based small and medium-sized entrepreneurs (SMEs) unlock new growth opportunities, support research and development needs, foster the creation of innovative products and services, and more. Vouchers cover up to 75% of research engagement costs (up to $75,000), including, but not limited to, the sharing of technologies, knowledge, facilities, and equipment necessary for your project needs, including: Learn more and apply on the Illinois Science & Technology Coalition website.

    Illinois Innovation Voucher Initiative Accepting Applications Read Post »

    Research Park

    Link List Heading

    Logo

    ILLINOIS

    About Cookies
    Illinois Wordmark

    About Cookies

    Cookies and related technologies (herein “Cookies”) are small text files that a website saves on your computer when you visit the site. Cookies the University sets are called first-party Cookies. The data collected might be about you, your device, your preferences, or your login information. This data is mostly used to make the website work as expected so, for example, you don’t have to keep re-entering your credentials whenever you come back to the site. Cookies set by third parties are called third-party Cookies. We use third-party Cookies for analyzing website traffic and our advertising and marketing efforts. We have divided the Cookies we use into the following categories: Strictly Necessary, Performance, Functional, and Targeting. Under each category heading below you will find a general description of the Cookies in each category. You can change your browser settings to block, delete, or alert you to Cookies. The Help menu on the menu bar of most browsers will tell you how to do that. However, if you do, you may have to manually adjust preferences every time you visit a site and some features may not work as intended.

    More Information

    Cookie Categories

    (Always Active)

    Privacy Policy

    Copyright © 2024

    Accessibility