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UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS URBANA-CHAMPAIGN

Research Park

    Recognition & Awards

    AgTech Summit EnterpriseWorks News Recognition & Awards Research Park Startup

    C16 Biosciences Wins 2026 Startup World Cup: Agriculture and Food Regional 

    CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (March 17, 2026) — A panel of investors named C16 Biosciences the winner of the Startup World Cup: Agriculture and Food Regional on March 10, advancing the company to the Startup World Cup Grand Finale in San Francisco where it will compete for a $1 million investment. The regional, held at the  11th Annual AgTech Summit in Champaign, was hosted by the University of Illinois Research Park in partnership with  Serra Ventures, Startup World Cup, and Pegasus Tech Ventures. Now in its second year, the competition drew 10 startups from across the country to compete. C16 Co-Founder and Chief Operating Officer David Heller represented the company during the pitch competition. “We’re really excited about this,” he told Illinois Public Media. “It shows that one, we’re at a stage that’s inspiring some confidence in folks in the industry and two, that we’ve built something pretty exciting.” Founded in 2017, C16 Biosciences develops microbial alternatives to palm oil through fermentation and biotechnology, targeting a growing vulnerability in agricultural supply chains. Palm oil is found in nearly 50% of products on supermarket shelves, yet 90% of global production comes from just two countries, leaving food manufacturers and consumer goods companies exposed to significant supply and price risk. Conventional palm oil production is also one of the leading drivers of tropical deforestation. C16 addresses that problem by producing fats and oils at industrial scale without extracting them from plants or animals, supplying its Palmless product line across the beauty, personal care, food, and home care sectors. C16 Biosciences is a member of the Illinois Fermentation and Agriculture Biomanufacturing (iFAB) consortium and the Access to Capital and Entrepreneurship Council, and has engaged with the Integrated Bioprocessing Research Laboratory (IBRL) for pilot scale development. Judges included: ### About the AgTech Summit The AgTech Innovation Summit brings together leaders in agricultural technology, entrepreneurship, investment, and academia to address pressing agricultural challenges and explore emerging solutions. This interactive conference hosted by the University of Illinois Research Park features dynamic panel discussions, keynote presentations, and valuable networking opportunities. To learn more about the AgTech Innovation Summit, visit the  Research Park website. About the Startup World Cup The Startup World Cup is a global series of startup competitions and conferences powered by Pegasus Tech Ventures. With over 100 regional events across 60+ countries, the competition culminates in a Grand Finale in Silicon Valley, where the top startups from each region will compete for a $1 million investment prize. For a complete list of regional events, visit the Startup World Cup website. About Pegasus Tech Ventures Pegasus Tech Ventures is a leading global venture capital firm based in Silicon Valley, with over $2 billion in assets under management. Pegasus supports emerging technology companies worldwide by providing both intellectual and financial capital. They also offer a unique Venture Capital-as-a-Service (VCaaS) model for large corporations looking to partner with cutting-edge startups. Learn more at Pegasus Tech Ventures.

    C16 Biosciences Wins 2026 Startup World Cup: Agriculture and Food Regional  Read Post »

    AgTech Summit EnterpriseWorks News Recognition & Awards Research Park Startup

    Finalists Announced for Startup World Cup: Agriculture And Food Regional Pitch Competition

    CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (March 4, 2026) — In partnership with Pegasus Tech Ventures and Serra Ventures, the University of Illinois Research Park is excited to announce the 10 startups selected as finalists for the Startup World Cup: Agriculture and Food Regional pitch competition. The second annual event will take place during the AgTech Innovation Summit on March 10 in Champaign, where the 10 finalists will present their business ideas and models to a judging panel of investors and industry experts. The winner will move on to the Startup World Cup Finale in November, where it will compete against other regional winners for a $1 million investment. The following startups have been selected to compete at the Startup World Cup Agriculture and Food Regional: American Prime Sustainable Solutions – From space to field, American Prime turns satellite and AI intelligence into real-time agricultural decisions, powering autonomous action, scalable operations and measurable outcomes across every acre. C16 Biosciences – Produces fermentation-derived oils that outperform traditional commodities on stability and sustainability while supplying global brands at commercial scale. DMR INTERNATIONAL INC. – Provides a drop-in antimicrobial pellet solution that upgrades stormwater and wastewater treatment performance without new infrastructure or hazardous chemicals. Explain Ag – Builds science-based enterprise software that embeds predictive agronomic intelligence into customer systems to drive scalable sales growth and durable competitive advantage. Farmland Stock Exchange – Connects retiring landowners with tenant farmers to solve farmland succession and access challenges, leveraging deep Illinois roots and strategic farmer-investors to secure first-mover advantage and trusted deal flow. GigaCrop, Inc. – Engineers enhanced photosynthesis seed traits that bypass biological yield limits to double crop productivity and improve drought resilience across major crops. LegacyAcres – Digitizes farm succession planning with expert-built logic and strategic distribution partnerships that help farm families transition ownership with clarity and confidence. Soil1 LLC – Delivers sub-$1, instant soil health testing that empowers farmers to make real-time regenerative and carbon-smart decisions without relying on costly lab analysis. SpecVision – Turns equipment photos into verified specifications in minutes, delivering 75% lower assessment costs while building the industry’s first compounding equipment data layer. TerraForce, Inc. – Deploys farm-scale robotic fruit harvesters that match human labor costs while delivering faster, safer and compliance-free picking and packing. About the AgTech Summit The AgTech Innovation Summit brings together leaders in industry, entrepreneurs, investors and academics to address pressing agricultural challenges and explore emerging solutions. Programmed and hosted by University of Illinois Research Park, 2026 marks the 11th edition of this annual event. AgTech is one of the fastest growing industry clusters in the Research Park and the broader Champaign-Urbana region. To learn more about the AgTech Summit, visit the event homepage. About the Startup World Cup The Startup World Cup is a global series of startup competitions and conferences powered by Pegasus Tech Ventures. With over 100 regional events across 60+ countries, the competition culminates in a Grand Finale in Silicon Valley on November 6, 20256 where the top startups from each region will compete for a $1 million investment prize. For a complete list of regional events, visit the Startup World Cup website. About Pegasus Tech Ventures Pegasus Tech Ventures is a leading global venture capital firm based in Silicon Valley, with over $2 billion in assets under management. Pegasus supports emerging technology companies worldwide by providing both intellectual and financial capital. They also offer a unique Venture Capital-as-a-Service (VCaaS) model for large corporations looking to partner with cutting-edge startups. Learn more at the Pegasus Tech Ventures website.  

    Finalists Announced for Startup World Cup: Agriculture And Food Regional Pitch Competition Read Post »

    AgTech Summit News Recognition & Awards Research Park

    Nominations Sought for 2026 Glen “GB” Brandt Prize for Ag Entrepreneurism

    CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (Dec. 1, 2025) – Nominations are now being accepted for the sixth annual 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 Feb. 2, 2026. 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 10, 2026. Those eligible for the 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. Roger Bock, fifth-generation farmer and owner of Wolf Creek Farm in Williamsville, Illinois was the fifth annual recipient of the Glen “GB” Brandt Prize for Ag Entrepreneurism. A University of Illinois alumnus, Bock works with the University of Illinois Extension and plant science department to optimize lesser growing areas by rotating in edible crops across his 1,200-acre operation of corn, soybeans, and specialty vegetables. 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 Hosted by the University of Illinois Research Park, 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. 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 BarnhartThe BRANDT Foundation karl.barnhart@brandt.co Laura BleillResearch Parklwbleill@illinois.edu ###

    Nominations Sought for 2026 Glen “GB” Brandt Prize for Ag Entrepreneurism Read Post »

    EnterpriseWorks News Recognition & Awards Research Park

    EarthSense Competes in Startup World Cup Grand Finale

    CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (Oct. 21, 2025) — EarthSense, an EnterpriseWorks graduate based at the University of Illinois Research Park, competed in the Startup World Cup semifinals in San Francisco on Oct. 17, 2025. Founded in 2016 by CEO Chinmay Soman and CTO Girish Chowdhary, EarthSense develops autonomous robots and artificial intelligence technology for agriculture. The company’s flagship products use machine vision and machine learning to collect crop health data and convert it into actionable insights for farmers, agronomists and crop breeders. Soman represented EarthSense at the competition after guiding the company through the Agriculture and Food Regional round held at the 10th Annual AgTech Summit earlier this year. Competing startups pitched their companies to a panel of investors for the chance to win the competition’s $1 million grand prize. The Startup World Cup is a global series of startup competitions and conferences organized by Pegasus Tech Ventures. The competition spans more than 100 regional events across 60-plus countries, with the field ultimately narrowing to a Grand Finale held in San Francisco on Oct. 22, 2025.

