Champaign-Urbana AgTech Week
Champaign-Urbana AgTech Week: March 6-10, 2023
Champaign-Urbana has long been a hub for technology as well as agriculture. In the past decade, those two paths have converged, paving the way for the community to become an “epicenter for AgTech.” Learn more about AgTech in Champaign-Urbana at https://www.yourewelcomecu.com/agtech/.
Champaign-Urbana AgTech Week celebrates Champaign-Urbana’s robust AgTech ecosystem, including the University of Illinois Urbana Champaign, Parkland College, corporate innovation partners, startups, state-of-the-art facilities, student organizations, local ag companies, the Illinois AgTech Accelerator, and more.
Champaign-Urbana AgTech Week is presented by the Champaign County Economic Development Corporation, University of Illinois Research Park, and You’re Welcome CU.
SCHEDULE OF EVENTS:
Monday, March 6, 2023
University of Illinois Research Park Tours
(In-Person Event)
@ EnterpriseWorks: 60 Hazelwood Drive, Champaign, IL 61820
Monday, March 6, 2023
2-4 PM
Join University of Illinois Research Park on Monday, March 6 from 2-4 PM for tours of the Research Park. Visit with startup companies in the EnterpriseWorks incubator and corporations throughout the Research Park. Tours will begin at EnterpriseWorks at 60 Hazelwood Drive in Champaign. Contact: lfrerich@illinois.edu.
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Integrated Bioprocessing Research Laboratory (IBRL) Tours
(In-Person Event)
@ IBRL: 1300 W. Pennsylvania Avenue, Urbana, IL 61801
Monday, March 6, 2023
3-3:45 PM & 4-4:45 PM
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/20f0a4da5af28a2fb6-integrated
The Integrated Bioprocessing Research Laboratory (IBRL) was designed to help industry move technologies from the bench scale through pilot scale. With over $15 million worth of equipment, IBRL’s capabilities are broad in the bioprocessing and biomanufacturing space. Over the last four years of operations, IBRL staff has successfully completed over 300 projects with several dozen different companies. Learn more at https://ibrl.aces.illinois.edu/.
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AirScout Open House – (Beer) Flights with Pilots, sponsored by the Village of Savoy
(In-Person Event)
@ Triptych Brewing: 1703 Woodfield Drive, Savoy, IL 61874
Monday, March 6, 2023
5-6:30 PM
Stop by to grab a brew and learn more about AirScout, a local AgTech startup that enables producers to shift from reactive to proactive crop management, solving problems before they appear. AirScout’s patented aerial thermal imagery and AirScripts™ prescription-generating app put tools directly into the hands of farmers and agronomists, allowing them to identify problems before they can be detected with other imagery formats. Their precision ag technology gives farmers advanced warning of developing crop problems and allows for strategic scouting and action within hours. AirScout’s Bob Coverdill will be on hand to share information and answer your questions. Learn more about AirScout at https://airscout.com/. This event is sponsored by the Village of Savoy.
Tuesday, March 7, 2023
2023 AgTech Summit
(In-Person Event)
@ Illinois Conference Center: 1402 S. First Street, Champaign, IL 61820
Tuesday, March 7, 2023
All Day
https://researchpark.illinois.edu/events/agtechsummit/
Join us to explore how technology solutions are addressing some of the most significant challenges facing agriculture today – and learn about what is on the horizon. This interactive conference offers participants the opportunity to learn and share knowledge about the current state of AgTech and look into the future through dynamic panels, inspiring keynote presentations, and networking opportunities. The event is free to attend thanks to the generosity of sponsors.
Wednesday, March 8, 2023
Center for Digital Agriculture Annual Conference
(Hybrid Event, In-Person is Encouraged)
@ National Center for Supercomputing Applications (NCSA): 1205 W. Clark Street, Urbana, IL 61801
Wednesday, March 8, 2023
8 AM – 5 PM
https://digitalag.illinois.edu/center-for-digital-agriculture-conference-2023/
Join the Center for Digital Agriculture for their annual conference that brings together interdisciplinary groups of researchers from the areas of automation, data, animals, crops, and people in agriculture. This year’s conference theme will be “How Can Digital Agriculture Help Moderate Climate Change?” This event will allow local and national AgTech leaders, researchers, and government officials to address this critical question.
