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UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS URBANA-CHAMPAIGN

Research Park

    Research Park

    EnterpriseWorks Graduates Media Mentions News Recognition & Awards Research Park

    Co-founders of Quicket Solutions Recognized as Crain’s 20 In Their Twenties

    The two co-founders of Quicket Solutions, a graduate from the EnterpriseWorks incubator at Research Park, have been recognized as one of Crain’s Chicago Business’s 20 In Their Twenties.  Christiaan Burner graduated from the Gies College of Business and Akshay Singh graduated from The Grainger College of Engineering. The beginnings of their successful data cloud software company began during their tenure in EnterpriseWorks. It has been recognized for its noteworthy accomplishments, innovation, high performance, and the potential to achieve even more in the technological world. Now it is located in downtown Chicago with a team largely consisted of the University of Illinois alumni.  Quicket is cloud-based data software to increase efficiency for handing out tickets, organizing the government data, and document hearings and payments. Through this software, police departments are able to digitize data, reduce ineligibility, and perform duties more efficiently. Transitioning from a paper system to a digital world provides ease and efficiency in the government workloads.  For more information on Quicket Solutions, visit here.

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    Community News Recognition & Awards Research Park

    Local Inventors and Entrepreneurs Innovating for COVID-19

    In addition to companies seeking support from federal loan programs to help sustain their businesses, local entrepreneurs and inventors are creating new products and technologies to help fight COVID-19. Serionix’s novel material filters toxic particles in space. Soon, its creators will know if it protects against the coronavirus in masks. Serionix co-founders Will Zheng and James Langer and their doctoral advisor James Economy from the University of Illinois Department of Materials Science, spent years developing a self-sterilizing material that can filter harmful particles, which is now being applied to face masks. Serionix was a winner of the Cozad New Venture Challenge and graduated from the EnterpriseWorks incubator, the company is now manufacturing its products in Urbana. Read more here. Three Nick Holonyak Jr., Micro and Nanotechnology Lab (HMNTL) faculty members have received NSF Rapid Response Research (RAPID) program grants, all of which aim to shorten the amount of time it takes to process a COVID-19 test. A team led by Rashid Bashir, Dean of the Grainger College of Engineering, has proposed the development of a point-of-care device that uses nasal fluid samples to detect the presence of COVID-19 within 10 minutes. A team led by Prof. Brian Cunningham combines capturing intact COVID-19 viruses with custom-designed DNA nanostructures so they can be immediately counted with a newly-invented type of biosensor imaging.  A team with Prof. Yi Lu (founder of Glucosentient and Andalyze at the Research Park) is working with Lijun Rong from UIC to develop a biosensor that could detect and differentiate infectious SARS-CoV-2 from the SARS-CoV-2 that have been rendered noninfectious by patient’s antibodies or disinfectants. This would allow patients to receive proper treatment in a timely manner, and would allow people who aren’t infected or contagious to be released from quarantine. The SBIR/STTR Technical Assistance program through EnterpriseWorks and the IL University Incubator Network (IUIN) is providing free 1:1 assistance with companies pursuing federal funding opportunities to address COVID-19 opportunities. Examples of federal funding opportunities can be found here, and from G2G.

    Local Inventors and Entrepreneurs Innovating for COVID-19 Read Post »

    Community News Research Park

    Continued Construction in Research Park

    Research Park is expanding as construction continues for the I-Hotel and Conference Center, 1907 S. Fourth St., and the Greenhouse. I-Hotel and Conference Center The I-Hotel and Illinois Conference Center expansion construction continues, and the walls of the expansion space are going up. The opening of the renovated I-Hotel and Conference Center is set to take place in September of 2020. 1907 S. Fourth Street A new multi-tenant building in Research Park is in the works to enhance the technological efforts in the Research Park community. Walls and floors are set, and now only the finishing touches remain. The development of this building will continue throughout Summer 2020 with an expected completion date this fall. Pre-leasing is available now.  The Greenhouse Construction is progressing on the greenhouse, which will support the RIPE research project. Crews completed the groundwork and began framing for the building. Completion of this project is expected in September 2020.

