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Research Park Innovators Win Big at Innovation Celebration

Article Source: University of Illinois Research Park, February 24, 2012

Several companies and individuals with close ties to Research Park won awards at Thursday night’s 7th annual Innovation Celebration.

Research Park director Laura Frerichs was the emcee for the event, which took place at the Beckman Institute. Innovation Celebration recognizes 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.

The winners with Research Park ties include:

  • Brian Jurczyk, co-founder of Starfire Industries, won the Entrepreneurial Excellence in Management Award. The company, an EnterpriseWorks graduate that remains in the Research Park, employs 17 and is a leader in neutron sources and plasma engineering.
  • Nuvixa, founded in 2009 by electrical and computer engineering Associate Professor Sanjay Patel, won the New Venture Award. The company, based at EnterpriseWorks, has used new sensing devices, advanced algorithms and new computing power to expand the potential of video presentations.
  • Serionix, founded by materials science doctoral student Jim Langer, won the Student Startup Award. The company is developing technologies for air and water purification. Serionix recently moved into space at EnterpriseWorks.
  • Scott Daigle and Marissa Siebel of IntelliWheels received the Social Entrepreneurship Award for developing an automatic gear-shifting system for wheelchairs. The device reduces shoulder pain for those using wheelchairs. IntelliWheels is housed at EnterpriseWorks.
  • Professor Dave Kranz, co-founder of both Immuven and Biodisplay, won the Technology Transfer Award. Immuven, an EnterpriseWorks tenant, is developing new drugs based on the engineering of T-cell receptor proteins.
  • Yi Lu, co-founder of ANDalyze Inc., received the Innovation Discovery Award. A professor of chemistry, biochemistry and biophysics, he has 41 invention disclosures and 14 issued patents. ANDalyze Inc. is an EnterpriseWorks graduate and Research Park tenant.
  • Liz Kellner won the Entrepreneur Advocacy Award for nearly 20 years of work to support and encourage entrepreneurship in the community. She has worked at the Technology Commercialization Lab, in TechCommunity and with the Second Saturdays group. Kellner is the entrepreneurship specialist at Singleton Law Firm, a tenant in the Research Park.

Entrepreneurship, innovation flourish at UI, Parkland, Champaign businesses

Article Source: The Daily Illini, Thomas Thoren, February 23, 2012

Champaign County’s entrepreneurial spirit is alive and well.

Local inventors and innovators were honored at the 2012 Innovation Celebration held Monday evening at the Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology. There were 10 awards given to recipients ranging from local business owners to up-and-coming entrepreneurs who contributed to and led in the economic development of Champaign County. The seventh annual event was sponsored by the Champaign County Economic Development Corporation, the University, Parkland College and other University offices and local businesses.

Guest speaker Lori Gold Patterson, president of the Urbana-based information technology and creative services company Pixo, began the night’s events by commenting on the state of entrepreneurship.

“Entrepreneurship has been one of the precious few bright spots in our gloomy economy,” she said. “Let us recognize the incredible innovative energies in our community and continue to support these efforts regardless of how small or big, how media-based or gearhead-ish, how local or international.”

The social entrepreneurship award was given to IntelliWheels, Inc. One project designed by the group, IntelliWheels Automatic Gear-Shift, assists wheelchair users when they are traversing tough terrain or going up an incline.

“We are new at this entrepreneurship game and it’s really nice to be honored in this type of way,” said co-founder Scott Daigle.

Daigle accepted the award while his partner, Marissa Siebel, briefly spoke to the audience from Tuscaloosa, Ala., via Daigle’s iPad.

“We have one of the most accessible universities in the country and we’re really proud to be a part of that,” he said. “This has been a really fun ride.”

Later in the ceremony, businessman Shahid Khan, owner of automobile parts manufacturer Flex-N-Gate, won the economic development impact award for his contributions to the Champaign and Urbana communities.
Khan was born in Pakistan but moved to Champaign to study mechanical engineering at the University, where he graduated in 1971. After purchasing Flex-N-Gate in 1980, he built the company and continues to operate it with 12,450 employees and 50 manufacturing plants in the United States, for a revenue of $3 billion in 2011.

Khan is responsible for recent campus construction such as the $10 million Khan Annex to Huff Hall and the Khan outdoor tennis complex. He recently made national news for purchasing the National Football League’s Jacksonville Jaguars team, but Flex-N-Gate vice president of engineering Dave Kirkolis, who spoke on behalf of the absent Khan, insists “Champaign is his home.”

University Chancellor Phyllis Wise spoke about the event’s two new awards for this year’s celebration: the technology transfer award for those who “successfully commercialize an innovation” and the innovation discovery award for “a groundbreaking discovery with potential for significant societal impact.”

These were awarded to David Kranz, professor of biochemistry, and Yi Lu, professor of chemistry.

