Color-Variation-Orange-Block-I-Blue-Background-1

UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS URBANA-CHAMPAIGN

Research Park

    Recognition & Awards

    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.

    EnterpriseWorks Startups Meet with Venture Investors in Silicon valley Read Post »

    Events News Recognition & Awards Research Park

    Synchrony Emerges as 2025 Research Park Table Tennis Tournament Champion

    CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – The 14th Annual Research Park Table Tennis Tournament took place on Tuesday, June 17, and Wednesday, June 18, 2025.  A Research Park favorite, the Table Tennis Tournament brought together 64 participants from companies across Research Park. Players took part in two intense days of round robin matches and bracket play in three categories: beginner, intermediate, and advanced. Champions were crowned in each bracket, points were awarded to top-placing players, and the top-scoring company won the coveted Golden Paddle. The Synchrony Emerging Technology Center emerged as the Golden Paddle champion for the second year in a row, marking a shift from Yahoo!‘s 10-year domination of the tournament. Yahoo! came in second and the AGCO Acceleration Center came in third. In the beginner division, Weston Walker (AGCO Acceleration Center) claimed first place, followed by Kush Patel (Synchrony) in second. Yuxuan Chen (PrairieLearn) and Devin Patel (Synchrony) tied for third place. The intermediate category was led by Jakub Slomczynski (Yahoo!), who took home first place. Charlie Liu (Synchrony) earned second, while Abhjit Kannepalli (Synchrony) and Minjae Jang (COUNTRY Financial DigitaLab) shared third place. The advanced bracket saw Asim Chitre (Synchrony) securing the top spot. Venkatarama Sooriyakumar Ramakrishnan (Yahoo!) finished second, and Neelan Coleman (Yahoo!) and Yong-Bin Kim (Champaign Caterpillar Innovation Center) rounded out the podium in a tie for third. “The atmosphere is really phenomenal,” Tommy Miller, a Research and Development Intern at Mondelēz International, said. “Everybody’s clapping, cheering for the people playing, teammates or not. The game’s really fast-paced and I’ve lost the games I’ve played, but I’m having fun.” The tournament also handed out 10 company and individual superlative awards. Mondelēz International won Team Spirit and Yahoo! and COUNTRY Financial won In It for the Long Run. Kush Patel won Biggest Comeback, Yong-Bin Kim and Yuxuan Chen won Best Sportsmanship, Yuxuan Chen and David Lomiashvili (Identomat) won Early Bird, Roy Taylor won Fan Favorite and Dustin Mayfield-Jones (EnterpriseWorks) won Most Entertaining to Watch. “This is a really good event to know other companies in Research Park because I work for Caterpillar, but other than Fire at Five, there are not many interactions that I can have with other companies like Yahoo or Synchrony,” Kim, a Senior Data Specialist at Caterpillar, said. “When I was playing in this event, I had a lot of good conversations with other players. We had so much fun and I had some great moments, I was laughing, smiling.” More photos from the event can be viewed in the Research Park media gallery and on the Research Park Instagram, LinkedIn, and Facebook pages. Learn more about the event on the Research Park Table Tennis Tournament page. To participate in similar events, visit the Research Park calendar.

    Synchrony Emerges as 2025 Research Park Table Tennis Tournament Champion Read Post »

    News Partnerships & Acquisitions Recognition & Awards Research Park

    Capital One and University of Illinois launch ASKS Center

    CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – Capital One and the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign recently announced the launch of the Center for Generative AI Safety, Knowledge Systems and Cybersecurity. A pioneering collaboration between Capital One and the Grainger College of Engineering Siebel School of Computing and Data Science, its mission is to advance the safety, security and trustworthiness of Generative Artificial Intelligence Models across multiple domains, according to a news release from Capital One. The ASKS Center builds on a long legacy of partnership between Capital One and the University of Illinois. Capital One Illinois Digital Campus Lab, the company’s first university-based lab site, opened in 2015 at the University of Illinois Research Park. The Lab focuses on research and experimentation in data science, cybersecurity, artificial intelligence and other topics relevant to the work of the ASKS Center. It has a mix of full-time employees and student interns who work year-round, serving as a talent pipeline for the company.  As a part of this partnership, Capital One has pledged $3 million over five years to support projects from faculty and PhD students researching GAIMs. This support will be determined by input from faculty and a Center Advisory Board composed of representatives from Capital One and the University of Illinois. “We are delighted to strengthen our customer-centered scientific research initiatives by bringing together top talent from our two organizations,” said Prem Natarajan, PhD, EVP, Chief Scientist and Head of Enterprise AI at Capital One. “With the launch of ASKS, we are doubling down on our mission to find solutions to the most challenging problems in AI while providing a platform for the next generation of AI leaders in the U.S. to gain exposure to solving some of the most pressing industry problems through novel advances in science and technology.” Learn more about the Capital One Illinois Digital Campus Lab on the Research Park website.

