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UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS URBANA-CHAMPAIGN

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    EnterpriseWorks Features News Research Park

    Serial Entrepreneur Paul Miller Joins EnterpriseWorks Expert EIR Team

    Paul Miller, a serial entrepreneur and co-founder of EnterpriseWorks graduate Agrible, has joined the EnterpriseWorks Entrepreneur-in-Residence program. Miller is now available to meet with technology entrepreneurs and startup ventures. A University of Illinois alumnus, Paul was part of the founding team of one of Research Park’s biggest agtech success stories – Agrible, a precision analytics company. Shortly after founding the company, the team moved into EnterpriseWorks and later grew into bigger space in another Research Park building. Post-acquisition, Paul decided to get back in the game by co-founding Flats and Spikes, which allows runners, coaches, and experts to work together using science and technology. The Entrepreneur-in-Residence (EIR) Program allows entrepreneurs to seek help from experienced and successful members from the EIR over a variety of topics including business consulting, strategy assistance, marketing and communication help, investor preparedness. This program also hosts a series of events featuring the Entrepreneurs-in-Residence. Miller’s first workshop, “Living and Breathing an Entrepreneurial Life,” will be on March 23. BIO: Paul S. Miller, PhD, has been creating science-based, intelligent systems since 2005. In 2014, he founded Agrible, Inc building the world’s first predictive analytics system that put critical knowledge into the hands of growers to manage their operations. With Agrible, he and his team launched the largest agriculture sustainability platform enabled by intelligent systems, which has characterized millions of acres of farmland across the US. Agrible was acquired in 2018 by Nutrien Ag Solutions for $63M and was a top 5 global Ag Tech acquisition at the time. Paul co-founded Flats or Spikes in 2020, where he is building a business using conversational, generative intelligent systems fine-tuned with domain experts to create quality of life for everyone. Paul has a background in ML/AI and data science including publications and patents. Has led the development of ag tech platforms, mobile apps, data science, ML/AI systems, infrastructure, and ETL pipelines for science-based products. He also has led design and product development teams to build products using agile, user-focused methodologies. Paul also has a personal love of DIY music and playing drums and guitar.

    Serial Entrepreneur Paul Miller Joins EnterpriseWorks Expert EIR Team Read Post »

    Research Park

    Illinois Reboot: Application Now Open For Free Tech Skills Training Course

    Applications have now opened for the fifth cohort of Illinois Reboot, a free virtual coding pre-academy that gives participants a strong foundation in data science literacy. This year American Family Insurance and the University of Illinois Research Park have partnered together to fund this awesome program so that young professionals hoping to expand their tech skills can do just that. The overall goal of the program is to diversify the tech workforce and make these important skills more available to a wider population. The hope is that the course will help create a more inclusive technical society and open up these critical skills to underrepresented populations that are hoping to break into the industry. Women, people of color, and other minority groups are encouraged to apply to the program. Illinois Reboot is a 9-week program that educates participants on a variety of coding languages and programs such as UNIX, GitHub, SQL, and Python. Other topics introduced include image processing and statistics. The program also provides supplementary mentoring and coaching opportunities from local tech professionals that have extensive experience in the tech field. Illinois Reboot “opened my eyes to the many different programming languages that I didn’t even know existed,”  said Anita Hines, who successfully graduated as part of the spring 2021 cohort. “This program aims help those seeking to pivot in their career path and enter the Central Illinois tech economy, which may lead to high-paying, stable careers in data science,” said Laura Appenzeller, executive director of the University of Illinois Research Park. “We were thrilled with the results of our past three cohorts and can’t wait to welcome more students as together we work toward a more equitable and innovative tech workforce.” Corporate partners, including Carle, Caterpillar, and Wolfram Research, have been an integral part of the program by teaching topics and giving career advice. The program is free thanks to grant funding from the U.S. Economic Development Administration. Additional resources from American Family Insurance will allow Illinois Reboot to fund scholarships for students to pursue more training after completing the course. The Spring 2023 program will begin on Monday, April 10, and continue through mid-June. A University of Illinois Research Park certificate is awarded to those that successfully finish the course. The deadline to apply is February 27, 2023. For any questions or to request more information, email Emily Neal at ewick@illinois.edu.

