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EnterpriseWorks Features Media Mentions News Recognition & Awards Research Park

PSYONIC CEO Named to MIT Technology Review’s 35 Under 35

Aadeel Akhtar, CEO of EnterpriseWorks startup PSYONIC, was named to the MIT Technology Review’s list of 35 Innovators Under 35 for 2021. The MIT Technology Review recognized Akhtar as a humanitarian for his innovative approach to designing prosthetics. PSYONIC’s premiere product, the Ability Hand, was released in 2019. The Ability Hand was the first commercially available prosthetic hand to include multitouch sensory feedback. The device utilizes electrical currents to stimulate nerves allowing users to “feel”  what the prosthetic touches. Akhtar launched PSYONIC in 2015 and the company moved into EnterpriseWorks in 2018. PSYONIC has experienced great success since the company launch. Their accomplishments include, winning the Illinois Innovation Prize in 2016, a mention in the Forbes list of 30 under 30, and first place at the 8VC Social Innovation Cup in 2019. Each year the MIT Technology Review publishes a list of 35 Innovators Under 35; more than 500 people are nominated to be included annually. The work of the nominated individuals is then evaluated by a prestigious panel of judges who select the final list. MIT Technology Review acknowledged Akhtar’s commitment to both functionality and affordability. PSYONIC products are inexpensive enough to be covered by Medicare which makes them available to 75 percent of individuals in the US who need them. The prosthetics are also built to withstand the stresses of everyday life without cracking. Akhtar received his PhD in Neuroscience and MS in Electrical and Computer Engineering from the University of Illinois. Read more about Akhtar and PSYONIC in 35 Innovators Under 35 here: https://bit.ly/3xkF8bm

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Internships News Research Park

Caterpillar Innovation Center Intern Makes an Impact

Abhi Kapoor, a Data Analytics Intern at the Champaign Caterpillar Innovation Center, shares how interns make an impact at Caterpillar. Kapoor talks about his experience as an intern, “What’s crazy is that what I do as an intern plays a significant role for CAT Digital and our customer base. — I know that everything I code eventually will be utilized by Caterpillar employees, manufacturers, and customers around the world. “ At Caterpillar, student interns can feel confident that their work will be put to good use. Both Research Park and Caterpillar recognize that innovative ideas come from the young and talented minds of the University of Illinois students. That is why intern programs like Caterpillar’s are at Research Park. In this program, students have the chance to participate in impactful Caterpillar projects while pursuing their degrees. These projects include virtual product development, digital application creation, and various optimization projects. While the internship centers heavily around technical skills, this position allows the development of soft skills as well. If this sounds like the type of environment you would like to work in, Caterpillar posts jobs for freshman to graduate students on the Research Park job board. Caterpillar has had a facility at Research Park since 1999 and is the most tenured corporate partner in Research Park. In addition, it is a longstanding strategic partner of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in research, student engagement, and philanthropy. It is also the first site to have an intern program in Research Park. Read the full article here.

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EnterpriseWorks Graduates Investments News Research Park

EnterpriseWorks Graduate Runtime Verification Raises $5.3 Million to Advance Blockchain Security

EnterpriseWorks graduate Runtime Verification, a startup that uses runtime verification-based techniques to conduct security audits on virtual machines and smart contracts, has raised $5.3 million in funding to advance blockchain security. These funds raised will be used to accelerate the development of tooling intended to enhance the safety, reliability, and correctness of computing systems for blockchain and embedded systems, as well as to expand Runtime Verification’s global presence. “I am very pleased that our investors have embraced our unique language-parametric approach, built over more than 20 years within the K Framework. The generality of our approach allows our tools to be easily configured to work with different programming languages and different blockchains,” said the company’s founder Grigore Rosu. “The fact that five blockchains joined our investment round through their funds, based on research from their development teams who witnessed our technology, is a testament to the universality and strength of our K-powered technology.” Runtime Verification expects to grow its team significantly over the course of the next year, with plans to release new security tools and products. Read more here.

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Community EnterpriseWorks Features News Research Park

Innovations @ Research Park Podcast Episode 4: Transforming Cancer Care with SimBioSys

The University of Illinois Research Park launched Episode 4 of the Innovations @ Research Park podcast. The podcast highlights the thriving entrepreneurial and corporate innovation culture in Champaign. Episode 4 features John Cole, Co-Founder & Chief Scientific Officer of Research Park startup SimBioSys. Cole joined the show to discuss the SimBioSys mission, team dynamic, and product strategy. During the episode, Cole describes the SimBioSys mission as “ helping personalize decision making for cancer patients”.  The company strives to do this using predictive modeling technology. The SimBioSys team developed a system that builds a comprehensive model of each patient’s tumor to simulate how it responds to different treatments. This technology is valuable because it allows physicians to try out different therapies before administering them to the patient. Episode 3 of the podcast can be accessed here. 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). To listen to the podcast, visit iTunes Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you prefer to download your podcasts.