Innovation Celebration Finalists

Champaign, IL – The Champaign County Economic Development Corporation, the University of Illinois’ Technology Entrepreneur Center, Research Park, Office of Technology Management, Office of Corporate Relations and Academy for Entrepreneurial Leadership, along with Parkland College, Singleton Law Firm, P.C., IllinoisVENTURES, Fox/Atkins Development, LLC, Serra Ventures and Hanson Financial, Inc., are pleased to sponsor the Seventh 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 your community.

Innovation Celebration awards are not merely an award for accomplishment, but benchmarks of success for those outstanding individuals, organizations and corporations who are nominated and selected to receive these prestigious awards.  Additionally, Innovation Celebration serves as a tangible collaboration between the University of Illinois, Parkland College and the community that clearly establishes the power of cooperation and united vision.

Ten awards have been established, recognizing the various ways in which individuals and organizations have utilized innovation, creativity, and leadership for entrepreneurial endeavor and economic development in the community.

Award Finalists

Innovation Discovery – University of Illinois Award

Brendan Harley
Gabriel Popescu
Yi Lu

Tech Transfer Award – University of Illinois Award

Vijay Singh
Dave Kranz
Diagnostic Photonics, Inc.

Innovation in Engagement Award – Parkland College Award

(Winner will be announced at event.)

Social Entrepreneurship Award

IntelliWheels, Inc.
Avicenna Community Health Center
Sarah Zehr & Alex King, CUvolunteer.org

Student Startup Award

Serionix, Inc.
Oso Simple Technologies
Effimax Solar

New Venture Award

Green Purpose, LLC
Sung Chul Bae
Nuvixa, Inc.

Entrepreneur Advocacy Award

James Economy
Liz Kellner
Andrew Singer

Economic Development Impact Award

Shahid Khan
Dr. Kevin Wan
Predrag Pega Hrnjak

Entrepreneurial Excellence in Management Award

Brian Jurczyk
Charlie Li
Pat Jeng

Longevity Through Innovation Award

Gene Zimmerman
Betty Brennan
Bill Cope

The winners will be announced at the 2012 Innovation Celebration, held at Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology on Thursday, February 23, 2012 from 5:30pm to 7:30pm, award & program begin at 6:00pm. RSVP and learn more about the event & previous winners at www.innovationcelebration.com. RSVPs are appreciated, but not required.

WICD-TV Features Dioxide Materials

Article Source: WICD, James Fillmore

CHAMPAIGN– Dioxide Materials is located within Research Park at the University of Illinois. The company has discovered new technology for carbon dioxide sensing and remediation.

C.E.O. Rich Masel says, “One of the key things we’re trying to do is to lower the amount of electricity used, lower your utility bill, and so if you use less electricity and less natural gas it’ll help global warming and you’ll save money.”

One of the projects they are working on attaches a CO2 sensor to a thermostat that in turn lowers people’s heating bills.

A research scientist at Dioxide Materials says, “It works by automatically turning down your heating and air conditioning system when you are not at home. It also can adjust the amount of air that is going through the system according to how many people are in the room.”

Another project looks to recycle carbon dioxide by turning it into gasoline.

Masel says, “So what we’d like to do is anytime a wind farm has excess energy take that excess energy, take CO2 which is a waste product, add a little water, put it in our magic process and end up with gasoline.”

AURP Honors Research Park at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign as the 2011 Outstanding Research Park

Press Release from University of Illinois Research Park

NEW ORLEANS—The Association of University Research Parks (AURP) named the Research Park at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign the 2011 Outstanding Research Park during its annual Awards of Excellence ceremony on Dec. 1. The awards were presented at the AURP 2011 International Conference in New Orleans.

The 16th Annual AURP Awards of Excellence recognize the achievements of outstanding research parks and industry veterans and encourages the development of best practices among research and science parks.

“AURP recognizes exceptional leadership in innovation by honoring university research parks, individuals and companies who are driving innovation in their communities,” said AURP President Harold Strong. “Among this year’s AURP Awards of Excellence recipients, we are proud to name the Research Park at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign the 2011 AURP Outstanding Research Park.”

The Outstanding Research/Science Park Achievement Award recognizes parks that excel in bringing technology from the laboratory to economically viable business activities, thus promoting the growth of businesses, jobs and public revenue.

“Over the last 10 years, the Research Park has had a significant impact on its community by incubating new startups, attracting large corporations to the region and creating jobs,” said Strong. “The Research Park at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign has demonstrated leadership in the research park profession and is deserving of the honor and recognition as the 2011 Outstanding Research Park.”

Laura Frerichs, Director of Research Park, accepted the award on behalf of the University of Illinois.

“We are honored to receive this recognition, especially as we culminate our 10th anniversary celebration,” Frerichs said. “It reinforces our continuing efforts to build a community of technology entrepreneurship – one that fosters collaboration between the university and industry in addition to creating opportunities for faculty, staff, students, and members of the community at large.”

About AURP: The Association of University Research Parks is a professional association of university related research and science parks. AURP’s mission is to foster innovation, commercialization and economic growth through university, industry and government partnerships. For more information, visit AURP’s Web site at www.aurp.net or contact Chelsea Simpson at chelseasimpson@aurp.net.

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