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

UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS URBANA-CHAMPAIGN

Research Park

    Research Park

    EnterpriseWorks Events News Research Park

    Capital One, COUNTRY Financial Capture Top Prizes in Research Park Hackathon

    Twelve teams of 69 total student interns competed in the second annual Research Park Hackathon on Wednesday, June 26, 2024. This 15-hour hackathon encouraged students to form cross-functional teams, build solutions, and showcase their projects. Winners for six awards were announced at the “Fire At Five” Happy Hour on Thursday, June 27, 2024. Congratulations to the winners of this year’s Hackathon:  1st Place: Capital One, “Class Connect” 2nd Place: EnterpriseWorks/AbbVie/John Deere, “Wandertunes” 3rd Place: Kohler, “Refugee Haven Search”  Notable Innovation: EnterpriseWorks/AbbVie/John Deere, “Wandertunes” Seamless Integration: Capital One, “Class Connect” Skillful Execution: COUNTRY Financial, “GeoGroove” The winning project, “Class Connect,” is a browser extension that enhances learning by providing questions and answers for students watching lecture videos. “We wanted to create a project that was both applicable and useful to us as college students,” said team member Ishaan Bhandari during Capital One’s presentation on Thursday. Watch Capital One demonstrate “Class Connect” below. This year’s Hackathon prompt was “Bring Your Own Data,” requiring participants to leverage data from the source of their choice to create data-centric projects, including websites, applications, and extensions. “This prompt is accessible to students from all majors and academic backgrounds,” said Hackathon organizer James Kabbes. “I am always impressed with what the students build in such a short amount of time!” Twelve companies participated in the Hackathon: AbbVie, AGCO Corporation, Ameren, Brunswick, Capital One, COUNTRY Financial, FrostDefense Envirotech, John Deere Technology Innovation Center, Kohler, Rivian, SeriesFarm, and State Farm. Individuals from these companies formed twelve teams, six of which were named finalists and presented to a panel of judges on Thursday, June 27. Finalists included Kohler‘s “Refugee Haven Search,” COUNTRY Financial‘s “GeoGroove,” AGCO+Ameren‘s “OccuPi,” Capital One‘s “Class Connect,” Rivian‘s “EV Charger Location Optimization,” and UIRP/EW‘s “Wandertunes.” Thank you to everyone who helped to organize and those who participated in this event, including judges Matt Ahrens (NVIDIA), Bryan Goode (Research Park), Dustin Mayfield-Jones (Research Park), and Jarai Carter (John Deere). A special thanks to John Deere software engineer James Kabbes for creating the event structure and developing the prompt. View photos from the event on this media gallery, or learn more about past and future Research Park Hackathons on this website page.

    Capital One, COUNTRY Financial Capture Top Prizes in Research Park Hackathon Read Post »

    Community EnterpriseWorks Features News Research Park

    Cache Energy Secures $8.5 Million in Seed Funding

    EnterpriseWorks startup Cache Energy has successfully secured a new investment, boosting its early funding to an impressive $8.5 million. Cache specializes in developing long-duration energy storage (LDES) technology utilizing low-cost materials capable of withstanding high temperatures. The recent investment was led by Voyager Ventures, a venture capital firm that “invests in early-stage climate technology companies, creating the foundation of a decarbonized global economy and livable future for all.” The funding supports the development and scaling of Cache’s thermal storage system. “The energy capacity cost is an order of magnitude cheaper than what we have seen anywhere in the market. The next alternative is at least 8-10 X more expensive,” said Arpit Dwivedi, founder and CEO of Cache Energy.Voyage Ventures believes Cache will revolutionize industries like manufacturing and chemicals, which rely on large amounts of heat energy and need affordable storage options. “With strong customer traction already from major utilities and industrial players, we are thrilled to support Arpit Dwivedi and his talented team as they scale this transformative technology to dramatically reduce emissions while saving customers money in these critical sectors,” said Leonardo Banchik of Voyager. Over the past year, Cache has also worked with Halliburton to speed up its scaling and operations. Cache has earned acknowledgment from the Department of Energy and won two awards: the DOE Energy Innovation Prize and a pitch competition at the White House.

