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UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS URBANA-CHAMPAIGN

Research Park

    Media Mentions

    EnterpriseWorks Media Mentions News Recognition & Awards

    HabiTerre Founder Kaiyu Guan honored for Excellence in Agricultural Research Innovation

    CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – Kaiyu Guan, founder of EnterpriseWork startup, HabiTerre and scientist in the College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences, has been named the recipient of the 2025 national agInnovation award for Excellence in Agricultural Research Innovation. The award was given in recognition of Guan’s contributions to agroecosystem science, particularly his efforts to improve food security and environmental sustainability. Guan, who was also recognized with the North Central regional award earlier this year, serves as Chief Scientist of NASA Acres and is the founding director of the Agroecosystem Sustainability Center at Illinois. Through his efforts to advance modern agriculture by leading interdisciplinary teams, he has collected over $40 million in research funding, published more than 180 scholarly articles, and received multiple national awards. Guan maintains affiliations with several research institutes at Illinois, including the Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, the Institute for Sustainability, Energy, and Environment, the National Center for Supercomputing Applications, the Center for Digital Agriculture, and the Siebel School of Computing and Data Science. The agInnovation organization represents the national network of State Agricultural Experiment Stations, established under the Hatch Act of 1887. It supports multistate collaborations aimed at addressing critical challenges in agriculture, food systems, and natural resource management. Guan will be honored at a September ceremony alongside ACES Dean Germán Bollero, who will receive the 2025 agInnovation Excellence in Leadership Award. Research in the College of ACES is supported in part by Hatch funding from USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture.

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    EnterpriseWorks Features Media Mentions News Recognition & Awards

    EnterpriseWorks Startups Meet with Venture Investors in Silicon valley

    CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – Crain’s Business Chicago highlighted EnterpriseWorks startups Cache Energy, Natrion Inc., Photon Queue and EarthSense, Inc. as they visited San Francisco for Deep Tech Demo Day, offering the opportunity to pitch to 200+ venture investors. The University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign also joined startup teams from the University of Chicago and Northwestern University for this collaborative pitch event. Industries represented at the event included quantum, space, energy, materials science and artificial intelligence. The event aptly took place during San Francisco’s Deep Tech Week.  EnterpriseWorks Entrepreneur-in-Residence and Executive Director of the Technology Entrepreneur Center, Jed Taylor, stated “We’re hoping to get our teams in front of venture capitalists and result in some meetings and get some teams funded…If we get one or two of the teams funded, that would be a huge win for us.” Read the full article on Crain’s Chicago Business.

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    Eight Cozad New Venture Challenge Startups Receive Awards from EnterpriseWorks

    Eight student startups who competed in the 2025 Cozad New Venture Challenge received awards from Research Park and EnterpriseWorks. The 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.  EnterpriseWorks Catapult Award: includes up to $5,000 in professional support services to assist in new venture formation, in addition to student startup tenancy. Catapult recipients are:  Instinfo, a website where attendees can press a single button to get more information about a live presentation in real time Pinata Diagnostics, a startup that is using proximity aptamers for point-of-care ultrasensitive protein detection, allowing for rapid testing for traumatic brain injuries, concussions, and more The Student Startup Tenancy award, which includes access to EnterpriseWorks entrepreneurship resources including professional consulting, co-working space, and more, was awarded to: Earlynosis, an AI-powered wearable biosensor for real-time sepsis detection Sensiboo is building the future of human development with a playtime planning app and wearable device that empowers parents to optimize early brain growth through personalized, enriching, real-world experiences Sprout, the first balloon-expandable RV-PA conduit that will replace right ventricular outflow tracts for congenital heart disease patients Tandemn, a software company that combines idle GPUs into a high-performance network for AI compute YoTally, a startup that is developing a smart stitch counter to prevent miscounting stitches while crocheting   Research Park is proud to be of the sponsors of the newly launched Dr. P. Street College Innovation Prize. The Dr. P Street College Innovation Prize was created to honor the memory of Dr. William Patterson, a beloved member of the University of Illinois innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystem who passed away in 2024. This prize recognizes student entrepreneurs using technology and education to empower the creativity, innovation, and entrepreneurship of under-resourced communities. EnterpriseWorks contributed $2,500 of in-kind business incorporation professional services. Strand Logic is the winner of the inaugural Dr. P Innovation Prize. Strand is revolutionizing Black hair care with innovative technology, automating synthetic hair separation to eliminate prep time.     EnterpriseWorks Student Memberships Available  EnterpriseWorks is pleased to offer student memberships to select Cozad teams who are continuing to work on their businesses and are interested in being part of the broader Champaign-Urbana startup community. Interested teams are encouraged to apply by filling out this form, mentioning participation in CNVC. Past participants of the program include EnterpriseWorks graduates Cast21, DeepWalk, Mesh++, Prenosis, Psyonic, and Serionix, in addition to current EnterpriseWorks startups Natrion and ZiteAI. Learn more about Cozad on the TEC website.