    EarthSense Competes in Startup World Cup Grand Finale Read Post »

    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 News Recognition & Awards

    Photon Queue CEO Selected for Lab-Embedded Entrepreneurship Program

    CHAMPAIGN, Ill., (July 14, 2025) – /U.S. Department of Energy/ — Nathan Arnold, CEO of EnterpriseWorks startup Photon Queue, has been selected for the ninth cohort of the U.S. Department of Energy’s Lab-Embedded Entrepreneurship Program, a highly competitive initiative designed to support early-stage energy startups on their path toward commercialization. Arnold is one of just 27 entrepreneurs nationwide chosen for the fellowship. He will join the Chain Reaction Innovations program at Argonne National Laboratory in Lemont, Illinois, where he will work with a network of mentors and experts to develop transformative energy technologies. “This two-year fellowship will give us access to world-class facilities, mentorship from entrepreneurs and researchers and will help us accelerate our products to market,” said Photon Queue on LinkedIn. “We are beyond excited to grow our presence in the Chicago quantum ecosystem and push the boundaries of efficient photon storage through this program.” Photon Queue’s selection into LEEP marks the latest step in its efforts to scale its quantum memory hardware for industry adoption, a journey rooted in its home at the University of Illinois Research Park. The startup recently celebrated its one-year anniversary, having launched through the Duality Quantum Accelerator, secured its first two sales and pitched to West Coast venture capitalists during the Quantum Startup Pitch Competition and San Francisco’s Deep Tech Week. Past fellows have developed breakthrough technologies that became the foundation of thriving businesses. Since the program’s inception in 2015, 182 LEEP startups have attracted $4.2 billion in follow-on funding and created more than 3,800 jobs, according to a press release from the DOE. Participants perform critical research and development to hone their startup technologies with the goal of advancing those technologies from lab to market. The program also supports fellows by providing training in business development, networking opportunities and access to the resources and expertise of the U.S. national laboratories. “The LEEP Program epitomizes DOE’s commitment to empowering American inventors and entrepreneurs to improve the affordability, reliability, and security of our energy system,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Lou Hrkman. “I look forward to seeing this new round of fellows make its mark on American energy and manufacturing.” About Photon Queue Photon Queue is a hardware company developing quantum memories and the first quantum startup from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. The company aims to become the premier supplier of photonic quantum memories for the emerging quantum communication, networking, and computing sectors. Quantum memories comprise many of the required components for these sectors and will command a significant fraction of this market size, but the currently available quantum memory technologies lack many performance metrics. The quantum memory technology at Photon Queue has been pioneered by the research group of Prof. Paul Kwiat over the past two decades. It outperforms all competing technologies in head-to-head comparisons for several critical quantum applications. The company aims to accelerate the realization of important quantum applications by providing high-performance quantum memories. About EnterpriseWorks at University of Illinois Research Park EnterpriseWorks is the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign’s technology incubator. Its mission is to launch, support, and advance successful science-based startups that are commercializing disruptive technologies. EnterpriseWorks is located at University of Illinois Research Park, an innovation hub for technology commercialization with a unique environment that cultivates startups and increases capabilities for established. Located on campus, Research Park has more than 120 companies and growing, employing over 2,100 people in high-technology careers. 

    Photon Queue CEO Selected for Lab-Embedded Entrepreneurship Program Read Post »