    Cache Energy Secures $8.5 Million in Seed Funding Read Post »

    EnterpriseWorks Media Mentions News Recognition & Awards Research Park

    HabiTerre Achieves Third Party Model Validation with Climate Action Reserve

    EnterpriseWorks startup HabiTerre‘s model for quantification of agricultural greenhouse gas sinks and sources was approved by the Climate Action Reserve (CAR) under their Soil Enrichment Protocol (SEP). This model is used as part of HabiTerre‘s advanced system-of-systems modeling approach. It comprehensively models the interplay of energy, water, carbon, and nutrient cycles in aboveground and belowground environments. HabiTerre has adapted and maintained a scalable version of ecosys to support the quantification of greenhouse gas and soil carbon outcomes from agricultural practices. The Climate Action Reserve is the most trusted, efficient and experienced offset registry for global carbon markets. CAR establishes rigorous standards to support and promote climate change solutions that benefit economies, ecosystems and society. “This milestone is just one of many more to come from the team at HabiTerre, where we are fully dedicated to supporting scalable and efficient solutions to drive maximum impact and value to farmers, paving the way for high-quality environmental market opportunities,” said Nick Reinke, CEO of HabiTerre. HabiTerre is a farming financial risk modeling company. The HabiTerre team is dedicated to making the world a better and more habitable place by advancing sustainable agriculture and land stewardship with a holistic systems approach to farm productivity and resource use efficiency. Learn more about CAR and this milestone on the HabiTerre website.

    HabiTerre Achieves Third Party Model Validation with Climate Action Reserve Read Post »

    EnterpriseWorks Features News Research Park

    New Podcast Episode: Digital Identity Verification

    In the June Innovations @ Research Park podcast episode, host Tanmay Shah talked to Identomat CEO Dr. David Lomiashvili about his career journey, experience at EnterpriseWorks, identity verification, and looking ahead. Dr. David Lomiashvili is the CEO of Identomat, which has created an innovative AI-powered KYC and identity verification solution that assesses if the person in front of a camera is real or an impersonator. Before his current venture, Dr. Lomiashvili had an extensive pedigree in entrepreneurship, not to mention a PhD in Astrophysics. “A new project,  a strategically important project, we are gonna be working on … is Digital Identity Wallet. It is a way to enable SSI, self-sovereign identity. It is what we see the next inflection point in the industry is gonna be, unleashing the wallet economy,” Lomiashvili said when talking about the future of Identomat and digital identity verification. The Innovations @ Research Park podcast highlights the thriving entrepreneurial and corporate innovation culture in Champaign. It is hosted by University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign alumnus Tanmay Shah. Subscribe to The Innovations @ Research Park to catch up on the latest innovations and news on Apple Podcasts,  Spotify, or your preferred podcast network. Is there something you want to know about Research Park? Do you have an idea for a guest for the show or a story we should pursue? Do you want to provide other feedback? Contact Laura Bleill (lwbleill@illinois.edu).

    New Podcast Episode: Digital Identity Verification Read Post »

    EnterpriseWorks Investments Media Mentions Recognition & Awards Research Park

    Cache Energy Wins EPIC DC Pitch Competition

    EnterpriseWorks clean energy startup Cache Energy won first place in the Energy Program for Innovative Clusters (EPIC) pitch competition. Founder Arpit Dwivedi presented at the White House for this competition on May 15, 2024, winning $30,000 for the company. The Department of Energy’s (DOE’s) Office of Technology Transitions (OTT) announced $70,000 total of prize money to three clean energy startups and one incubator through the prize collaboration event. Attendees participated in a collaborative discussion, and a Q&A about supporting incubators,  and traveled to Capitol Hill to meet with Congressional representatives and staff. Cache Energy focuses on creating energy storage that is non-toxic, non-flammable, and safe to transport and install anywhere through long-duration electricity storage. This technology can store grid electricity cheaply on a large scale and helps commercial and residential entities move away from fossil fuel. Learn more about the EPIC DC Pitch Competition on the Office of Technology Transitions website.

    Cache Energy Wins EPIC DC Pitch Competition Read Post »

