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UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS URBANA-CHAMPAIGN

Research Park

    News

    EnterpriseWorks Graduates News Recognition & Awards

    EnterpriseWorks Graduate Runtime Verification Thrives in Urbana

    It’s not rare for a University of Illinois deep-tech startup to fly under the radar. One such startup — founded by a University of Illinois computer science faculty member and a graduate of the EnterpriseWorks incubator –received a bit of notoriety from online tech magazine Chicago Inno. Runtime Verification is now located in downtown Urbana, and has grown to have 30+ employees. Founded by Grigiore Rosu, uses runtime verification-based techniques to improve the safety, reliability, and correctness of software systems. “Runtime Verification, based in Urbana, has developed tools to improve the safety and reliability of software systems. Its technology can automatically detect bugs that are lurking in a company’s software, and identify problems before a program crashes. Runtime’s customers include a handful of high-profile clients—such as Boeing, NASA, Toyota and the National Science Foundation—who use the startup to make sure their code is error free.” For the entire article, please visit Chicago Inno.

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    Media Mentions News Research Park

    Agrinews Reviews AgTech at the Research Park

    Agrinews wrote all about the University of Illinois Research Park in one of their latest articles. The agriculturally-focused site covered all of the aspects of the Research Park, from the growing number of industries it houses to the increasing workforce of full-time and student employees. They reviewed the park’s history, from its time as farmland to what it is now–a tech hub housing startups and corporate centers that create innovative products every day. Research Park Associate Director Laura Bleill was quoted with some words about agricultural tech at the park, saying “Corporations are located at the research park because they have access to student talent of kids who have grown up on farms and are familiar with farm tech […] they are doing projects related to data analytics, mobile app developments or augmented reality.” The Association of University Research Parks caught wind of the story by Agrinews and also shared it on their platforms. If you want to read about the AURP and see who is included in their network, click here. If you want to see the original story by Agrinews, click here.

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    EnterpriseWorks Graduates News

    EnterpriseWorks Graduate CU Aerospace Launches Satellite for Deep Space Missions

    The EnterpriseWorks graduate, CU Aerospace, launched their satellite into space for the first time on December 12, 2018. Over a decade in the making, CU Aerospace along with University of Illinois engineering students developed the small CubeSail satellite. At 10PM, this satellite launched from New Zealand, hitching a ride on the Electron rocket from the commercial space company, Rocket Lab. This technology was developed when CU Aerospace lived inside the EnterpriseWorks incubator at the University of Illinois Research Park. Considered extremely unique in its field, CubeSail has a new technique for steering a “solar sail” with a solar-powered satellite propulsion system. In 2005, David Carroll of CU Aerospace wrote a proposal to NASA to test the CubeSail funding. Soon after in 2008, CU Aerospace won funding and contracted the University of Illinois to develop it. The CubeSail team watched Rocket Lab’s video livestream from a classroom at Talbot Lab. The team then headed to their ground station north of Urbana with hopes to communicate with CubeSail about five hours after it deployed from the rocket. The beginning of the mission was useful for testing the satellite itself, first developed at the University of Illinois Research Park. This was the first space mission for the team and the radio, powersystem, software and electronics were all tested by the team. If the CubeSail mission is deemed successful, CU Aerospace can commercialize the technology as an alternate propulsion system that can be used for deep space missions. “What’s unique about what we do at the university is that everything, all the designs, all the structures, are all put together and designed by our students. We start from scratch,” says Michael Lembeck, associate professor in the Department of Aerospace Engineering and director of UI’s Laboratory for Advanced Space Systems. The University of Illinois lab has four other missions lined up in the near future. The next will carry a spectrometer to measure different kinds of chemicals in the upper atmosphere, which will help future spacecraft engineers design better materials for re-entry. To view the full story, click here.

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    News Recognition & Awards Research Park

    Agrible, ADM Receives 2018 Sustainability Leadership Awards

    On November 14, Field to Market: The Alliance for Sustainable Agriculture announced the 2018 recipients of its Sustainability Leadership Awards. Two Research Park companies, Archer Daniels Midland Company (ADM) and Agrible along with General Mills, Inc. were awarded the 2018 Collaboration of the Year Award. The three recipients were recognized for their efforts to aid farmers in the Southern Plains build soil health, conserve water, and extend the life of the Ogallala aquifer. ADM, Agrible, and General Mills are “helping farmers measure continuous improvement in soil health and water conservation,” says Rod Snyder, president of Field to Market. With the future potential of prolonged drought, these partners are helping farmers improve the resiliency of their fields, conserve water, and improve their bottom line through conservation or no-till. Field to Market has more than 140 members who represent all parts of the United States agricultural supply chain. Members employ more than 5 million people and represent combined revenues of over $1.5 trillion. For more information and to view the full story, click here.

