Success Stories
UIUC Gaming and eSports Ecosystem is Ready to Engage with Companies
The Video Gaming and eSports Industries are taking off and the University of Illinois is eager to help you get involved in a variety of ways on our campus. Learn more about what we have to offer.
Illinois Labs and Facilities accelerate research and professional development for Industry
Learn more about our Integrated Bioprocessing Research Laboratory (IBRL), a UIUC facility that serves as a backbone for its partners, advanced knowledge, and learning in the industry.
Dow and UIUC Partnership Wins Awards
We are proud to celebrate that one of our corporate partnerships has recently won an award: the esteemed Industry Project Award from the Institution of Chemical Engineers (IChemE). The selection committee deemed the collaboration between UIUC and Dow, Inc. to be an excellent example of industry-academia synergy in solving energy problems through fundamental engineering principles.
UIUC and Chicago ARC Partner to Tackle Healthcare Inequity
In UIUC’s healthcare-centered partnership with Chicago ARC, the university aims to provide solutions in another critical area within the industry: equitable healthcare.
Tech giants invest in UIUC's Speech Accessibility Project
U of I will join tech giant companies: Amazon, Apple, Google, Meta, and Microsoft along with other non-profit partners for a new Speech Accessibility Project.
Illinois Collaboration with John Deere and Microsoft Receives $20m White House Grant to revolutionize digital Ag
The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign’s Center for Digital Agriculture was selected to receive a $20 million award from the National Artific
U of I Unveils New Masters in Digital Ag for Professionals
U of I is now offering a new Master's Degree in Engineering with a concentration in digital agriculture to create a skilled and competitive agricultural workforce.
Illinois and Mayo Clinic awarded $20m Grant for Cancer Research
The Cancer Center at Illinois has partnered with Mayo Clinic to research the issue of misdiagnosis in breast cancer, and has been awarded a DoD grant of $20m.
U of I Lauded as Top Entrepreneurship School by Forbes
In a recent Forbes article, titled "Why the University of Illinois is a Top College for Entrepreneurs," U of I ranks as one of the topmost schools for students interested in entrepreneurship.
Its historical legacy of creating the world's greatest innovators and current corporate partnerships is one of the reasons the University consistently ranks high.
Illinois ranked as First-Gen Forward Institute in 2022-23 Cohort
Illinois is one of 53 institutions for the 2022-23 academic year which have been designated as a First-gen Forward Institution by the Center for First-generation Student Success, a partner initiative between NASPA (Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education) and The Suder Foundation.
Amazon Ads Partners with The Branding Hub to Engage Students with New Certifications and Courses
Over Fall 2021, the Charles H. Sandage Department of Advertising partnered with industry professionals at Amazon Ads Education Alliance and Global Overview to provide students with experiential learning opportunities in advertising and brand strategy. The class, titled ADV 392, offered students access to executives such as brand strategists, advertising managers, campaign managers, etc. to formulate pitches for real clients.
State Farm Celebrates 100th Year Anniversary
The University of Illinois wishes State Farm a happy 100th anniversary! Through investment in our students, participation in interdisciplinary research, and being one of the largest employers on campus, State Farm Companies Foundation® made a significant impact on our campus. The combined power of our organizations is consistently pushing the limits of innovation in the digital insurance industry, supporting youth from diverse backgrounds in Illinois, and addressing climate change threats.
Illinois Ignite Registration Opens
Illinois Ignite, a showcase of startup technologies and companies from prominent Illinois research universities, will take place at the Big10 Conference Center on September 22, 2022. Register now for free!
2022 Illinois Proof of Concept Program Awardees Announced
The Office of Tech Management (OTM) received more than 40 strong proposals from across campus during the selection process. The University's entrepreneurial ecosystem reviewed proposals, and then finalists presented their proposals to a committee of industry experts, entrepreneurs, and venture capitalists. The awardees represent the breadth of campus innovation. Seven colleges and units are affiliated with the projects; three of them deal with healthcare, while three deal with physical sciences.
Invest in Branding Opportunities with the Fighting Illini
In the 50 years since the women's sports movement emerged, female athletes have flourished not only on the playing fields but also in the business world and other areas. Celebrate the golden anniversary of the Title IX Amendment by reflecting on a historical overview of women's athletics at Illinois, and by partnering with the OCR to leverage our sports teams to increase your company brand.
A Huge Success for UIUC's First Ever UX Day
“What an amazing first-ever UIUC UX Day at SCD,” said Rachel Switzky, SCD Director. “We thought students would be excited to get some in-depth, insider perspective on careers in UX from our panelists and guests, and we believed our guests would enjoy meeting and networking with such an impressive array of student talent. We were right! It was a fantastic day.”
First-of-Its-Kind AI in Medicine Certification Program Launched at Illinois
The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign is a leader in artificial intelligence research and a well-known educator. To provide exceptional course quality and empower medical professionals, the AI in Medicine certificate program was created through an interdisciplinary collaboration between The Grainger College of Engineering's Department of Bioengineering, the Carle Illinois College of Medicine, and the University of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine.
