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iFAB awarded $51 million EDA Tech Hubs grant to propel Central Illinois as a biomanufacturing leader

July 2, 2024

The Illinois Fermentation and Agriculture Biomanufacturing (iFAB) Tech Hub has been awarded approximately $51 million from the Tech Hubs Program through the Department of Commerce’s Economic Development Administration. The iFAB consortium, led by the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, will receive a Phase 2 Implementation grant to position Central Illinois as a global leader in biomanufacturing and precision fermentation, supporting national security, economic growth, and job generation.

“Securing this grant is a testament to the hard work and collaboration of our partners and the strategic importance of leveraging biology as a manufacturing technology of the future — we are thrilled to lead this charge in making Central Illinois the heart of biomanufacturing in the U.S. and beyond,” said Beth Conerty, iFAB regional innovation officer and associate director of business development at the Integrated Bioprocessing Research Laboratory, part of the College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences at U. of I.

Authorized by the bipartisan CHIPS and Science Act of 2022, the EDA designated 31 Regional Innovation and Technology Hubs that qualified for a Phase 2 Implementation grant last October. Today the EDA unveiled that iFAB is one of 12 Tech Hub Designees selected for implementation funding.

“The Tech Hubs designation and Phase 2 funding is just the beginning — we are poised for continued growth and investment, with a strong focus on expanding our workforce, enhancing entrepreneurship, and further developing our technological capabilities,” said iFAB leader Carly McCrory-McKay, executive director of the Champaign County Economic Development Corporation. “The commitment and collaboration of our partners — from higher education and government agencies to industry leaders and startups — has been instrumental in reaching this point. Their expertise, resources, and innovative spirit are key to our strategy as we drive forward these pivotal initiatives. iFAB’s future is bright, and together, we are setting new standards for what can be achieved in biomanufacturing right here in Central Illinois.”

The EDA Phase 2 grant will fill gaps to support the wide spectrum of biomanufacturing businesses that are developing precision fermentation innovations to create zero-emission, high-value products from agricultural commodities. By harnessing microbes to transform local feedstocks — mainly corn and soybeans — into a variety of goods such as textiles, biofuels, food ingredients, and more, these efforts could revolutionize domestic manufacturing. The precision fermentation industry is projected to reach $200 billion by 2040, with the potential to generate one million jobs by 2030.

This funding announcement follows strategic discussions in Washington, D.C., where the importance of biomanufacturing for national security was emphasized, as well as Central Illinois’ unique capabilities to position itself as the epicenter for biomanufacturing in the U.S.

“Central Illinois is uniquely positioned to lead the way in biomanufacturing, leveraging an ecosystem of industry leaders, innovative startups, world-class R&D, scalable infrastructure, abundant feedstock production, and robust transportation networks,” said iFAB leader Nicole Bateman, president of the Economic Development Corporation of Decatur & Macon County. “This landmark investment in iFAB’s vision and infrastructure will allow the U.S. to rival Europe and China, who have been investing heavily in this space.”

Ultimately, the Phase II Implementation grant will strengthen iFAB’s ability to attract and support companies that join the growing biomanufacturing ecosystem in Champaign, Piatt, and Macon counties.

Bioprocessing expansion: The EDA grant will help realize a $40 million expansion of IBRL, which will include a 1500-liter fermenter capacity upgrade.

Production line expansion: Primient and Synonym will receive funding to achieve a fermentation capacity of 13,000 liters; ADM will use Phase 2 funding to upgrade their precision fermentation facility to 80,000 liters. This significant investment solidifies Decatur’s role as a key player in Central Illinois’ expanding biomanufacturing corridor.

iFAB Tech Hub Management: The EDA grant will support the iFAB Tech Hub’s management, formalizing leadership roles for Conerty, McCrory-McKay, and Bateman as well as Laura Appenzeller, U. of I. assistant vice chancellor for innovation and Research Park executive director, and Kim Kidwell, U. of I. associate chancellor for strategic partnerships and initiatives. Brian Jacobson, IBRL’s associate director of strategic operations, will serve as the program manager for infrastructure development. iFAB will hire additional staff to support these efforts.

iFAB is supported by the coalition Innovate Illinois, a strategic initiative led by Governor J.B. Pritzker and co-chaired by U. of I. Chancellor Robert J. Jones.

“Today’s EDA grant not only acknowledges but actively fuels our mission to establish Central Illinois as a pivotal biomanufacturing player on the global stage. With these new resources, we are equipped to accelerate our initiatives, ensuring that our region not only meets but sets the gold standard for biomanufacturing innovation,” Jones said. “This partnership exemplifies how the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign can leverage its expertise and resources to fuel progress and prosperity right in our backyard.”