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    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.

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    Research Park startups awarded Illinois Innovation Voucher funding for tech advancements

    CHAMPAIGN, ILL. — Several University of Illinois Research Park startups and graduates have been awarded funding through the state’s Innovation Voucher Program, reinforcing the park’s role as a hub for innovation. Cache Energy, Eleuthra Photonics Inc., Epivara, Shothawk and TearDx are among the 35 recipients sharing $2.3 million in grants to advance cutting-edge research and development. “Through this grant program, we’re strengthening Illinois’ global status as an innovation hub and driving small business growth statewide,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “By partnering with our higher education institutions, these small businesses will transform groundbreaking ideas into tangible products and services.” The program aims to foster collaboration by supporting the exchange of technologies, knowledge, facilities, and equipment between Illinois Universities and businesses. This will ultimately boost the production of Illinois-based goods and services and drive economic growth across the state. The awarded companies are working on breakthrough technologies, from medical devices and energy storage to agricultural advancements. These collaborations leverage university resources to drive commercialization and economic growth.

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    EnterpriseWorks Media Mentions Recognition & Awards Research Park

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

    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.

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

    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.

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    Media Mentions News Research Park

    Rashid Bashir and Dennis Beard Appointed to Research Park Board of Managers

    Rashid Bashir, the dean of Grainger College of Engineering at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, and Dennis Beard, Managing Partner at Serra Ventures, will officially participate for the first time as newly appointed University of Illinois Research Park LLC Board of Managers in the upcoming meeting on Oct. 7. The Research Park is governed by the Board of Managers, a public-private board that consists of nine members. It meets three times a year to discuss Research Park operations. Its members are appointed by the U. of I. Board of Trustees. Bashir and Beard were approved by the Board of Trustees at its meeting on July 11, 2024. Bashir is currently the dean of the Grainger College of Engineering at U. of I. He holds the Grainger Distinguished Chair in Engineering, which fosters multi- and interdisciplinary studies and serves as a springboard for pioneering projects. Beard is a managing partner with Serra Ventures and is responsible for leadership and management within the venture capital firm. He has spent more than 20 years with the Illinois technology community and is a founding member of the university’s Entrepreneur-in-Residence program at the EnterpriseWorks incubator. Bashir will serve as one of the two faculty representatives on the board, replacing Jeffrey Brown, who recently stepped down as dean of the Gies College of Business and went on sabbatical. Dennis Beard joins the board as a private sector representative; longtime board member Rick Stephens recently completed his final term.

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    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.

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    Media Mentions News Research Park

    Introducing Brunswick Corporation’s Boating Intelligence Design Lab

    Brunswick’s Research Park innovation center is now known as the Brunswick Boating Intelligence Design Lab (BI DesignLab). The company is enhancing its ACES (Autonomous, Connected, Electrified, and Shared) strategy with the announcement of Boating Intelligence™, a comprehensive initiative to incorporate AI features into its products. The newly named Boating Intelligence Design Lab (BI DesignLab), under the direction of Jeff Reifsnyder, is refocusing its programs on developing Brunswick’s AI talent and capabilities, as well as supporting Brunswick’s product development teams as they incorporate AI into Brunswick’s next generation of products. “We see an opportunity to embed AI functionality as one focus for our next phase of advanced technology and feature development, creating an opportunity for boats to evolve from an experiential product to an experiential partner,” said Brunswick Corporation CEO Dave Foulkes. BI DesignLab has already supported the development of Brunswick’s autonomous docking technology, AI-powered virtual agents, smart assistance, and more. Brunswick’s Research Park innovation center opened in 2017 as the Brunswick I-Jet Lab. It moved into its first permanent residence in the Research Park, 1904 S. First St, on December 11, 2017, where the company stayed for four years. By 2021, the Brunswick BI DesignLab had tripled in size and moved to a new facility at 1907 S. Fourth St. to accelerate support of the company’s ACES strategy and use technology to enhance the recreational boating experience. Read the full press release on Global News Wire.

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