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    EnterpriseWorks News Recognition & Awards Research Park

    EarthSense Receives Phase II SBIR Award from NSF

    EarthSense, a startup located at the EnterpriseWorks incubator, received Phase II SBIR funding from the National Science Foundation. This award will allow the startup to continue work toward large-scale deployment of TerraSentia for agricultural research and product development. “TerraSentia is helping create a stronger foundation for agriculture by enabling faster and lower cost creation of the next generation of crops that are more productive, sustainable, and resilient,” said EarthSense co-founder and CEO Chinmay Soman. Major agriculture companies, such as KWS, have already piloted TerraSentia since 2018. Currently, there is a lack of data that is slowing the development of sustainable agronomic practices. This two-year grant from NSF will allow EarthSense to accelerate final product development and achieve rapid global deployment of the TerraSentia platform. Other recent accomplishments by EarthSense include being selected to participate in John Deere’s 2020 Startup Collaborator program and being featured in the New York Times. EarthSense was founded in 2016 by Chinmay Soman and Girish Chowdhary. The company develops ultracompact autonomous robots that use machine vision and machine learning to collect and convert field data into useful information. TerraSentia, their first robot, is revolutionizing agriculture. Read on about EarthSense’s accomplishments and this Phase II funding by visiting their company website.

    EarthSense Receives Phase II SBIR Award from NSF Read Post »

    Community Investments News Research Park

    Watch the Research Park Grow: Construction on Three Building Projects Continues

    With the exception of essential workers, Research Park companies are primarily working from home. What hasn’t come to a halt: construction. Below is a video of the walls rising at 1907 S. Fourth Street, the newest building in the Research Park. It is scheduled to open for occupancy in August. In addition to work on 1907 S. Fourth Street, the Illinois Conference Center expansion building walls will go up the week of April 13. The Gates Greenhouse — a very specialized build — will arrive from the plant on April 20. We are grateful to Fox/Atkins Development and all of its subcontractors for their commitment to forward progress on these projects.

    Watch the Research Park Grow: Construction on Three Building Projects Continues Read Post »

    Community EnterpriseWorks News Research Park

    Research Park’s Response to COVID-19

    We are making continuous updates to our operations in light of the current information and policies with COVID-19. This is an unprecedented situation, and we are doing our best to be responsive to our clients, employees, and students who are all impacted by this global pandemic. The Champaign Urbana Public Health Department is the best local source for this information. We are following guidance that we are receiving from the University of Illinois and other public health sources. This is changing rapidly, so please be aware that new information is rolling out hour by hour.  The latest information is being posted to the university’s COVID-19 website. On March 11, the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign announced its decision to eliminate in-person classes for the rest of the Spring 2020 semester. Starting March 23, all classes will be delivered online. Governor Pritzker issued a stay-at-home order effective through April 30.  This means that employees, unless those in essential jobs should work remotely. Jobs deemed essential include: Health care workers, grocery store employees, pharmacists, hardware store workers, plumbers, electricians, day care providers, bank tellers and roles that are essential to a business’ operations such as payroll and security. Police, firefighters, paramedics and sanitation workers will not be quarantined. Residents can still go to the grocery stores, put gas in their cars, take walks outside and make pharmacy runs.  While this may have a major impact on the University of Illinois community, we want to make sure that everyone understands what this actually means and how it will impact Research Park operations. (Of course, this information is changing hour by hour; this is what we know TODAY.) University of Illinois is not closing; dorms remain open and while students are encouraged to return home, they are welcome to stay in place. University employees will work remotely other than those in essential jobs defined in the order, such as police, healthcare workers, power plant operators, and housing and dining personnel. EnterpriseWorks and Research Park buildings remain open.  EnterpriseWorks and Research Park staff are working remotely for the remainder of the spring semester. Research Park Response to Covid-19 Following the CDC’s recommendation to cancel or postpone events of 50 or more people, the Research Park is suspending in-person events through the end of April. We will be hosting some workshops online via Zoom; please refer to our calendar for more information. EnterpriseWorks remains open by keycard access 24/7 to all tenants and their employees for the foreseeable future; extra cleaning supplies are available for tenant use. Please be respectful of others and return them when done. Starting Monday, March 23, EnterpriseWorks will be unlocked between 9 am and 2 pm to allow for couriers and USPS deliveries. This may change as we access the situation. EnterpriseWorks and Research Park staff are working remotely for the remainder of the spring semester. We will not not be signing for packages. Please email us with urgent needs; we will do our best to address remotely. Consider your company’s policies on remote work.  Please communicate clearly your company’s remote work policy. If you are a tenant in another Research Park building, please refer to your property manager/landlord regarding any changes in procedures during this time. Consider if your work falls into order’s definition of an essential job. More information on the order can be found here. Here are some suggestions and information as it relates to student interns and other employees in the Research Park. Consider your company’s policies on remote work. Many companies have implemented remote work strategies, however it may not be apparent how that impacts students specifically. Communicate clearly your company’s remote work policy and requirements of in-person attendance. Anticipate that some students may want to pick up MORE hours if they are able, since they will not have to spend time traveling back and forth to classes. MANY students do not plan to leave campus. Most students, especially upperclassmen and graduate students, live in private housing. Some students will be unable to leave the community, as it may not be safe for them to travel home. Given best practices for “social distancing” provided by public health professionals, consider the density of your office and evaluate if you need to limit how many employees should be in the office at one time. Here is some guidance from the World Health Organization on healthy workplaces. https://www.who.int/docs/default-source/coronaviruse/getting-workplace-ready-for-covid-19.pdf Student Mindset Please keep in mind, students may be experiencing a lot of emotions in light of COVID-19. The uncertainty surrounding the rapidly evolving policies may leave students scared, stressed, and saddened. This policy may leave students isolated in their dorms, and some may find solace in coming to the office for work or school. By moving to online classes, some students have expressed feeling robbed of their collegiate experience. This is especially true for graduating students who have seen their “last” of everything cancelled. Considerations for Student Workers Some students may not have the ability to travel home and many have indicated plans to stay in the Champaign-Urbana area. Anticipate that some students may want to pick up MORE hours if they are able, since they will not have to spend time traveling back and forth to classes. It is important to keep in mind that remote work and online learning is a new environment for many students. Consider strategies to best mentor students and direct them while they adapt to the remote work environment. FIND UP-TO-DATE COVID RESPONSE INFORMATION HERE. 