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Integrated Bioprocessing Research Laboratory (IBRL) Tours
(In-Person Event)
@ IBRL: 1300 W. Pennsylvania Avenue, Urbana, IL 61801
Wednesday, March 8, 2023
8:15-9 AM
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/20f0a4da5af28a2fb6-integrated
The Integrated Bioprocessing Research Laboratory (IBRL) was designed to help industry move technologies from the bench scale through pilot scale. With over $15 million worth of equipment, IBRL’s capabilities are broad in the bioprocessing and biomanufacturing space. Over the last four years of operations, IBRL staff has successfully completed over 300 projects with several dozen different companies. Learn more at https://ibrl.aces.illinois.edu/.
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CU AgTech Happy Hour, presented by GDM Seeds
(In-Person Event)
@ Riggs Beer Company: 1901 S. High Cross Road, Urbana, IL 61802
Wednesday, March 8, 2023
4:30-6:30 PM
Join us for AgTech Week Happy Hour at Riggs Beer Company! GDM is committed to innovative research and development, which has served as a beacon for its global brand over the past 40 years. They take great pride in investing 25% of their revenue into research and development. That prioritization is why over 41% of soybean acres in the world contain GDM genetics. Join the GDM team at AgTech Happy Hour to mix and mingle with the local AgTech community, and learn more about GDM’s U.S. Research & Development in Illinois, Iowa, Arkansas, and Minnesota. Learn more at https://www.gdmseeds.com/?lang=en. Want to know more about Riggs Beer Company and its innovative beer-making? Listen to Matt Riggs on this episode of the Chambana Proud podcast.
Thursday, March 9, 2023
Parkland College AgTech Showcase
(In-Person Event)
@ Parkland College
Thursday, March 9, 2023
8:45 AM – 2:15 PM
Parkland College is hosting its second annual AgTech Showcase on Thursday, March 9! This year they are hosting 200 students in 2 separate sessions that will allow students to explore seven program areas of Agricultural Technologies while they learn about high-tech equipment, visit laboratories, talk with Ag Tech faculty, and see demonstrations from current Parkland Ag students. Area agriculture and technology employers will engage with the attendees to provide postsecondary and career exploration in agriculture technologies.
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Center for Digital Agriculture Information Session – M.Eng and Certificates in Digital Ag
(Online Event)
@ Zoom
Thursday, March 9, 2023
6 PM
https://forms.illinois.edu/sec/291646246
With an advanced math and computer science focus, our online, non-thesis Master of Engineering (M.Eng) in Digital Agriculture degree is the first interdisciplinary program specializing in digital agriculture. Designed for students and working professionals interested in learning the in-depth technical aspects of digital agriculture in a fully online environment, the M.Eng in Engineering with a concentration in digital agriculture builds on the groundwork laid by other programs which focus more on training and application of the technology making the agricultural system more efficient, resilient and sustainable. The program also offers professional certificates that only require 12 credit hours to complete. For more information on the program, visit https://digitalag.illinois.edu/meng/.
Friday, March 10, 2023
How to Get Involved in the Illinois AgTech Accelerator – A Session for Future Mentors and Advisors
(Online Event)
@ Zoom
Friday, March 10, 2023
10-11 AM
https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZAucuutrj0sHd1LmoKy1ao7n9eSra0qO_J8
Perhaps you are a subject matter expert – it could be growing a startup, HR, payroll and benefits, marketing, legal, ag or industry background – you name it! The Illinois AgTech Accelerator is looking for more individuals who can share their knowledge with early-stage founders to help guide their journey. Mentors are kind enough to lend their time to offer feedback and advice in a safe, casual setting and play a huge role in strengthening the entrepreneurial ecosystem. This session will be led by Jack Marck, managing director of the Illinois AgTech Accelerator. Learn more about the Illinois AgTech Accelerator at https://www.gener8tor.com/investment-accelerators/illinois-agtech.