    Community Events Internships News Recognition & Awards

    Research Park Celebrates Interns During the 19th Annual Intern Awards Ceremony

    The 19th Annual Research Park Intern Awards Ceremony, which celebrates the contributions of outstanding student interns at Research Park corporate innovation centers and startups, took place on July 24, 2025. The awards ceremony brings together interns representing diverse skill sets and industry sectors, as well as their managers and colleagues. It reflects the overall depth and breadth of excellence of intern work that occurs daily at Research Park. Awards were given in the following categories: Best Startup Intern Best Technical Innovation Best Business Innovation Most Outstanding Graduate Student Intern Most Outstanding Undergraduate Student Intern Most Competent and Collaborative Team Among the notable projects showcased was an intern who developed an in-house model that once deployed saved their company $60,000 in expenses. Another standout project involved a group of interns who developed XR prototypes that have been deployed and utilized in tech centers across three different continents and did so an entire year ahead of the original schedule. The ceremony and nominations highlighted the incredible talent within the Research Park community and underscored the vital role that internships play in fostering the next generation of industry leaders. Best Startup Intern  Hrishikesh Sarda | Earthsense | Mechanical Engineering Intern | Master of Science in Technology Management | Gies College of Business “Hrishi has very quickly demonstrated his value to our team. He takes on responsibility with the trustworthiness of a full-time engineer. He works independently, gives valuable design feedback, and shows comfort in the unknown. He found an error in my calculation, researched the topic to correct it, and brings a level of attention to detail rare at his experience level.” Finalists: Dongjoon Jeong | Hinetics | Mechanical Engineering Intern | Mechanical Engineering | Grainger College of Engineering Daniel Ormsbee | Boston Bioprocess | Bioprocess Intern | Molecular Biology and Mechanical Engineering | Cedarville University Best Technical innovation Undergraduate winner: Om Mistry | Brunswick Boating Intelligence Design Lab | Data Engineering Intern | Industrial Engineering and Statistics | Grainger College of Engineering “During his internship, Om’s primary responsibility was to enhance our data ingestion pipelines across multiple projects. One of his most impactful contributions was improving our propeller recommendation tool, which helps customers select the right propeller for their boat and engine combination—reducing both customer and dealer stress and driving internal sales. He brought initiative, technical curiosity, and a structured mindset—researching machine learning, building a user-focused interface, and delivering high-quality code. His adaptability, collaboration, and impact on a high-visibility project stood out throughout his internship.” Graduate winner: Farid Ahmed | Rivian | Thermal Modeling Intern | Nuclear Plasma and Radiological Engineering | Grainger College of Engineering “In a context where mileage per watt is a key performance metric, Farid’s contributions are especially impactful. His initial studies indicated an 8–10% improvement in cooling efficiency compared to the current design. He is self-motivated, thoughtful, and collaborative. His technical rigor and clear communication have made him a valued team member influencing high-priority design decisions.” Best Business Innovation Shravani Bhupal | COUNTRY Financial DigitaLab | Project Manager/UI-UX Intern | Master of Science in Information Management  “Shravani led development of a Power BI dashboard for technology budget tracking, producing a tool now essential for strategic reporting. Her precision, innovation, and ability to bridge technical and business needs earned praise from leadership, who highlighted her fresh perspective and strong communication on complex financial data.” Finalists: Luke Peng | Synchrony Emerging Technology Center | Operations Analyst- Data Engineering Intern | Statistics Most Outstanding Undergraduate Student Intern Miguel Aenlle | PrairieLearn | Software Engineering Intern | Computer Science | Grainger College of Engineering “As a freshman, he immediately led a full redesign of our navigation system—interviewing users, building an accessible UI, and engineering a staged rollout. His work is already in production. In 20 years of mentoring interns, Miguel is the best I’ve worked with. His impact has been extraordinary.” Finalists: Isabella Chou | Mondelēz International | XR Intern | Computer Science | Grainger College of Engineering Austin Carlen | Applied Pavement Technology | Engineering Technician Intern | Engineering Technology | Lake Land College Most Outstanding Graduate Student Intern Nanguan Lin | Boston Bioprocess  | Software Engineering Intern | Computer Engineering | Grainger College of Engineering  “Nanguan has been instrumental in building a new Lab Information Management System from scratch. He rapidly grasped requirements, led stakeholder interviews, and delivered a robust dashboard that’s now a cornerstone of operations. He balances professionalism and approachability—equally comfortable leading technical discussions and bringing positive energy to everyday team interactions.” Finalists: Charlie Du | Brunswick Boating Intelligence Design Lab | Computer Graphics Software Developer Intern | Computer Science | Grainger College of Engineering Kinjal Parekh | COUNTRY Financial DigitaLab | Project Manager/Software Developer Intern | Computer Science | Grainger College of Engineering Most Competent and Collaborative Team Mondelēz International XR Team Isabella Chou | XR Intern | Computer Science | Grainger College of Engineering Josh Sutanto  | XR Intern | Computer Engineering | Grainger College of Engineering Roshni Dave  | XR Intern | Computer Science | Grainger College of Engineering “The Mondelez XR team delivered both high-quality work and a remarkable number of prototypes, despite being new to XR. Their teamwork, adaptability, and dedication exceeded every brief—so much so, new ones had to be created. Their prototypes are now being deployed across three continents, with one fast-tracked for consumer research a year early. This accelerated timeline reflects the immediate business value of their work and is expected to drive faster ROI and greater digital adoption.” Finalists: Brunswick Boating Intelligence Design Lab Aashish Subramanian | Computer Graphics Software Developer Intern | Computer Engineering | Grainger College of Engineering Charlie Du | Computer Graphics Software Developer Intern | Computer Science | Grainger College of Engineering Jaden Ambrocio Alcantara | Computer Graphics Software Engineering Intern | Computer Science | Grainger College of Engineering Kaavya Vassa | Front End Development Intern | Computer Science and Bioengineering | Grainger College of Engineering Melody Breg | Mechanical Engineer Intern | Mechanical Engineering | Grainger College of Engineering Swathi Sureshmoorthy | Computer Graphic Software Developer Intern | Computer Science | Grainger College of Engineering  Ameren Innovation Center Jason Liao | Data Science Intern | Computer Science | Grainger College of