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    Events News Recognition & Awards Research Park

    Yahoo turned 25 this week

    Since 1995, Yahoo has been connecting people to their passions and amplifying what matters most to them. Yahoo pioneered communications with Yahoo Messenger and Yahoo Mail as the internet was booming.  As the company grew, Yahoo became the premier destination for content including News, Sports, and Finance. Now, Yahoo is part of Verizon Media  with over 900 million visitors from across the globe. If you would like to build products which impact millions and change the world, see below for the exciting work Yahoo does in the Research Park. Verizon Media Group’s Data Measurements and Insights team works on one of the biggest online advertising and audience data sets in the world. They are responsible for providing fast, clean, and relevant data for VMG’s advertising businesses as well as key measurements and insights about VMG users. Verizon Media is developing next generation technologies to enrich their advertiser and user experience through complex, scalable data platforms, with ever growing and interesting challenges. The Big Data Platforms team powers the most demanding Big Data applications in the industry on some of the largest Hadoop clusters ever built. Yahoo pioneered this level of scale with Hadoop, and Verizon Media continues to be a leader in this space. The team is made up of several PMCs (Program Management Committee members) and Committers in key Apache open source projects like Hadoop, Storm, and Tez, just to name a few. Leadership keeps Verizon Media at the forefront of these projects, both directionally and technically. If you want to work with Hadoop, Storm, or Spark and get a deep understanding of cloud computing, this is the team for you. Fun Fact: Did you know that Yahoo was the first tech company ever to implement emoticons ? Come see what Verizon Media Group is doing in the Silicon Prairie, in Champaign, Illinois!

