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Monsanto Opens Innovation Center at University of Illinois Research Park

From the press release:

Champaign, Illinois (February 1, 2018) – The University of Illinois today announced that Monsanto (NYSE: MON), a global agriculture company headquartered in St. Louis, and The Climate Corporation, a subsidiary of Monsanto, have opened the Monsanto Innovation Center at the University of Illinois Research Park.

When fully staffed, the Monsanto Innovation Center will employ more than two dozen students who will enhance and augment a robust agricultural innovation portfolio with additional enabling capabilities like IT, data science and engineering. Students will focus on cutting-edge, real-world, social, scientific challenges in areas like advanced analytics, operations research, phenomics, genomics, plant science and precision breeding technologies. The center will employ students who are studying disciplines such as electrical engineering, UX design, mechanical engineering, software engineering and imaging sensor science.

The Center will use digital tools and data to drive agricultural innovations which increase efficiency and reduce the amount of water, land, and energy necessary to meet the world’s food, fuel and fiber needs.

 

13th Annual Innovation Celebration: Save the Date + Nominations Open

We are pleased to announce the 13th Annual Innovation Celebration in recognition of those individuals and organizations that have made significant contributions, taken risks, and provided leadership to ensure the continuing economic success of Champaign County, the ongoing success of the University’s economic development mission, and the growth of entrepreneurial talent and energy in our community.

Thursday, March 29, 2018
5:30 – 8:30 pm

Parkland College – Student Union
2400 West Bradley Avenue
Champaign, IL 61821

#INNCEL

The awards have been established to recognize the various ways in which individuals and organizations have utilized innovation, creativity, and leadership for entrepreneurial endeavors and economic development in the community. Please nominate as many people/organizations as you would like.

Nominations are open to the public and will be accepted through 5 PM on January 24, 2018. Submit your nomination(s) here. 

Nominations will be viewed and judged by a panel of past winners, sponsors and community & university leaders. Finalists will be announced in early February 2018.

Innovation Celebration is hosted by the Champaign County Economic Development Corporation in partnership with the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Parkland College, and community sponsors.

For sponsorship information, please contact Carly McCrory via email or 217-359-6261.

To learn more about the event, view past award winners, watch our videos, and RSVP, visit our event website.

Awards & Descriptions

Innovation Transfer Award-University of Illinois
Recognizes an individual or group from the University of Illinois whose research has resulted in either a discovery or a work with the potential for significant societal impact.

Alexis Wernsing Innovation Award-University of Illinois
Recognizes an individual or team from the University of Illinois that has channeled their experience living with a disability into positive change through the creation of new products, environments, or protocols that enhance quality of life.

Entrepreneurial Excellence: Social Venture Award
Serve as change agents by creating and implementing sustainable solutions to reshape society, benefit humanity, and address social concerns.

Entrepreneurial Excellence: Student Startup Award
Formed by students in the last three years and demonstrates a commitment to continuing success through entrepreneurial talent, creativity and energy.

Entrepreneurial Excellence: New Venture Award
Formed in the last three years, and demonstrates a commitment to continuing success through entrepreneurial talent, creativity and energy.

Entrepreneurial Excellence: Advocacy Award
Actively engage, encourage, coach and mentor entrepreneurs in the community, and provide extensive support to help them achieve success.

Entrepreneurial Excellence: Management Award
Demonstrates expertise in assembling resources, creating an organization, and working to build and implement effective action plans.

Innovation: Economic Development Impact Award
Has made a significant economic development impact in the community and continues to demonstrate their commitment to Champaign County.

Grand Opening: Huawei R&D Champaign

Congrats to Huawei on the opening of their Champaign R&D office! Located in University of Illinois Research Park, the site is the company’s first lab attached to a University in the United States.

In order to create a strategic partnership in higher education, this Huawei site will be used as a nationwide model for the company and will run a software lab at Research Park.

Speakers:

  • Laura Frerichs, Director – University of Illinois Research Park
  • John Wilkin, Provost – University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
  • Jennifer Bernhard, Associate Dean for Research – College of Engineering at University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
  • Ziang Hu, Vice President and Huawei Fellow & Director of Silicon Valley Infrastructure Software Technology Lab – Huawei
  • Rhiannon Clifton, University Program Manager – Huawei Champaign R&D

Watch a video of the ribbon cutting ceremony here. View event photos here & here.

Lodgic Everyday Community: Campfire & Cocktails

We had a great time celebrating the Lodgic Everyday Community on Saturday, October 21st! Opening in summer 2018, Lodgic will be located at 1807 S. Neil Street in Champaign.

A new nonprofit initiative of Moose International, Lodgic is dedicated to creating access to opportunity for working families, facilitating thriving business, and fostering shared community. Locally, proceeds support Lodgic access grants and sponsorships. Nationally, proceeds support kids in crisis through Mooseheart Child City and School and the Tommy Moose First Responder program.

Under one roof, Lodgic Everyday Community will seamlessly blend three services:

– Lodgic workplace — Full-service, hospitality-forward coworking to serve independent workers, small-business owners, and other location-independent professionals, the fastest-growing segment of today’s workforce.
– Flexible, drop-in childcare — Play-based, early childhood learning curriculum with Mooseheart values of empathy, caring, respect, kindness, responsibility, and service embedded within the experience.
– Healthy, delicious, affordable meals — Healthy, fast-casual, convenience-driven cafe with take-home meals and a full-service spitfire kitchen and bar.

To learn more, visit https://lodgic.org/.

View event photos here.

Why did Moose International chose Champaign-Urbana as their first location for Lodgic Everyday Community? Watch this video to learn more.

Grand Opening: Clarkson Soy Products

On Monday, October 23rd, we celebrated the grand opening of Clarkson Soy Products, located at 101 Mercury Drive in Champaign.

Located at Titan Warehouse, this new 30,000 SF facility is the first of its kind in North America. The company processes, distributes, and exports high-quality Certified Organic and non-GMO lecithins for the food, personal care, nutritional, supplement, pet care, animal nutrition, and industrial markets.

Tours of the facility were provided. View event photos here.
 
Want to learn more about Soy Lecithin and why it is used in products? View this article. 
 
The City of Champaign, Champaign County Economic Development Corporation, and Coldwell Banker Commercial Devonshire Realty assisted Clarkson Soy, LLC in finding a suitable site. Clarkson Soy Products, LLC worked with The Atkins Group and other contractors to complete the project. The February 2017 project announcement can be viewed here. 
 
About Clarkson Soy Products:
 
Clarkson Soy Products, LLC was founded in 2002, offering the world’s first certified organic soy lecithin. It used an entirely natural process without any synthetic solvents, offering commercial quantities with excellent quality.
 
During their first 10 years, they focused on growth in the certified organic food ingredient market. In their second decade of business, they continue to expand their ability to meet the needs of our customers by offering a growing list of lecithin products that meet their requirements for quality and food safety. Clarkson Soy Products, LLC is a subsidiary of Clarkson Grain Company, Inc., an employee-owned company. Learn more at http://clarksonsoy.com/.
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