Research Park

Champaign, Ill. – Nov. 3, 2017 – COUNTRY Financial is investing in student research with an eye on the technological needs of the future. The insurance and financial services company opened a digital innovation lab in the Research Park at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign this fall. The DigitaLab has been established by the COUNTRY Financial Information Technology Services (ITS) Department to develop and innovate digital projects, with an emphasis on mobile app development. “With a top-five ranked engineering and computer science program, the U of I is a perfect partner as we grow our digital skills and reach out to new talent,” said Kurt Bock, Chief Executive Officer at COUNTRY Financial. The University of Illinois Research Park, which connects private industry with faculty researchers and students, has more than 110 resident companies including leading corporations and deep-tech startups. “COUNTRY Financial’s interests match many strengths of our campus, from agriculture to finance to computing,” said University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign chancellor Robert Jones. “The new DigitaLab will provide even more experiential learning opportunities for our students.” Putting a team in place Full-time site manager Julia Hart was named in September to lead the efforts at the DigitaLab, which has 2,600 square feet of work space. She will supervise 10-12 students who will work in the lab at U of I and act as the liaison to the University and other COUNTRY employees. A bright future Recruitment efforts are underway to find students who will be on the front lines of application development and enhancement. “The DigitaLab will help us explore new ways of working but also provide a growth opportunity for students just beginning their careers.” Brad Hildestad, Executive Vice President and Chief Information Officer at COUNTRY Financial. “It’s an exciting environment to experiment with our digital capabilities understand what we can do and iterate further. We can’t wait to get started.” About COUNTRY Financial®            COUNTRY Financial® (countryfinancial.com) serves about one million households and businesses throughout the United States. It offers a wide range of financial products and services from auto, home, business, farm and life insurance to retirement planning services, investment management and annuities. Find news coverage of this event here and here.  View photographs from the event here.  

August 9, 2017: DuPont, a world-renowned science and engineering company that focuses on agriculture and nutrition, advanced materials, and bio-based industrials, has aquired Granular, a San Francisco agriculture software company that has its regional headquarters at the University of Illinois Research Park. The purpose behind this aquirement is primarily to accelerate the digital agriculture strategy, which will lead to farmers running more profitable businesses. Since being founded in 2014, Granular has made its mark on the agriculture industry as a company that makes it easier for farmers to manage a large farm and use pinpointed data to make calculated and accurate business decisions. In addition, Granular operates AcreValue.com, which is currently the leading digital marketplace for farmland real estate. Sid Gorham, Granular’s co-founder and CEO, will continue as the the leader of Granular, as well as the new leader for Digital Agriculture for DuPont. This will include responsibility for Encirca services, which is DuPont’s agronomic software business. This aquisition will connect growers, analytics, and public and private data, which will enhance Granular and DuPont’s mutual dream of a more digitally connected and sustainable agriculture industry. James C. Collins, DuPont’s Executive Vice President, said “This aquistion is an important component of our commitment to leading and shaping the agtech market.” Delivering more value to growers throughout the world is a vision that has been shared by Granular and DuPont, even before aquistion. “We started Granular to make an big impact on the business of farming” said Sid Gorhman.  “I am confident that as a part of DuPont we will make a bigger impact even faster. Dupont shares our vision for using technology to help farms improve their dollar yield, not just their bushel yield. We are excited to pursue that vision together.” Granular will continue to maintain its office in the Research Park. To read the full press release, click here.

Hailong Ning, Director of Research and Development at Xerion Advanced Battery Corp., was featured on the Wired In column of The News-Gazette. The startup recently graduated in 2017 and has just finished building its second location in Dayton, Ohio. Xerion Advanced Battery Corp. (XABC) develops advanced batteries through a nanostructured electrode architecture, called StructurePoreTM. Hailong explains that “the technology we are working on is top-notch. We work at a much faster pace than big companies and university labs.” Apart from their pilot plant location in Ohio, Hailong states that the company still has a division at Research Park, with the goal to continue close work with the University of Illinois. They will use their space at Research Park to work on new battery designs. Read the full story on The News-Gazette.

Aptimmune Biologics Inc. recently launched the worlds first commercially available mucosal autogenous PRRSV vaccine for swine, administered via nasal spray. The vaccine was made with BARRICADE formulation technology, which offers a revolutionary approach to PRRSV management. Dr. Bob Nordgen, Aptimmune Biologic Consulting Immunologist says, “The intent is to create immunity at the respiratory surface, where the pig is naturally challenged. This vaccine offers a real opportunity to address a significant gap in disease control that still exists years after PRRSV was first identified.”

Graybar and University of Illinois Announce the Opening of the Graybar Innovation Lab at Research Park CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (May 1, 2017) – Graybar and the University of Illinois today announced the grand opening of the Graybar Innovation Lab at Research Park. At this facility, Graybar will collaborate with University of Illinois students and faculty to develop industry-leading digital capabilities that strengthen its position in the supply chain. “Graybar has a long history of innovation, dating back to the original founding of our company,” said Kathleen M. Mazzarella, Graybar Chairman, President and CEO. “We’re proud to continue that tradition here at Research Park. The Graybar Innovation Lab will accelerate our digital transformation by combining leading-edge technology with fresh ideas from the University of Illinois’ students and faculty. I’m excited to see how this collaboration will drive supply chain innovation and raise the bar for our entire industry.” The Graybar Innovation Lab at Research Park also provides a unique opportunity for students to become familiar with Graybar and the wholesale distribution industry, as the innovation lab will provide full- and part-time positions for undergraduate and graduate students. “We’re always looking for bright, energetic individuals to join our company,” said Mazzarella. “This will give students a way to explore potential career paths within wholesale distribution.” “We’re excited to welcome Graybar and its new Innovation Lab. This is a great first step in our relationship with Graybar but also clearly reinforces our commitment to working with industry partners,” said Chancellor Robert J. Jones. “By tapping into the broad diversity of talent here, Graybar will offer University of Illinois students new opportunities that will expand their skills and education in ways that go far beyond the classroom.” The University of Illinois Research Park is home to innovation centers for multinational corporations and publically traded firms including Abbott, ADM, Anheuser-Busch InBev, Caterpillar, Capital One, CME Group, John Deere, State Farm, and Yahoo. About Graybar Graybar, a Fortune 500 corporation and one of the largest employee-owned companies in North America, is a leader in the distribution of high quality electrical, communications and data networking products, and specializes in related supply chain management and logistics services. Through its network of 290 North American distribution facilities, it stocks and sells products from thousands of manufacturers, helping its customers power, network and secure their facilities with speed, intelligence and efficiency. For more information, visit www.graybar.com or call 1-800-GRAYBAR. Read more coverage from The Daily Illini, Smile Politely, and The News-Gazette. View photos from the event here.