    EnterpriseWorks Features News Research Park

    New Podcast Episode: Perspectives on AI from an NVIDIA Leader

    In the May episode of the Innovations @ Research Park podcast, host Tanmay Shah talked to NVIDIA Accelerated Big Data Platform Engineer Matt Ahrens about his career journey and the future of artificial intelligence (AI). Matt Ahrens oversees performance and tools work for the Accelerated Big Data Platforms group at NVIDIA. He’s a longtime leader in the University of Illinois Research Park community, graduating with a Bachelor’s degree in Mathematics and Computer Science in 2003 and working for Motorola and Yahoo! before transitioning to his current role at NVIDIA. Ahrens is also the co-founder and leader of the Champaign-Urbana Data Science User Group, which meets monthly at UIRP during the academic year. The podcast episode discusses using graphics processing units (GPUs) to accelerate data workflows. “A new frontier where we see accelerated computing really having a future is with big data processing,” Ahrens said, emphasizing how GPUs can make these processes more efficient. The Innovations @ Research Park podcast highlights the thriving entrepreneurial and corporate innovation culture in Champaign. It is hosted by University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign alumnus Tanmay Shah. Subscribe to The Innovations @ Research Park to catch up on the latest innovations and news on Apple Podcasts,  Spotify, or your preferred podcast network. Is there something you want to know about Research Park? Do you have an idea for a guest for the show or a story we should pursue? Do you want to provide other feedback? Contact Laura Bleill (lwbleill@illinois.edu).

    New Podcast Episode: Perspectives on AI from an NVIDIA Leader Read Post »

    Events News Research Park

    Escape Room by Leaps by Bayer Visits the Research Park

    This week, BAYER brought its fun and educational science-themed mobile escape room to Research Park. “Breaking Through Impossible – The Escape Game” is an agriculture-themed game that revolves around rescuing a biotech breakthrough. It is completed by solving puzzles and deciphering clues through collaborating with a team. It was open from April 23 through April 25, 2024, and was free for participants. “Previous stops have been events like SXSW and in cities such as Austin, San Francisco, Berlin, Boston, and New York, so we are thrilled to welcome this unique interactive escape room to Champaign,” said Laura Appenzeller, executive director of the University of Illinois Research Park. “While it’s open to people of all ages, high school and college students are particularly encouraged to participate.” The escape room was located directly outside Bayer’s Innovation Center at1904 S. First Street, next to the I-Hotel and Illinois Conference Center, in a bright blue shipping container. Teams of up to six people experienced the escape room, working together to solve a puzzle that took around 30 minutes to complete Find more information about the escape room on the Leaps by Bayer website or read WCIA News’ event coverage.

    Escape Room by Leaps by Bayer Visits the Research Park Read Post »

    Events News Research Park

    LabWorks Opens, Epivara First Startup to Move into Growth-Stage Life Sciences Suites

    Research Park is now home to a new address for growth-stage life sciences startups. The University marked the opening of LabWorks and its first tenant, a graduate from the EnterpriseWorks incubator, at a celebration and ribbon cutting on Tuesday, April 9. LabWorks offers turn-key wet lab and office suites for growth-stage startup companies in Research Park, enabling startups to establish roots and continue growing in the Champaign-Urbana community. “Things like this help this university stay relevant,” said Kim Kidwell, Associate Chancellor for Strategic Partnerships and Initiatives. Kidwell emphasized LabWorks’ key role in bridging the gap and enabling startups to get on the ground after their time in EnterpriseWorks. In 2021, Research Park was awarded $550,000 funding through the Rebuild Illinois Wet Lab Capital Program (via the State of Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity) to create turn-key lab spaces for growth-stage agriculture and life science companies, and shorter-term leasing to industry partners/collaborators. In addition to the state’s contribution, LabWorks is a partnership between the University of Illinois Research Park and building landlord GRE UIRP LLC. In November 2023, the Champaign City Council approved a $100,000 investment in LabWorks, providing resources to bring the project to completion. “We have done what many communities are trying to duplicate. But the heart is here, with the heart of the state, with the heart of the region, and because of this kind of innovative work, will be the heart of the nation,” said Illinois State Representative Carol Ammons. Epivara is the first company to relocate into LabWorks. Founded by College of Veterinary Medicine Professor Jay Ko, the move to LabWorks signifies Epivara’s growth plans following its graduation from EnterpriseWorks. Wilson acknowledged the milestone of Epivara’s graduation from the EnterpriseWorks incubator into a location that will facilitate additional growth as an important accomplishment for the Champaign-Urbana community. “If we want companies like Epivara to remain in our community, in our region, and in our state, we have to continue to invest in the facilities they need at every stage of their growth, said Gerald O. Wilson, PhD, MBA, director of entrepreneurship. “Representing the culmination of a partnership between the University of Illinois Research Park, Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity, and City of Champaign, LabWorks is a symbol of an understanding that these kinds of investments are an imperative in our economic development efforts at the university, municipality, and state-wide levels.” Learn more about the LabWorks ribbon cutting and Epivara grand opening in a recent News-Gazette article. About Epivara Founded in 2016 by Dr. Jay Ko of the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign College of Veterinary Medicine, Epivara is innovating better ways that pets are spayed and neutered worldwide. Epivara’s mission is to make life better for animals and humans through innovative science and compassionate care. The company has developed EpiFix, a low-cost injection to spay and neuter pets efficiently. Currently, this is the only alternative to spay and neuter surgery that works safely and permanently within seconds. Learn more at epivara.com. About LabWorks LabWorks provides affordable turn-key life science laboratory/office suites for growth-stage life science and agriculture companies in the Research Park. The $1.3 million build out was completed thanks to resources from the Rebuild Illinois Wet Lab Capital Program; the City of Champaign; the University of Illinois Research Park Board of Managers LLC; and landlord GRE UIRP LLC. See more pictures of the LabWorks space on the Research Park website.