Reconstruct Revolutionizes Construction Sector with Computer Vision and AI
Reconstruct is bringing computer vision and AI to buildings, infrastructure, and retail stores all across the world, thanks to concepts and technologies pioneered by The Grainger College of Engineering. Reconstruct announced $17.3 million in Series B venture funding in July 2021. The company, which develops artificial intelligence and digital twin-based software for the construction and real-estate industries, is now working on over 1,000 projects.
IBRL Short Course on Fermentation Offered to Industry Practitioners
IBRL’s unique business model of connecting companies with academia and education makes us the perfect host for courses geared toward industry representatives. There is so much knowledge in IBRL and the University of Illinois faculty, and we are helping find new and innovative ways to transfer that knowledge and help more companies grow successfully,” says Vijay Singh, executive director of IBRL and distinguished professor of bioprocessing.
Champaign-Urbana, AgTech Innovation Hub, to host OnRamp Agriculture Conference
Thanks to the efforts of a coalition of Central Illinois organizations, one of the nation's premier AgTech startup conferences is coming to Champaign. Gene8tor will host the third annual OnRamp Agriculture Conference on Tuesday, July 26, at the State Farm Center. OnRamp Agriculture Conference brings together the world's top corporations, investors, and startups in the agriculture and food industries.
AGCO Expands Its Research Park Acceleration Center
AGCO Corporation, a global leader and manufacturer of agriculture equipment and technology, announced the completed expansion of its AGCO Acceleration Center located at the Research Park. AGCO Corporation Research Park facility opened its doors students in August 2017 and has since employed more than 300 interns. The expansion has resulted in 80 intern workstations and a cutting-edge Maker Lab for prototyping and collaboration.
ADMI Celebrates 10 Year Anniversary
The year 2021 marks the 10-year anniversary of the ADM Institute for the Prevention of Postharvest Loss (ADMI). In honor of this milestone, a 10-year retrospective of ADMI's work in building postharvest loss capacity, scaling innovation, and supporting research has been released.
Illinois Boasts High Postgraduate Success Rates
“Our most recent Illini Success report once again shows what we at Illinois have known for a very long time,” Chancellor Robert J. Jones said. “A degree from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign is one of the best decisions and best investments a student can make for their education, their career, and their life. We are thrilled to see that they are succeeding at such high rates.”
AXIS and Gies Business Partner to Boost Talent in the Insurance Industry
The Gies College of Business and internationally renowned specialty insurer and reinsurer, AXIS Captial Holding Limited ("AXIS Capital") are extending their partnership agreement. In support of this relationship, AXIS plans to contribute $1 million over four years to build student programs aimed at building talent in the insurance sector.
FOCUS Program Launched in Fall 2021
The FOCUS (Fostering Opportunity, Community, and Unwavering Support for Underrepresented First-Generation Students) scholars program launched in the Fall 2021 semester. The first cohort of 15 talented undergraduate students were granted a $2,500 scholarship to mitigate the financial burden of participation over two semesters. This was made possible by the generous funding and support of our corporate sponsors American Family Insurance and Synchrony Financial.
American Family Insurance is partnering with the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign to fund diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) efforts on campus.
Through its partnership with the University of Illinois, American Family is making investments in the following campus diversity and inclusion programs: The Diversity Partners FOCUS (Fostering Opportunity, Community, and Unwavering Support), Illinois Reboot, and the IBC (Illinois Business Consulting).
Champaign-Urbana’s Economic Development Efforts Should Target Three Clusters – AgTech, MedTech and Manufacturing
“Those of us who call Champaign-Urbana home know what a vibrant community we live in,” said Susan Martinis, Vice Chancellor for Research and Innovation at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. “As we deliberately plan for economic recovery and a post-pandemic future, this visionary report reflects a strong collaboration between the University and the broader community. Identifying AgTech, MedTech, and Manufacturing clusters brings together our respective strengths in innovation and positions us for exciting new opportunities.”
University of Illinois Research Park and American Family Insurance launch Illinois Reboot
Illinois Reboot is a free, live virtual course created and presented by the University of Illinois Research Park and powered with sponsorship support by American Family Insurance. It will provide participants with a foundation in data science literacy, along with coaching and mentoring from local tech professionals.
Gies Disruption Lab Launches with E&Y as Founding Partner
Global challenges are changing business and society in unpredictable ways and with accelerating speed. Clearly, it’s no longer business as usual, and the future depends on leaders who have the skills, agility, and creativity to anticipate disruptive events and forge new paths. The Disruption Lab is here to cultivate those leaders. With the support of founding partner Ernst & Young LLP (EY US), we present students with a transformational opportunity to think differently and challenge the status quo.
IBM and the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Plan to Launch New Discovery Accelerator
This planned collaboration will be centered in the creation of the new IBM-Illinois Discovery Accelerator Institute, housed within The Grainger College of Engineering at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (UIUC). It will be funded by a ten-year planned research investment from IBM and UIUC, complemented by a major new building project which will house research activities in quantum information, high-performance computing, hybrid cloud and networked environments with support from the State of Illinois, bringing total investments to more than $200 million.