    Yahoo turned 25 this week Read Post »

    Events News Research Park

    Genective Opens Global Headquarters at University of Illinois Research Park

    Champaign, Illinois (March 6, 2020) – Genective, a joint venture established between Limagrain and KWS to develop transgenic traits for corn, opened its global headquarters today at the University of Illinois Research Park. “We have been expanding investment and team in the U.S. with the vision of growing Genective into a globally impactful contributor to agriculture through biotechnology,” said Qiaoni Linda Jing, President and CEO of Genective. “Today’s grand opening of our global headquarters is a major milestone.  When it comes to agtech, few ecosystems are more progressive than the one at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. We look forward to being part of and contributing to this vibrant community.” “This university was a foundational force in plant sciences, molecular genetics and genomics for agriculture. Those strengths were really at the core of our expansion into the engineering and technological aspects of ag research that have been so important in these past decades. So, it is exciting to have a major force in those disciplines take up a new residence,” said Robert J. Jones, Chancellor at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Genective’s Champaign facility includes state-of-the-art labs as well as open office space. Its field research facility will remain in Weldon, Ill., about 30 minutes away. About Genective Genective is a 50/50 joint venture between Limagrain and KWS, two of the world’s largest seed companies. With entities and activities in North America, South America, Europe, and Asia, Genective is currently dedicated to the research, development, and commercialization of transgenic traits.  For more information, visit the Genective website.

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    Events Features News Recognition & Awards Research Park

    AgTech Innovation Summit a Success Once Again

    The AgTech Innovation Summit was a success again this year. The 2020 AgTech Summit brought together the brightest minds in agtech for the fifth year. This year’s event included remarks from industry thought leaders including Bayer’s Senior Vice President of Open Innovation and Strategic Partnerships Allen Christian who said, “The future of agricultural innovation lies in the hands of the next generation of talented students. The AgTech Summit is a great example of how bringing people from across scientific disciplines together can help shape a more sustainable future for one of the world’s most important industries. At Bayer, we are proud to partner with the University of Illinois through our Innovation Center in the Research Park and as a sponsor the AgTech Summit.” The 2020 panels included discussions on investment, collaboration, and digital disruption in the agtech industry, including a discussion from growers and producers at the front lines of farming in a digital age. In addition to the unique mix of panel discussions, startup companies gave brief presentations on their technology, their company, and their plans for the future. The day concluded with the AgTech Showcase and Networking Event, a first for the Summit. The showcase not only allowed agtech companies to show off their technology, but it also provided the opportunity for the community to connect with Research Park companies, discover innovative technologies and network with industry leaders. The AgTech Summit is a collaboration between the University of Illinois Research Park, the University of Illinois, College of ACES, and the Office of Corporate Relations. Thank you to the generous sponsors who make this year’s event possible:  Bayer and The Climate Corporation, John Deere, Kin + Carta, Google Cloud, Corteva, COUNTRY Financial, AGCO, Land O’Lakes, and the Illinois Center for Digital Agriculture. 2020 Agenda Wednesday March 4, 2020 7:30 AM: REGISTRATION AND CONTINENTAL BREAKFAST 8:00 AM: WELCOME AND OPENING REMARKS Laura Frerichs | Executive Director, University of Illinois Research Park Chancellor Robert Jones | Chancellor, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign 8:10 AM: PLATINUM SPONSOR REMARKS Sam Eathington | Chief Science Officer, The Climate Corporation 8:25 AM: MORNING KEYNOTE ADDRESS Keith Narr | Vice President, Digital Labs and Data, Cargill 9:15 AM: COMPANY PRESENTATION Chinmay Soman | Co-Founder & CEO, EarthSense 9:30 AM: INVESTMENT IN AGTECH: A MATURING INDUSTRY? Moderator: Harlee Sorkin | Managing Director, Common Place Holdings Dennis Beard | Managing Partner, Serra Ventures Nancy Sullivan | CEO & Managing Partner, Illinois Ventures Dean Didato | Partner, Innova Memphis Abby Taubner | Partner, Gener8tor 10:20 AM: BREAK 10:35 AM: COMPANY PRESENTATION Rex Hess | Director of Science, Epivara 10:50 AM: COMPANY PRESENTATION Gabriel Burks | Senior Polymer Scientist, FrostDefense Envirotech 11:05 AM: DIGITAL DISRUPTION IN AGRICULTURE: MODERNIZING THE VALUE CHAIN Moderator: Vikram Adve | Co-Director, Center for Digital Agriculture Mark Moran | Director, John Deere Technology Innovation Center John Rahiya | Senior Manager, Business Development Global Fuse at AGCO Scott Hermes | Senior Director of Solution Delivery, Kin + Carta 12:00 PM: LUNCH 12:20 PM: AFTERNOON KICKOFF 12:35 PM: MOORE INNOVATION PRIZE 12:40 PM:  COMPANY PRESENTATION Kaiyu Guan | Chair, Aspiring Universe 12:55 PM: AFTERNOON FIRESIDE CHAT Moderator:  Laura Frerichs | Executive Director, University of Illinois Research Park Teddy Bekele | Chief Technology Officer, Land O’Lakes 1:30 PM: BREAK 1:45 PM: GROWERS AND PRODUCERS: PREPARING FOR THE NEXT GENERATION Moderator: Holly Spangler | Editor, Prairie Farmer Michael Ganschow | Farmer & Co-Owner, Ganschow Farms Jake Nims | Agricultural Engineer, Frank & West Environmental Engineers Leslie Cooperband | President & Co-owner, Prairie Fruits Farms & Creamery Jason Lakey | Farmer, Lakey Farms Brian Corkill | Owner, B.A. Farms Michael Haag | Past President, Illinois Pork Producers Association 2:45 PM: COMPANY PRESENTATION Daphne Preuss | Co-founder & President, BlooMD Shawn Carlson | Senior Scientist, BlooMD 3:00 PM: CORPORATIONS AND COLLABORATION: INDUSTRY LEADERS ON THE STATE OF AGRICULTURE Moderator: Dean Kim Kidwell |  Dean, University of Illinois College of ACES Allen Christian | Senior Vice President, Open Innovation and Strategic Partnerships, Bayer Crop Science Neal Gutterson | Chief Technology Officer, Corteva Agriscience Paul Bloom | Vice President of Process & Chemical Research, ADM Aaron Schacht | Vice President of Innovation Regulatory & Business Development, Elanco Animal Health 3:55 PM: CLOSING REMARKS 4:00 PM: AGTECH SHOWCASE AND NETWORKING EVENT