    Illinois Reboot: Application Now Open For Free Tech Skills Training Course Read Post »

    Media Mentions News Recognition & Awards Research Park

    Research Park Boosts Illinois Ranking For Women-Led Startups to No. 10

    At the start of the new year, Illinois was ranked tenth in the country for women-led startups by Merchant Maverick, a small business comparison site. This bumped up the state of Illinois’ rating in comparison to previous years. This climb was due to an increase in the overall success rate of businesses and growth in venture capital investments. Research Park has made a large contribution to the creation of women-led startups in Illinois. The Incubator, particularly EnterpriseWorks, has given women that are aspiring to become entrepreneurs the tools and resources they need to transform their idea into a successful organization. Bianca Bailey, CEO and founder of the EnterpriseWorks startup Agriwater, credits much of her success as a woman entrepreneur to the resources offered to her at Research Park. Because of EnterpriseWorks, Agriwater has received funding from the Department of Energy’s Innovation Crossroads Program. “Employing more women administratively within incubators like EnterpriseWorks definitely makes a large impact on women being comfortable to even work in the space,” said Bailey. EnterpriseWorks houses a variety of informational programs and events that are of particular benefit to organizations that are just getting their start. Educational sources, mentee opportunities, as well as groups tailored to helping women entrepreneurs, are all supportive resources that are offered at the Incubator. Having programs like these can really help to encourage women and give them the skills they need to make their great idea a reality. “When you invest in a woman you invest in a community and you invest in improving the rest of the world,” Bailey said.

    Research Park Boosts Illinois Ranking For Women-Led Startups to No. 10 Read Post »

    Community EnterpriseWorks News Research Park

    EnterpriseWorks Startup DeepWalk Pilots Technology That Keeps Campus Sidewalks ADA Compliant

    A EnterpriseWorks startup is changing the way that city workers and civil engineers inspect sidewalks for safety. DeepWalk has built a scanning app that makes it easier and more inexpensive to inspect sidewalks on university campuses and municipalities. The app is innovative in that users are trained how to use the program on the device. DeepWalk comes with a wide variety of unique features, including community mapping data, 3D site visit models, self-evalutation templates and automatically generated work orders. All of these tools can help a city to generate their estimated cost for sidewalk repairs in a matter of minutes. Co-founders Brandon Yates and Anshul Shah came up with the app idea in a first-year engineering course at UIUC. Since then, they have participated in the COZAD New Venture Challenge and the iVenture Accelerator program that is sponsored by Gies College of Business. The iVenture Accelerator is a university program that provides a variety of resources and opportunities for student-led entrepreneurial endeavors. “iVenture Accelerator is a safe and helpful place to make a lot of mistakes quickly. It taught us to create a fundraising pitch before we would have on our own,” said Yates.  With the iVenture program, DeepWalk was able to formulate a simple and responsive business model that could appeal to a greater pool of clients. Since DeepWalk’s enrollment in the iVenture program, it has managed to complete a pilot program in Danville, Illinois, and it has confirmed contracts with the University of Maryland, and Western Michigan University. By May 2023, the startup will be used in 15 different cities. As cities continue to grow and the Baby Boomer generation becomes older, there is a greater need for the inspection of sidewalk safety. There is also a greater need for technology that can analyze whether walkways are compliant with American Disability Act (ADA) guidelines. DeepWalk is currently located in the EnterpriseWorks building, where it is working on expanding past its current client base. In the future, the company envisions becoming an automatic measurement company that utilizes drones to scan pathways. Learn more about DeepWalk here.

    EnterpriseWorks Startup DeepWalk Pilots Technology That Keeps Campus Sidewalks ADA Compliant Read Post »

    News Research Park

    UIRP Releases RFP For CABBI Greenhouse Construction

    The UIRP LLC is seeking a developer for a special purpose project to construct a greenhouse for the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, which will support the U.S. Department of Energy funded Center for Advanced Bioenergy and Bioproducts Innovation (CABBI). RFP #20230209BW Illinois Public Higher Education Bulletin Request for Proposal: Developer Selection Greenhouse Project Sealed proposals will be accepted below until 3:00 PM, Monday March 13, 2023. The University of Illinois is soliciting qualifications and proposals from experienced development teams for the award of a concession involving land owned by the University on the UIUC campus in Champaign, Illinois to select a developer who would have the exclusive right for two years to develop and build a Greenhouse project on a specific site at the Research Park which is designated for such a use by the Master Plan. Subject to the Pre-development Agreement, the proposed Greenhouse facility will consist of two components: approximately 8,000 SF greenhouse and approximately 5,000 SF headhouse. Find the RFP and background about CABBI online here. 