About iFAB
The Illinois Fermentation and Agriculture Biomanufacturing (iFAB) Tech Hub is poised to become the global leader in precision fermentation and biomanufacturing — an industry expected to grow to $200 billion over the next 15 years. Leveraging biology as a manufacturing technology of the future, iFAB is uniquely uniting world-class R&D, industry leaders, innovative startups, scalable infrastructure, abundant feedstock production, unparalleled transportation networks, and strong relationships with corn and soybean suppliers within a 51-mile radius. This unique lab-to-line approach establishes the iFAB region (Champaign, Piatt, and Macon counties) as the preeminent destination for the biomanufacturing industry.

Champaign-Urbana AgTech Week Returns for Fifth Year

For Immediate Release
March 4, 2024

Contacts:
Carly McCrory-McKay, Executive Director
Champaign County EDC
carly@champaigncountyedc.org
217-649-2586

Laura Bleill, Director, External Engagement
University of Illinois Research Park
lwbleill@Illinois.edu
217-417-6671

Champaign-Urbana AgTech Week Returns for Fifth Year

CHAMPAIGN, IL – The annual Champaign-Urbana AgTech Week, presented by Champaign County Economic Development Corporation, University of Illinois Research Park, and Make It Champaign-Urbana, returns for its fifth celebration March 4-8. The weeklong celebration recognizes 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, iFAB Tech Hub, and more.

“It’s been another incredible year of accomplishments and growth, and we’re excited to celebrate those milestones this week,” said Carly McCrory-McKay, Executive Director at Champaign County Economic Development Corporation. “From the iFAB Tech Hub designation to the groundbreaking of new facilities, we’re excited to showcase why our community is the “epicenter” of AgTech.”

Participating AgTech Week organizations include Champaign County Economic Development Corporation, University of Illinois Research Park, GDM Seeds, Parkland College, and the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign’s College of ACES, Integrated Bioprocessing Research Laboratory (IBRL), Center for Digital Agriculture, and Office of Corporate Relations.

“Although AgTech innovation knows no season here in Champaign-Urbana, we are thrilled to present our version of March Madness,” said Laura Bleill, Director of External Engagement at the University of Illinois Research Park and chair of the AgTech Summit planning committee. “Our goal is to make AgTech more accessible, as we see more growth and traction in this sector across campus and community year after year.”

The schedule of events includes the following:

  • CU AgTech Week Happy Hour, sponsored by GDM
  • Tours of University of Illinois Research Park (UIRP) and the Integrated Bioprocessing Research Laboratory (IBRL)
  • AgTech Summit & Showcase
  • Center for Digital Ag Conference – The Future of Digital Agriculture
  • Parkland College AgTech Showcase

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.

Community highlights from the last year include:

The full Champaign-Urbana AgTech Week schedule of events can be found online at https://www.champaigncountyedc.org/business-services/programs-services/cuagtechweek. Registration is required at many events, but all are free to attend.

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Press:

Photos/Videos:

Central Illinois named US Tech Hub for biomanufacturing by Biden-Harris administration

From the press release:

President Joe Biden announced Monday that the Illinois Fermentation and Agriculture Biomanufacturing Hub (iFAB) is among 31 designated Regional Innovation and Technology Hubs (Tech Hubs) by the U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA) — recognizing Central Illinois as a globally competitive center for innovation and job creation in biomanufacturing.

Led by the Integrated Bioprocessing Research Laboratory (IBRL) at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, the iFAB consortium includes 30 partner organizations representing academic, industry, government, and nonprofit partners committed to catalyzing industry growth in Champaign, Piatt, and Macon counties.

“The iFAB designation leverages IBRL’s five years of operational success. Companies come here to prove their technologies, and our aim is for them to remain in the region and establish early manufacturing facilities to progress from ideation to commercialization,” said iFAB principal investigator Beth Conerty, the Associate Director of Business Development at IBRL, part of the College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences and The Grainger College of Engineering.

The EDA Tech Hubs program was authorized by the bipartisan CHIPS and Science Act of 2022 with the goal to boost economic growth, spur job creation, and ensure U.S. national security.

The precision fermentation industry is projected to reach $11.8 billion by 2028, with the potential to generate one million jobs by 2030. The EDA’s Tech Hub designation elevates the reputation and confidence needed to attract more funding, resources, companies, and talent in this space to Central Illinois.

Precision fermentation is a growing area of biomanufacturing that can turn local feedstocks, mainly corn and soybeans, into a variety of goods — including textiles, biofuels, food ingredients, polymers, pigments, and more domestically. This sustainable, scalable, and biological manufacturing process relies on microbes to convert sugars into high-value products.

Beth Conerty, Carly McCrory-McKay, and Nicole Bateman (L-R) helped form the iFAB Tech Hub to spur economic growth and job creation in Central Illinois through biomanufacturing and precision fermentation.