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    EnterpriseWorks Events News Recognition & Awards Research Park

    Aspiring Universe Corporation Awarded 2020 Edwin Moore Family Agriculture Innovation Prize

    Champaign, Illinois (March 5, 2020) – Aspiring Universe Corporation, a company that provides in-depth intelligence and cost-effective assessments of farmland, is the recipient of the 2020 Edwin Moore Family Agriculture Innovation Prize. The award, generously funded by University of Illinois alumni and their families, rewards University of Illinois entrepreneurs focusing on agricultural innovations. Ed Moore and Penny DeYoung, members of the Moore family, presented the award to Aspiring Universe Corporation founder Kaiyu Guan during the Agriculture Technology Innovation Summit on March 4 in Champaign. Aspiring Universe’s technology takes a modern approach to risk management integrating artificial intelligence, remote sensing, and financial risk models to create customized risk modeling assessments for farm-related businesses. The company occupies an office at EnterpriseWorks, the technology incubator in the Research Park. Guan is a Blue Waters Assistant Professor in ecohydrology and remote sensing in the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. The Edwin Moore Agriculture Innovation Fund was established in 2016 with a generous gift to EnterpriseWorks, the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign’s technology incubator. Its goal is to encourage startup companies engaged in development of new innovative technologies that may lead to increased productivity and/or efficiency in farming, or to create new agricultural opportunities, including new processes, new crops, and new food production systems. Previous winners include, TellTail (2019), EarthSense (2018) and Soil Diagnostics (2017). In addition to the prize given at the AgTech Innovation Summit, a second Edwin Moore Agriculture Innovation Fund award is at stake as part of the Cozad New Venture Competition, the university’s signature competition for student startups. It will be awarded in April. About the Edwin Moore Family Agriculture Innovation Prize The award honors the legacy of Edwin E. Moore (1924), who graduated from the University of Illinois College of Agriculture and began farming in Will County. Throughout his agricultural career, he and wife, Iva, used innovative farming practices for both crop production and livestock management. Two of their four children became farmers, Edwin and Thomas (1953, College of Agriculture), and continued use of innovative farm practices. Subsequent generations of Edwin Moore’s family have continued to pursue farming and ag related careers capturing the same innovative spirit. About the Research Park at the University of Illinois The Research Park at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign is a technology hub for startup companies and corporate research and development operations. Within the Research Park there are 120 companies employing students and full-time technology professionals. More information at researchpark.illinois.edu.

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