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    News

    Caterpillar Facility Rededicated at Research Park

    On Tuesday, October 30, 2018, the Caterpillar Inc. facility was rededicated at Research Park. Caterpillar is the most tenured corporate partner in the Research Park and is a longstanding strategic partner of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in research, student engagement, and philanthropy. The new office, which occupies the entire second floor of the Research Park’s newest building, merges the Caterpillar Data Innovation Lab (which opened in 2015) and the Champaign Simulation Center (which opened in 1999) in one footprint. This new office brings Caterpillar data analytics and engineering operations together under one roof, in a prime location at 1901 S. First St. Over 90 Caterpillar team members and 50 student interns will interact and collaborate in the new space. The facility will now be known as the Caterpillar Champaign Innovation Center. To view the media coverage of the rededication of the Caterpillar Champaign Innovation Center by WAND-TV, click here.

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    EnterpriseWorks Features Media Mentions News

    The 21st Broadcasts Live From Enterpriseworks

    Illinois Public Media made a very special trip to the Research Park on Tuesday, September 25 to broadcast their radio show, The 21st, live from the EnterpriseWorks incubator. The broadcast discussed startup culture in the Champaign-Urbana area, focusing on promising innovation from student entrepreneurs and startups within the incubator. Host Niala Boodhoo spent the morning at the EnterpriseWorks incubator speaking with Director Laura Frerichs. Frerichs said the Research Park “is a hotbed of startup activity. There’s so much science happening at the University and ample opportunity to bring that to the market through the ingenuity of students, faculty, alumni that see an opportunity for new products and new technologies that can truly be disruptive.” They talked all about the startup workforce in Champaign-Urbana and how it contributes to technological growth. Boodhoo also spent some time speaking with Research Park startup owners and iVenture entrepreneurs about their companies. She began with EarthSense founder Chinmay Soman and later interviewed Petronics co-founders Michael Friedman and Dave Cohen about the future of their businesses. She also spoke with iVenture participants Teresa Yang of PhantomCor and Kendall Furbee of Cut To The Case about their experience as student entrepreneurs. To listen to “this very special 21st, live from EnterpriseWorks at the Research Park,” access the entire broadcast online here.

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    Community News Research Park

    Research Park Updates Master Plan To Direct Future Development

    The Research Park master plan has been significantly updated to reflect forward-thinking priorities such as infill development, tenant-driven amenities, walkability, and connectivity to the community and other parts of campus. Thank you to our colleagues at Ratio for their expertise and thank you to the many University and community stakeholders who participated in this process.  Coverage of the updates from The News-Gazette is available here.

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    News Recognition & Awards Research Park

    Linda McMahon Visits Research Park

    Linda McMahon, the 25th Administrator of the U.S. Small Business Administration, visited the Research Park today to tour EnterpriseWorks, the technology business incubator that focuses on science- and research-based entrepreneurs. The visit was organized by the Illinois Small Business Development Center at Champaign County EDC.  McMahon heard an overview of the University of Illinois Research Park and talked with several EnterpriseWorks technology startups including Serionix, Reconstruct, AirScout, and Petronics.  In addition to showcasing small businesses, the visit highlighted the local entrepreneurial ecosystem and the programs in place to help small businesses succeed, including services through the SBDC / International Trade Center and programs like University of Illinois Research Park‘s Shared Services Program and the City of Champaign – Municipal Government‘s Small Business Incentive Program. To view media coverage, click here. To view video 1, click here. To view video 2, click here.

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    Investments News Research Park

    DPI Funding to Support Research Park Growth

    Part of the state funding allocated to the University of Illinois for the Discovery Partners Institute and its statewide innovation network will be used to continue the expansion of the University of Illinois Research Park, university leaders announced during a town hall on Wednesday, August 29. According to an announcement made by Chancellor Robert J. Jones, funding related to DPI will support further instructure that will support the growth of the Research Park. Jones said the money for the research park will help expand its infrastructure to allow more startup companies to grow, he said. He described the park as an “unmatched success,” with more than 120 companies such as John Deere and Archer Daniels Midland working with faculty and students, as well as 2,100 employees and 800 student interns. It has also helped launch more than 250 start-up companies from faculty innovations since its inception in 2001. Jones said he will “work with the Research Park’s board of managers, community leaders, economic development advisers and DPI’s leadership to identify opportunities for investment.” View the News-Gazette coverage of the announcement here. 

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