    LabWorks Opens, Epivara First Startup to Move into Growth-Stage Life Sciences Suites Read Post »

    EnterpriseWorks Graduates Media Mentions News Recognition & Awards Research Park

    EnterpriseWorks Graduate Prenosis Receives FDA Clearance on Sepsis ImmunoScore

    EnterpriseWorks graduate Prenosis recently announced the approval of its artificial intelligence-powered diagnostic tool for sepsis by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Sepsis occurs when the body has an extreme response to an infection, and it is often deadly. It is notoriously challenging to diagnose, but early detection is key since patients can deteriorate quickly. Prenosis’ diagnostic tool, called Sepsis ImmunoScore, uses 22 different parameters such as temperature, heart rate and cell counts to help clinicians assess a patient’s risk of sepsis. Prenosis was an EnterpriseWorks tenant from 2017 to 2018. Founder Rashid Bashir, Dean of Grainger College of Engineering, developed these technologies with his research group in the Micro and Nanotechnology Laboratory, along with Bobby Reddy. During its time at the Research Park, the Prenosis team earned a second-place prize in the 14th Annual Dale V. Cozad New Venture Competition. Now based in Chicago, Prenosis has been a longtime client of the Illinois FAST Center. Prenosis’ goal is to detect and prevent the majority of diseases before debilitating symptoms present themselves. By integrating biomarkers and clinical data, its diagnostics present real-time critical information, predicts future outcomes for patients, and expedites the delivery of optimal therapy. Prenosis’ approach stands out for its regulatory compliance and focus on safety and efficacy. The company plans to conduct further studies to demonstrate the tool’s accuracy and impact on clinical decision-making, with intentions to market it globally. “FDA authorization of a sepsis diagnostic tool with significant predictive power is a landmark event for people that could ever be at risk of sepsis at some point in their lives,” said Bobby Reddy, Jr, Ph.D. Read more on the CNBC newspage.

    EnterpriseWorks Graduate Prenosis Receives FDA Clearance on Sepsis ImmunoScore Read Post »

    EnterpriseWorks Features News Research Park

    New Podcast Episode: Transforming Central Illinois into a Leading Biomanufacturing Tech Hub

    In a recent episode of the Innovations @ Research Park podcast, host Tanmay Shah talked to IBRL Associate Director of Business Development Beth Conerty about bioprocessing research and how the iFAB Tech Hub is transforming the Central Illinois Economy. Dr. Beth Conerty has been serving as the Regional Innovation Officer at the Illinois Fermentation and Agriculture Biomanufacturing (iFAB) Hub since it was selected as a 2023 Tech Hub Designee by the U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA) in October 2023. Conerty is working to apply her technical background to business by working in technology commercialization with a focus on entrepreneurship. “We are trying to invest in every step- from innovation here at the University of Illinois, and supporting the earliest-stage companies at Research Park and in EnterpriseWorks all the way up to manufacturing partners with ADM and Primient in Decatur,” said Conerty. “What’s really exciting about our lab-to-line approach is that all of those resources are available in a 51-mile radius between the University of Illinois Champaign-Urbana and in those bioprocessing behemoths in Decatur.” The Innovations @ Research Park podcast highlights the thriving entrepreneurial and corporate innovation culture in Champaign. It is hosted by University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign alumnus Tanmay Shah. Subscribe to The Innovations @ Research Park to catch up on the latest innovations and news on Apple Podcasts,  Spotify, or your preferred podcast network. Is there something you want to know about Research Park? Do you have an idea for a guest for the show or a story we should pursue? Do you want to provide other feedback? Contact Laura Bleill (lwbleill@illinois.edu).

    New Podcast Episode: Transforming Central Illinois into a Leading Biomanufacturing Tech Hub Read Post »