“Our position as a regional leader in precision fermentation is solidified by this designation,” said iFAB partner Nicole Bateman, president of the Economic Development Corporation of Decatur & Macon County. “Receiving federal recognition unlocks opportunities for infrastructure development and business investment and attraction, which results in job creation. We have been partnering across the corridor informally for several years, and the momentum in the region will be enhanced by this formal designation.”

As a designated Tech Hub, iFAB has cleared the first phase of the Tech Hubs program and qualifies to apply for phase two funding of $45 million to $70 million. EDA anticipates that between five and 10 of the 31 Tech Hubs will receive phase two funding.

If successful, phase two funding would support several iFAB initiatives to expand the Central Illinois precision fermentation industry:

“This historic announcement is a result of our regional and statewide collaboration and will enhance business attraction to our region, expanding our ever-growing AgTech footprint,” said iFAB partner Carly McCrory-McKay, executive director of the Champaign County EDC. “We’re thrilled about this Tech Hub designation for our communities and will work with our partners to ensure that the iFAB AgTech Corridor—made up of Champaign, Macon, and Piatt counties—becomes the global leader and innovation center in biomanufacturing. This is a game changer for innovation and economic growth, and we’re proud to say that iFAB is a Tech Hub.”

iFAB’s Tech Hub designation is a return on investment by the State of Illinois. “IBRL was a strategic experiment that has shown proof of concept,” Conerty said. “We have been overwhelmed by the response for equipment, infrastructure, and expertise. We are now bursting at the seams with a waitlist for equipment and processes. With more support, we could be doing so much more.”

The consortium’s industry partners include ADM and Boston Bioprocess, who both have operations at Research Park, as well as Primient and Clarkson Grain Company.

iFAB is one of two designated Tech Hubs in Illinois; the second is the Chicago-based The Bloch Tech Hub that focuses on quantum technologies. Both coalitions are part of Innovate Illinois, a strategic initiative led by Governor JB Pritzker to establish Tech Hubs in the state.

“As one of America’s leading research universities, the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign solves problems and helps to power our nation’s economy,” said U. of I. Chancellor Robert E. Jones. “These TechHub designations in Illinois unite our strengths with our academic, industrial, community, and government partners to imagine a bright future for communities across the region.”

Press:

Biden-Harris Administration Designates 31 Tech Hubs Across America

President Biden Highlights how his Bidenomics Agenda is Growing the Economy—Tech Hubs (VIDEO)

Gov. Pritzker, Sen. Duckworth, and Sen. Durbin Announce Two Illinois Programs Selected as U.S. EDA Tech Hubs

Central Illinois named US Tech Hub for biomanufacturing by Biden-Harris administration

Two Illinois programs selected as U.S. EDA Tech Hubs

Budzinski applauds Tech Hub Designation at University of Illinois

U of C, U of I in the running for millions from feds for advanced tech research

Central Illinois site among 31 chosen as ‘tech hub’ by Biden administration

Champaign County Launches First-of-its-Kind “Community Job Application”

Media Contacts:

Carly McCrory-McKay, Executive Director
Champaign County Economic Development Corporation
carly@champaigncountyedc.org
217-649-2586

Terri Reifsteck, Vice President of Marketing & Community Engagement
Visit Champaign County
terrir@visitchampaigncounty.org
217-351-4133

 Champaign County Launches First-of-its-Kind “Community Job Application”
Digital platform makes it easy for potential residents to connect with Champaign County’s employers and community members

CHAMPAIGN, IL, April 12, 2023 – Connecting prospective new residents with Champaign County area employers just got easier with a new addition: the Community Job Application. Created by Champaign County Economic Development Corporation and Visit Champaign County, the platform allows newcomers to streamline their job search and community exploration process with personalized assistance, job matching, and relocation information in three short steps. The team worked with RoleCall, a national talent attraction consulting agency, to build this program.

Candidates, both internal and external to the community, who are interested in connecting with Champaign County employers, can visit YoureWelcomeCU.com, click on “Make It CU”, answer a few questions, and upload a resume. Candidate information will then be distributed to local employers to help facilitate job matches. Prospective new residents can also request to be connected to a member of the Chambana Welcome Crew. These plugged-in locals can answer questions about living and working in the area and help newcomers find their place in the community.

“In the age of talent wars, it’s critical that Champaign County stays on the cutting edge of talent attraction tactics,” stated Carly McCrory-McKay, Executive Director of the Champaign County Economic Development Corporation. “The Community Job Application is an innovative approach that gives future residents an accessible path to “yes” by providing a virtual front door to employment in Champaign County and important information about what matters to them most: personal interests and hobbies, quality of life, and more. We are excited to work with Champaign County employers on this new program.”