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Research Park Celebrates Pi Day
(In-Person Event)
@ EnterpriseWorks: 60 Hazelwood Drive, Champaign, IL 61820
Friday, March 10, 2023
12-1 PM
https://calendars.illinois.edu/detail/3462?eventId=33447044
Join us in celebrating Pi Day (early) on Friday, March 10! In 2021, Illinois maintained its leading position in pumpkin acreage, harvesting more than twice as many pumpkin acres as any of the other top States, at 15,900 acres. In 2021, farmers in the top six pumpkin-producing States harvested more than 1 billion pounds of pumpkins combined. Leading in pumpkin acreage harvested and yield, Illinois produced 652 million pounds in 2021, more than the other 5 most productive States combined.
AgTech Community Highlights, March 2022 – March 2023
- Bill & Melinda Gates Agricultural Innovations awarded a grant of $34 million to the Realizing Increased Photosynthetic Efficiency (RIPE) project, an international research effort led by scientists at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign that are engineering crops to be more productive by improving photosynthesis.
- The Illinois AgTech Accelerator, powered by Serra Ventures, supported six companies in the Champaign-Urbana area, facilitated over a dozen commercial engagement discussions with portfolio companies and Champaign-Urbana area businesses and organizations, and its cohort teams now have customers in 30 countries.
- University of Illinois Research Park celebrated four company expansions: the AGCO Acceleration Center, which employs undergraduate and graduate students from a variety of backgrounds and talents to focus on developing new-to-market solutions and advanced technologies; Genective’s Phase 2 expansion increased its lab space by 30 percent to continue its focus on the research, development, and commercialization of transgenic traits, focusing on insect-resistant corn; the new ADM Science and Technology Center quadrupled ADM’s footprint at the University of Illinois Research Park and reflects a significant expansion of its capabilities: a new portfolio of human nutrition research and development, wet chemistry, sensory science, data science, computational fluid dynamics, and customer interface and applications; and the John Deere Technology Innovation Center expanded its physical footprint in July 2022, adding a new soil science lab and continue to expand their operations with both students and full-time team members. John Deere’s full time-team was born in eight countries, has a dozen different undergraduate majors, and 20+ advanced degrees; their student team comprises 15 majors from five different colleges at the University.
- Community partners hosted gener8tor’s 2022 OnRamp Agriculture Conference, welcoming 300+ attendees from around the world, including Mexico, Argentina, Chile, Ireland, and Ukraine. There were 600+ startup track applicants, 165+ meetings between startups and investors, and 25 speakers.
- Kaiyu Guan, co-founder of EnterpriseWorks startup HabiTerre and the Blue Waters associate professor in ecohydrology and remote sensing, was honored as the Illinois Innovation Network’s Innovator of the Year in the Computing & Data category.
- AgTools, a dashboard platform for agribusiness operators, was proclaimed a winner of the Radicle Inclusion Challenge Presented by Nutrien, and received a $250,000 investment.
- Parkland College continues to expand its technical training programs for the ag industry as part of its Midwest Center for Precision Agriculture. This week, Parkland announced a $5 million gift from AGCO Corporation, a global leader in the design, manufacture and distribution of agricultural machinery and precision ag technology, to build a national AGCO training center on its campus to meet demand for future diesel technicians and upskill current technicians within the AGCO dealer network.
- The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced funding for a new collaboration between two institutes and a research center at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign that will create an integrated farm of the future in the U.S. Midwest – I-FARM: Illinois Farming and Regenerative Management. This $3.9 million, three-year project is funded through the USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA), and allows the Illinois-led study to develop an 80-acre agricultural testbed, where commodity crops and livestock are farmed using synergistic and sustainable practices.
2023 CU AgTech Week – Photos & Videos:
How to Get Involved in the Illinois AgTech Accelerator – A Session for Future Mentors and Advisors (Video)
2023 CU AgTech Week – Press:
Champaign-Urbana AgTech Week Returns for Fourth Year
Parkland AgTech Showcase, March 9
AgTech Week back for fourth year
AGCO Announces Agriculture Service Technician AAS Degree Program at Parkland College
Ag company investing $5 million in Parkland training facility
Parkland College announces new facility, program for ag training
2023 UI Research Park AgTech Summit Attracts Global Audience, Speakers
Farmers Risk Awarded 2023 Edwin Moore Family Agriculture Innovation Prize
Eric Miller Awarded 2023 Glen “GB” Brandt Prize for Ag Entrepreneurism