    Research Park Celebrates Interns During the 19th Annual Intern Awards Ceremony Read Post »

    EnterpriseWorks Investments News Recognition & Awards

    EnterpriseWorks Receives $3 Million Grant to Support Growth-Stage Incubator

    Chicago Business Journal – Illinois invests $7 million in tech incubators to boost startup ecosystem (July 15, 2025) WCIA – U of I getting $3M from state for tech incubator project (July 15, 2025) WAND-TV – U of I receives $3 million grant to expand startup incubation hub (July 17, 2025)   EnterpriseWorks Receives $3 Million Grant to Support Growth-Stage Incubator State of Illinois Tech Incubator Enhancement Grants Program Funding to Launch Building Project CHAMPAIGN, Il. (July 15, 2025) – Governor JB Pritzker and the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity has awarded EnterpriseWorks, the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign’s tech incubator, $3 million through the Tech Incubator Enhancement Grant Program to support entrepreneurship and innovation in key growth industries around the state. The $3 million award will enable the University of Illinois to move forward with a second incubator to support growth-stage startup companies. The $20 million project has been scoped to align with growing opportunities in bioprocessing and light manufacturing across the region within the Illinois Fermentation and Agriculture Biomanufacturing Hub. EnterpriseWorks 2.0 will facilitate the transition of advanced startups with specialized lab and manufacturing needs to space not available at the existing incubator. It features facilities for early-stage manufacturing of high-tech products and high bay space for bioprocessing and fermentation equipment. “We are thrilled to be working with our iFAB Tech Hub partners to support bioprocessing, agriculture technology, and new manufacturing in Central Illinois with this facility design and purpose,” said Laura Appenzeller, executive director of Research Park. “This capital project has been in development and planning for many years to grow the capacity of EnterpriseWorks.” Strategically situated steps from the existing EnterpriseWorks incubator at the corner of Hazelwood Drive and First Street in Research Park, the facility will house laboratories, offices, and shared spaces, including meeting rooms, gathering areas, and a break room. Since opening in 2003, companies launched at EnterpriseWorks have raised over $1.4 billion in venture capital and $200 million in Small Business Innovation Research federal grant funding. “The original EnterpriseWorks incubator consistently has a waiting list for labs and offices. Demand for space outpaces supply,” said Gerald Wilson, Director of Entrepreneurship and a former startup CEO. “Few existing facilities in Illinois can meet the needs and adequately support scaling scientific and manufacturing startups. Physical product and agricultural biotech companies require more complex facilities not widely available for commercial lease.” EnterpriseWorks supports University of Illinois-affiliated entrepreneurs including alumni, faculty and graduate students, contributing to a thriving entrepreneurial ecosystem in East Central Illinois. “Illinois has an unmatched spirit of innovation and entrepreneurship, and the Tech Incubator Enhancement Grants Program is helping channel that into world-changing advancements and sustainable economic growth,” said Governor JB Pritzker. “Our technology incubators and startup ecosystem are positioning our state as a powerhouse in the economy of tomorrow, and I am proud to be strengthening our investment in that future.” About EnterpriseWorks at University of Illinois Research Park EnterpriseWorks is the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign’s technology incubator. Its mission is to launch, support, and advance successful science-based startups that are commercializing disruptive technologies. EnterpriseWorks is located at University of Illinois Research Park, an innovation hub for technology commercialization with a unique environment that cultivates startups and increases capabilities for established. Located on campus, Research Park has more than 120 companies and growing, employing over 2,100 people in high-technology careers. 