    Capital One and University of Illinois launch ASKS Center Read Post »

    Community EnterpriseWorks Events Investments Media Mentions News Recognition & Awards

    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.

    Eight Cozad New Venture Challenge Startups Receive Awards from EnterpriseWorks Read Post »

    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.

    Brunswick Site Manager Jeffrey Reifsnyder named to Boating Industry 40 Under 40 Read Post »

    Graduates News Recognition & Awards

    EarthSense wins Startup World Cup: Agriculture and Food Regional competition

    CHAMPAIGN, IL. (March  06, 2025)—A distinguished panel of investors named EarthSense the winner of the inaugural Startup World Cup: Agriculture and Food Regional pitch competition, earning the Champaign-based startup the opportunity to compete for a $1 million investment at the Startup World Cup finale in October.   The regional, held at the 10th Annual AgTech Summit in Champaign, was hosted by the University of Illinois Research Park in partnership with Serra Ventures, gener8tor, and Pegasus Tech Ventures.   “This is a huge endorsement of all the impressive work the EarthSense team has been doing, and the amazing pull we’re seeing for our agricultural sustainability solutions from all parts of the world,” said EarthSense CEO Chinmay Soman, who delivered the winning pitch.   Champaign-based EarthSense, an EnterpriseWorks incubator startup graduate with operations at the University of Illinois Research Park, develops AI-powered farming robots and farming-as-a-service solutions to address labor shortages, rising costs, and climate challenges. It has sales in North America, Southeast Asia, and South America.  The Startup World Cup is a global pitch competition that brings together innovative startups across various industries. EarthSense will travel to the Startup World Cup finale in Silicon Valley, thanks to expenses paid courtesy of Serra Ventures.  This year marks the first time the Startup World Cup has included a regional focused exclusively on agriculture and food technology. Ten startups from seven states—Arizona, California, Indiana, Delaware, Illinois, New York, and Georgia—competed in the event, presenting their startups to a panel of distinguished investors.    Judges included:   Karin O’Connor — Venture Partner at Serra Ventures  Alex Russomagno — Senior Manager at AGCO Ventures  Henry Heitzer — Director at Earth Foundry  Nancy Sullivan — CEO & Managing Director at Illinois Ventures  Derick Jiwan — Innovation & Business Development Manager at WinField United   EarthSense integrates robotics and machine learning to improve agricultural efficiency and sustainability. TerraSentia, an autonomous agricultural robot, enhances field data collection with accurate, cost-effective, and high-speed under-canopy plant trait analysis, providing actionable insights for crop breeders and agronomists. The startup has expanded globally while remaining firmly rooted in the Research Park ecosystem.  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 10th Annual 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 on October 17, 2025, where the top startups from each region will compete for a $1 million investment prize.  For a complete list of regional events, visit: Startup World Cup.  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. 

    EarthSense wins Startup World Cup: Agriculture and Food Regional competition Read Post »

    News Recognition & Awards

    Wolf Creek Farm Awarded 2025 Glen “GB” Brandt Prize for Ag Entrepreneurism

    CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (March 6, 2025) — Wolf Creek Farm was named the recipient of this year’s Glen “GB” Brandt Prize for Ag Entrepreneurism, an award that honors a grower/producer/farmer who exemplifies an entrepreneurial spirit and advances innovation through their business practices. Located in Williamsville, Wolf Creek Farm provides wholesale produce purchase options for farm-to-table retailers, truck farmers, farmers market retailers, distributors, and more. Owner Roger Bock is a University of Illinois alumnus and fifth-generation farmer, tool maker, commercial pilot, and Certified Aerial Applicator. “We use the plant science department [at the University of Illinois] to guide us and answer questions about problems we are having with special crops,” said Bock. “Wolf Creek Farm optimizes lesser growing areas by rotating in edible crops.” The farming operation consists of 1200 acres of corn and soybeans and 15 acres of wholesale vegetables and is also optimized with support from University of Illinois Extension. The Glen “GB” Brandt Prize for Ag Entrepreneurism was established in 2021 in honor of Glen “GB” Brandt, a legendary figure in the field of Illinois agriculture, who passed away in late 2020. The BRANDT Foundation partnered with the University of Illinois to provide the winner with a $10,000 prize. “Mentoring good agriculture practices to youth farm workers is a priority of Wolf Creek Farm,” said Chris Baker, who nominated Wolf Creek Farm for the Brandt Prize. Bock said he plans to use the award’s $10,000 prize to expand the farm’s hoop house space. The award was announced at the 2025 AgTech Innovation Summit, hosted by the University of Illinois Research Park. Previous Glen “GB” Brandt Prize for Ag Entrepreneurism winners include Andrew and Karlie Bowman (2024), Eric Miller (2023), Matt Riggs, (2022), and Will Glazik (2021). 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 charities, organizations, and communities that reside in the same area of the company; geographically and industry-related. About the AgTech Innovation Summit  Produced 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.

    Wolf Creek Farm Awarded 2025 Glen “GB” Brandt Prize for Ag Entrepreneurism Read Post »