This program’s launch is partly funded by Champaign County through its American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds. “The intent of the ARPA funds is to get people and communities back on their feet. Connecting individuals with quality employment, good benefits, secure pensions, and a healthy work-life balance as County employees is a fundamental part of that recovery,” says Steve Summers, Champaign County Executive. “Champaign County government is very excited to participate in this project. We are an excellent living and employment destination, and we appreciate the work put in by the Champaign County Economic Development Corporation and Visit Champaign County to showcase that.”

“While most communities tout their welcoming attitude, Champaign-Urbana lives it,” says Tim Carty, Co-Founder and Chief Strategy Officer of RoleCall. “The Community Job Application is a great example of that — it’s inviting, it’s accessible, and it’s truly a great representation of the community’s values.”

Candidates who opt into the program will also receive curated information relevant to their industry, life stage, and interests. “This platform will feed directly into the Chambana Welcome Crew, where our ambassadors are ready to answer questions and get new residents settled into the community,” explains Terri Reifsteck, Vice President of Marketing & Community Engagement for Visit Champaign County. “Whether it’s learning about recreation, education, volunteer opportunities, LGBTQ+ resources, or our vibrant arts and culture, our ambassadors are armed with the knowledge to create an authentic connection that will further encourage individuals to Make It in the greater Champaign-Urbana area.”

Candidates in all career fields are encouraged to utilize the Community Job Application. Still, a particular emphasis will be placed on fifteen key job functions, including accounting & finance, customer service, marketing & communications, engineering, and more.

This service is free for individuals looking to connect with employers and area recruiters looking to fill jobs. “Our primary goal is to fill jobs with qualified candidates while introducing our community to newcomers looking for an amazing location to live,” says McCrory-McKay.

The Community Job Application is integrated into other programs led by Champaign County Economic Development Corporation and Visit Champaign County, including the Champaign-Urbana Area Job Board, New to CU mixers, Chambana Welcome Crew, Chambana Proud podcast, and more.

Champaign County employers wanting to tap into the Community Job Application talent pipeline can contact cwc@champaigncountyedc.org for more information.

 

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Champaign-Urbana AgTech Week Returns for Fourth Year

For Immediate Release
March 6, 2023

Contacts:

Carly McCrory-McKay, Executive Director
Champaign County EDC
carly@champaigncountyedc.org
217-649-2586

Laura Bleill, Director, External Engagement
University of Illinois Research Park
lwbleill@Illinois.edu
217-417-6671

Champaign-Urbana AgTech Week Returns for Fourth Year

CHAMPAIGN, IL – The annual Champaign-Urbana AgTech Week, presented by Champaign County Economic Development Corporation, University of Illinois Research Park, and You’re Welcome CU, returns for its fourth celebration in 2023 with both in-person and virtual events. The five-day event, March 6-10, 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.

“This week encapsulates what makes Champaign-Urbana the “epicenter” of AgTech,” said Laura Bleill, Director of External Engagement at University of Illinois Research Park. “Serving as a neutral convener, the AgTech Summit convenes a kaleidoscope of perspectives and expertise that is representative of our ecosystem — it extends across the value chain of agriculture. We are grateful to our speakers, sponsors, and partners, and we are excited to host 600+ registered participants.”

Participating AgTech Week organizations include Champaign County Economic Development Corporation, University of Illinois Research Park, GDM, Parkland College, Illinois AgTech Accelerator, AirScout, Village of Savoy, and University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign’s College of ACES, Integrated Bioprocessing Research Laboratory (IBRL), Center for Digital Agriculture, and Office of Corporate Relations.

The schedule of events includes the following:

  • Integrated Bioprocessing Research Laboratory (IBRL) and University of Illinois Research Park (UIRP) tours
  • (Beer) Flights at Triptych Brewing with AirScout, sponsored by Village of Savoy
  • AgTech Summit, followed by the AgTech Showcase & Networking Reception
  • Center for Digital Agriculture’s Annual Conference
  • AgTech Week Happy Hour at Riggs Beer Company, sponsored by GDM
  • 200+ students visiting Parkland College to learn about their ag programs, visit laboratories, talk with faculty, and see demonstrations from current Parkland ag students
  • Webinar about how to get involved in gener8tor’s Illinois AgTech Accelerator, powered by Serra Ventures

“We’re grateful to all of our local partners who have worked with us to create an amazing lineup of events to showcase why Champaign-Urbana is a leader in AgTech,” said Carly McCrory-McKay, Executive Director at Champaign County Economic Development Corporation. “This week also provides an opportunity to celebrate what’s been accomplished in the last year, which includes four AgTech company expansions in University of Illinois Research Park, local startup HabiTerre being honored as the Illinois Innovation Network’s Innovator of the Year, and Bill & Melinda Gates Agricultural Innovations awarding 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.”

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.

The full Champaign-Urbana AgTech Week schedule of events can be found online at http://cuagtechweek.org/. Registration is required at many events, but all are free to attend.

 

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