    EnterpriseWorks Receives $3 Million Grant to Support Growth-Stage Incubator Read Post »

    News Partnerships & Acquisitions Recognition & Awards Research Park

    Genective Poised for Commercial Success After Pipeline Delivered Breakthrough Insect Control Results

    CHAMPAIGN, Ill. and CHAPPES, France, June 25, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Genective, a 100% subsidiary of Limagrain, a French Agri-food conglomerate and world’s fourth largest seeds company, is poised for commercial success after its R&D pipeline for transgenic insect control delivered industry leading breakthrough results. “It’s a very exciting time at Genective,” said Qiaoni Linda Jing, President & CEO. “Through extraordinary team collaboration in the last 5 years, we have made breakthroughs at different stages of our R&D pipeline.  To name a few, we created a whole new class of insect control protein that no one else in the industry has.  Our other lead genes delivered excellent results against Fall Armyworm (FAW) populations that have developed resistance to all currently commercialized solutions.” FAW is a devastating pest originating from the Americas but quickly spread to the rest of the world in the last 10 years causing an estimated 5 billion dollars annually in economic losses.   Jing continued, “I am extremely proud of what my team has achieved and look forward to bringing our novel solutions to the farm fields around the globe through successful commercial partnership with industry partners.” “As an innovation driven company, Limagrain has unwaveringly supported Genective since its inception,” said Fermin Azanza, Global Head of Research for Limagrain Field Seeds and Chairman of the Board of Directors of Genective. “We are very excited the novelty-driven strategy of Genective is bearing fruit.  We will continue standing behind Genective’s innovation and foresee commercialization through partnerships with global players in the agriculture market.” Since relocating its global headquarters from Paris, France to Central Illinois in 2020 amid Covid 19, Genective has emerged as a key contributor to the industry’s agtech innovation landscape. “Genective has been an exemplary member of our innovation community,” said University of Illinois Research Park Executive Director and Assistant Vice Chancellor for Innovation, Laura Appenzeller. “The fast-growing company not only brought in great talent and high paying jobs but also created a winning culture that is fundamental to its success. The University of Illinois Research Park is committed to supporting Genective’s continued achievements in every possible way as an agtech leader.” With scientific momentum, global and local backing, and a strong foundation for commercialization, Genective is fulfilling its vision of being a globally impactful contributor to agriculture through biotechnology for corn, soy, and cotton. About GenectiveGenective is a 100% subsidiary of Groupe Limagrain, a French Agri-food conglomerate and world’s 4th largest seeds company. Genective is dedicated to the research, development, and commercialization of transgenic traits for corn, soy, and cotton. About LimagrainLimagrain is a global company with deep local roots. The parent company is an agricultural cooperative based in the Limagne-Val d’Allier plain, in the heart of Central France’s Auvergne region, while Limagrain is an international seed and agri-food group with some 9,600 employees working in 53 countries. The company breeds, produces, and sells high value-added field and vegetable seeds, drawing on a long history of expertise in plant improvement. Uniquely, Limagrain also has agri-food chain businesses, in France and internationally, to transform the produce of the Cooperative’s 1,300 farmer members. The world faces escalating climatic, environmental and demographic challenges, and the company’s various businesses help address its food and farming issues. As the 4th largest seed company in the world, Limagrain achieved sales of 2.522 billion euros in 2023-2024, with additional sales of 729 million euros from activities carried out in collaboration with strategic partners. www.limagrain.com About University of Illinois Research Park The University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Research Park is an innovation hub for technology commercialization with a unique environment that cultivates startups and increases capabilities for established companies. Located on campus, Research Park has more than 120 companies and growing, employing over 2,100 people in high-technology careers.  Media ContactsGenective: Erin Yarling, erin.yarling@genective.comGroupe Limagrain: Michelle Cornu, michelle.cornu@limagrain.comUniversity of Illinois Research Park: Laura Bleill, lwbleill@illinois.edu SOURCE Genective

    Genective Poised for Commercial Success After Pipeline Delivered Breakthrough Insect Control Results Read Post »

    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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