Verizon Accelerates 5G Research and Development with 5G Innovation Hub at University of Illinois Research Park
Verizon Business continues to accelerate the development of real-world 5G use cases with the rollout of its latest 5G Innovation Hub at the University of Illinois Research Park. Students, startups and large corporations will now be able to develop and test 5G-enabled solutions at the Research Park’s headquarters.
bp Spark at Research Park at University of Illinois Urbana Champaign - Sparking New Ideas
Students in the program work closely with bp experts to develop proof-of-concept prototypes for digital solutions ranging from big data and machine learning to cloud computing. Projects cover multiple disciplines, including basic market and technology research, data analytics and visualization, user-interface analysis and software development.
Illinois rapid saliva test for COVID-19
The testing protocol developed by the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign directly detects the coronavirus that causes COVID-19 in saliva samples.
Motorola Solutions Opens Innovation Center at University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Motorola Solutions opened its first college campus innovation center at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Research Park.
Synchrony’s partnership with the Datathon at Illinois - Creative ways it engages talent
Synchrony has been a lead sponsor for the event and an active host since the event’s inception, engaging with the statistics department and its very active student organization.
“You have to go to where the talent is,” said Carol Juel, executive vice president and chief information officer at Synchrony Financial, in the Wall Street Journal’s article, “Companies Get Creative in Hunt for AI Talent”.
The partnership came about thanks to Synchrony’s highly engaged Research Park innovation center, where the company has hired dozens of students.
John Deere donates combine to support career-focused student experiences
John Deere often works with seniors on capstone design projects and offers internships for students to experience what working at John Deere would involve.
Genective Opens Global Headquarters at University of Illinois Research Park
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.
How is ExxonMobil using supercomputers?
For over 30 years, NCSA Industry has helped innovative organizations overcome their biggest obstacles. Today, we partner with ExxonMobil to tackle big questions and provide meaningful results in fields ranging from artificial intelligence to genome mapping to autonomous transportation—all supported by our eight-time HPCWire Award-winning team of experts and delivered on advanced computing resources.
ADM invests $2.5 M towards Illinois Feed Technology Center
The Archer Daniels Midland Company today announced a $2.5-million gift to assist with funding construction of the Feed Technology Center, a key asset that will advance educational and research opportunities within the College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences at the University of Illinois, and will advance animal agriculture and companion animal nutrition across the globe.
EnterpriseWorks Verizon 5G Innovation Hub
Ed Tech Magazine’s Summer 2021 edition features a two-page spread telling the story of the Verizon 5G Innovation Hub at Research Park.
The article details how the hub because the first of its kind on a college campus, and discusses the advantages of the hub for both the private sector and university researchers.
Illinois RapidVent
Working prototype of an emergency ventilator for COVID-19 patients. Belkin has announced plans to produce FlexVent, based on the Illinois RapidVent design.
Gies College of Business Executive Education
Leading-edge programs delivered online, in-person, or customized for your organization.
Our commitment to developing and providing transformative educational experiences does not stop with a degree. The changing world of business requires leaders who continually evolve to meet new challenges. Professional and Executive Education at Gies College of Business provides continuing education that empowers senior executives, managers, and all lifelong learners to achieve their potential.
Professionals credit robust online master’s work with ag career successes
The Department of Crop Sciences at Illinois has offered master’s degrees since the university’s earliest days. But, recognizing the unique needs of professionals wishing to advance their careers, it wasn’t until the mid-1980s that the department started offering its first distance-learning option. Back then, the program primarily targeted professionals in traditional agricultural careers: seed salespeople, crop advisors, and the like. But agriculture has made some seismic shifts in the past 40 years.
Synchrony Diversity Pilot Program Engages Minority and First-Generation Students
Synchrony has invested in a Diversity Pilot program in an effort to engage more directly with our minority and first-generation students and to improve their recruiting efforts for a more diverse talent pipeline.
Partners for more than 35 years: State Farm and University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
State Farm is a large group of insurance and financial services companies through the U.S. and for more than 35 years, they have invested in academic programming, student assistance, and campus branding at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. They generously sponsor many programs through scholarships and gifts such as Masters in Statistics - MAGNet Internships, Actuarial Sciences, Office of Risk Management and Insurance Research, and many more.
Grainger Engineering Professional Programs Offer Advanced Training Opportunities
The Grainger College of Engineering’s Professional Programs are now offering short courses and custom programs, in addition to our professional master’s programs, designed to develop competence across any level of an organization. Through engagement with leaders in engineering research and education, professionals receive advanced training and practical experience with state-of-the-art tools and techniques.
Discover Partners Institute Connects Industry and Research
The Discover Partners Institute is an interdisciplinary public-private research institute that is led by the University of Illinois system. DPI will host hundreds of world-class faculty, staff, and entrepreneurs, students, and companies, venture capital firms, state and community organizations who will live and work side-by-side in a beautiful, 62-acre site on the Chicago River in Chicago.