    UIRP Releases RFP For CABBI Greenhouse Construction Read Post »

    EnterpriseWorks News Recognition & Awards Research Park

    Vote Today: HabiTerre Selected as Finalist for THRIVE | Shell Climate-Smart Agriculture Challenge

    MAKE YOUR VOTE COUNT! EnterpriseWorks startup HabiTerre needs your support. The THRIVE | Shell Climate-Smart Agriculture Challenge has selected HabiTerre as a finalist. As part of this esteemed competition, there is a People’s Choice Award in addition to the overall prize. Please take a moment to join HabiTerre’s supporters and vote online. Voting is being captured through AirTable – voters will be asked for name and affiliation. HabiTerre will present to a judging panel in the coming weeks for the overall prize, which rewards world-leading innovation in climate-smart agriculture. Find the full press release HERE. The finalists include 11 startup and scale-up innovators who are driving the global transformation to climate-smart agricultural practices. More specifically, the Challenge will recognize innovations that help farmers by finding: solutions that promote carbon sequestration and avoid emissions while improving soil health; solutions to improve farm connectivity to access carbon markets and carbon financing; and solutions that measure and quantify soil carbon, soil health, and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. HabiTerre CEO Nick Reinke will be a featured panelist at the upcoming AgTech Innovation Summit – register today. Congrats to all of the HabiTerre team – especially Nick and founder Kaiyu Guan!

    Vote Today: HabiTerre Selected as Finalist for THRIVE | Shell Climate-Smart Agriculture Challenge Read Post »

    Investments Research Park

    Nominations sought for 2023 Glen “GB” Brandt Prize for Ag Entrepreneurism

    University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and The BRANDT Foundation Prize Honors the Legacy of GB Brandt CHAMPAIGN – Nominations are now being accepted for the third Glen “GB” Brandt Prize for Ag Entrepreneurism, recognizing an Illinois farmer for their role in advancing innovation and entrepreneurship in the ag sector. 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 nomination form is now open. https://go.illinois.edu/GlenBrandtAgInnovationPrize The deadline for submission is February 10, 2023. 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 7, 2023. “GB was an extraordinary person who attacked life with optimism and built a global business from very humble roots,” said Rick Brandt, President of The BRANDT Foundation. “We’re looking to help someone who shares GB’s passion for ag, demonstrates a high level of creativity and has a vision to change the future.” Examples of possible innovations include (but are not limited to): working to increase productivity/efficiency of farmers; new applications of technology; unique business ventures; and creating new agricultural opportunities, such as new crops or new food production systems. Those eligible for the award include Illinois farmers, growers and producers or those engaged with Illinois farmers, growers and producers. Nominees must be connected with the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign or its affiliates (full list of eligibility criteria is available in the nomination form). Matt Riggs of Riggs Beer Company was named the second annual recipient of the Glen “GB” Brandt Prize for Ag Entrepreneurism in March 2022. Riggs’s nominators cited his ag business ingenuity, writing: “Since founding his brewery in 2016, his farm and brewery have vertically integrated over 155,000 pounds of brewing grain, making them the Midwest’s #1 volume “grain to glass” brewery.” (See the full story HERE.) The son of a farmer from Sangamon County, GB, along with his sister Evelyn, started the company that would become the global agribusiness known as BRANDT. He provided the vision and energy to imagine, build and manage what today has 800 employees and sales in 81 countries. He died in 2020 at age 94. 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 to learn and share knowledge about the current state of agtech and get a looking 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 2023 Glen “GB” Brandt Prize for Ag Entrepreneurism Read Post »

    Community News

    Local Preschool Gives to Eastern Illinois FoodBank For Annual Holiday Giving Initiative