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Community News Recognition & Awards Research Park

Research Park Recognizes Edward McMillan’s Leadership and Contributions

Edward McMillan’s distinguished 20-year tenure as a member of the Research Park Board of Managers concluded in January, following his retirement from the University of Illinois Board of Trustees. McMillan’s tenure on the board spans almost the entire lifespan of Research Park. His leadership guided the transformation of the former South Farms into a thriving hub of innovation, entrepreneurship, and economic growth has created what we now know as the Research Park. In recognition of his retirement, Research Park named the largest conference room at EnterpriseWorks as the McMillan Meeting Room in his honor. A plaque detailing his achievements was installed outside the EnterpriseWorks incubator, in the heart of Research Park. A modest celebration was held on June 7, the first Research Park Board of Managers meeting since February 2020 to occur with a quorum in person. McMillan was born and raised on a farm in McDonough County, Illinois. He is a proud 1969 University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign College of Agriculture graduate. A nationally recognized leader in agribusiness, he spent 28 years at Purina, including serving as CEO.  McMillan’s extensive record of commitment to civic and philanthropic organizations includes serving as Chairman of the University of Illinois Board of Trustees, Chairman of the University of Illinois Research Park Board of Managers, Chairman of IllinoisVENTURES, LLC, and Chairman of the University of Illinois Alumni Association. Research Park congratulates Edward McMillan on his retirement and expresses its hope for his continued health, happiness, and prosperity.

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News Research Park

Tami Craig Shilling, University of Illinois Board of Trustees, Joins Research Park Board of Managers

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – Tami Craig Shilling, Trustee on The University of Illinois Board of Trustees, has joined The University of Illinois Research Park Board of Managers. Her first board meeting will be on June 7, 2021. Craig Schilling replaces Ed McMillan as the Board of Trustees representative on the Board of Managers. She was appointed to the University of Illinois Board of Trustees on February 5, 2021, to a six-year term ending in 2027. Craig Schilling works as the North America Knowledge Transfer Lead for Bayer Crop Science. She graduated from the University of Illinois in 1990 with a degree in Agricultural Communications. Research Park is governed by the University of Illinois Research Park LLC Board of Managers, and its members are appointed by the University of Illinois Board of Trustees.

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EnterpriseWorks Features Media Mentions News Recognition & Awards Research Park

Epivara Featured on WCIA 3 News for SBIR Award

Epivara, a startup based at EnterpriseWorks, was recently featured on WCIA 3 News after receiving a $255,000 SBIR Phase I award from the National Science Foundation. Rex Hess, Epivara’s Director of Science, was interviewed in this news story, and he explained Epivara’s iSpay/iNeuter technology. This funding will go towards the creation of an injection that would act as a permanent alternative to spaying and neutering for cats and dogs. The Research Park is proud to support the Epivara startup team as they continue to develop this technology. Find the full story here: https://bit.ly/EpivaraWCIA

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Media Mentions News Research Park

Research Park Recognized in The College Tour

Research Park was recognized in the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign’s episode of “The College Tour”, which is available on Amazon Prime Video. The College Tour, hosted by established producer and writer Alex Boylan, gives students an opportunity to share the distinguishing qualities of their university’s campus. The show provides valuable insight to prospective students deciding between multiple schools. A substantial portion of the episode was dedicated to crediting the University of Illinois for its research efforts. The College Tour highlighted Research Park as part of the notable aspects of the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign innovation engine, with multiple internship opportunities and support for companies and start-ups. The College Tour noted that “top corporations set up offices [in Research Park] because of the amazing student talent pool”. This is all to say that Research Park’s location on campus allows it to be a resource for undergraduate students, providing them with numerous opportunities for professional growth through the internship program. Watch the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign episode of “The College Tour” here.

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Community EnterpriseWorks News Research Park

Kelly Gust, Human Resources Expert-in-Residence for the Research Park

The Research Park welcomes Kelly Gust as a new Expert-in-Residence, specialized in Human Resources. She is available to startup and corporate sites at the Research Park for consulting in talent optimization, leadership development, performance coaching, and human resources.  Kelly is the president and principal talent optimizer for HR Full Circle, a company that provides workforce strategy, talent optimization services, and general human resources consulting to organizations of all sizes and stages. Kelly’s experience spans multiple industries such as engineering, pharma, retail, travel and leisure, and utilities in organizations large and small. She also serves on the growth advisory panel for Innovate Springfield, the University of Illinois Springfield-led social innovation and business incubator program. Research Park tenants, including EnterpriseWorks tenants and affiliates, are eligible to request free consulting time with Kelly. Schedule an appointment here.

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Events Media Mentions News Partnerships & Acquisitions Research Park

Synchrony: “You Have to Go Where the Talent is”

Synchrony’s efforts targeting University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign students to fulfill its needs to recruit tech talent was featured in the Wall Street Journal on May 6 (subscription required). The article cited Synchrony’s partnership with the Datathon at Illinois, a competitive event that exposes students to real-world problem solving in analytics, as one of the creative ways it engages talent. Synchrony has been a lead sponsor for the event and an active host since the event’s inception, engaging with the statistics department and its very active student organization. “You have to go to where the talent is,” said Carol Juel, executive vice president and chief information officer at Synchrony Financial, in the Wall Street Journal’s article, “Companies Get Creative in Hunt for AI Talent”. The partnership came about thanks to Synchrony’s highly engaged Research Park innovation center, where the company  has hired dozens of students. The Synchrony Emerging Technology Center opened at Research Park in 2018. In 2019, it doubled its physical space and intern team, pulling from students from a variety of disciplines, including computer science, math, statistics, business, information sciences, and more. See more about the 2020 Datathon here. 

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