    This past holiday season, Chesterbrook Academy Preschool instilled leadership into its students’ young minds. The school has made an effort to encourage its students to participate in community service through its annual Holiday Giving Initiative. This program makes serving those in need a part of its academic curriculum. Each year, the students choose an organization to give to. Organizations helped in previous years include local hospitals, Make-a-Wish, and the Crisis Nursery in Urbana. This year the students chose to give to Eastern Illinois Food Bank. The youngsters were able to gather 150 non-perishable items to give to the organization. The program helps the kids to see first-hand the significant impacts that they can make on their local community. “I want them to be worldly and realize there’s more to life than what’s in their home and school because we see the same thing every day here. It’s important to have that diversity and see some people aren’t as fortunate as others. It helps us put into perspective what’s important”, said Chesterbrook Pre-K 2 teacher Sarah Webb. Chesterbrook, which is located near Research Park, also hosted a food drive that occurred this past November. These experiences have helped the students to embrace diversity both inside and outside of the classroom. The school stresses the importance of introducing kids to community service so that they can continue to volunteer as they age. Webb says that the preschool is hoping to expand the initiative to more than just a holiday program so that it can help more organizations. Read more about this story here.

    Local Preschool Gives to Eastern Illinois FoodBank For Annual Holiday Giving Initiative Read Post »

    Internships Media Mentions News Research Park

    Crain’s Chicago Business Shows How Cat and Deere Leverage UIUC, Research Park for Talent

    At the University of Illinois Research Park, it’s said (a bit tongue-in-cheek) that companies there receive every unfair recruiting advantage possible when it comes to access to the strong tech talent at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. John Pletz of Crain’s Chicago Business explores how this ecosystem is delivering computing talent to two Research Park companies, Caterpillar and John Deere. The premise? That a corporate presence in both Chicago and Champaign is keeping talent in the state. “Caterpillar and Deere are setting foot on campus more often and making jobs more appealing by setting up shop in Chicago. As a result, they’re having more success in meeting their own hiring needs while giving students with high-demand skills more reasons to stay in Illinois instead of leaving for the coasts,” Pletz writes. Companies are also going beyond the traditional mechanisms to engage with students, campus colleagues told Pletz. “While traditional recruiting strategies—such as attending career fairs or participating in hackathons—are great for keeping brands in front of the broad CS audience, we have noticed companies are also adding much more targeted activities to their recruiting arsenal,” says Cynthia Coleman, director of external relations for U of I’s computer-science department. Read the entire Crain’s Chicago Business story about Deere and Cat online HERE (access may be restricted by a paywall).

    Crain’s Chicago Business Shows How Cat and Deere Leverage UIUC, Research Park for Talent Read Post »

    EnterpriseWorks News Research Park

    Immigration Specialist Matt Meltzer Joins EnterpriseWorks EIR Team

    Matt Meltzer, an immigration attorney and partner in Chicago-based Meltzer Hellrung, has joined the EnterpriseWorks Entrepreneur-in-Residence program. Meltzer is now available to meet with technology entrepreneurs and startup ventures. “As an entrepreneur, I deeply enjoy working with fellow entrepreneurs. The US immigration pathways for entrepreneurs are never easy; but with solid planning and creativity, we can work towards making a path possible,” Meltzer said. Meltzer is no stranger to the EnterpriseWorks and the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign entrepreneurship community. He has led workshops and delivered lectures on topics related to employment authorization and immigration pathways for entrepreneurs. View a previous webinar below. The EIR allows entrepreneurs to seek help from experienced and successful members from the EIR over a variety of topics including business consulting, strategy assistance, marketing and communication help, investor preparedness. This program also hosts a series of events featuring the Entrepreneurs-in-Residence. To learn more about the Entrepreneur-in-Residence program or request to meet with Meltzer, click here. BIOGRAPHY: Matt co-founded Meltzer Hellrung in 2014 with his business partner, Matthew Hellrung. Their vision was to combine exceptional, strategic, and programmatic legal guidance with best-in-class technology to provide a service that makes immigration management easier for companies and more transparent, intuitive, and reassuring for foreign national employees. In addition, Matt continues to strive to build a workplace that treats employees with dignity and invests in their long-term success. Matt’s clients range from entrepreneurs to small and growth-phase companies to multinational corporations. In his practice, he has built up a specialty working with emerging companies, including entrepreneurs, foreign companies entering the US market, and high-growth venture backed companies. Matt works closely with clients to help them assess immediate legal needs and build strategies that scale with continued growth. Matt advises companies regarding employee hiring and I-9 compliance, immigration policy, reorganizations and mergers, global immigration and expansion, and government inspections. View his complete bio here.

    Immigration Specialist Matt Meltzer Joins EnterpriseWorks EIR Team Read Post »