East Central Illinois University Center
September 2012
An EDA University Center has been established in
east central Illinois around the University of Illinois
and Parkland College
• Civilian labor force of
approximately 156,500
• 250,000 inhabitants
• 2,900 square miles in
twelve counties
• Includes the Chanute
Air Force Base in
Rantoul, IL
Parkland College District Map: http://www.jameslayers.org/DistrictMap.htm
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It is a partnership among educational and
development institutions
The Champaign County Economic Development Corporation (CCEDC) is a public-private partnership dedicated to
fostering a cooperative, county-wide approach to economic development. The area’s Small Business
Development Center (SBDC) is housed at the CCEDC.
The Champaign County Regional Planning Commission (RPC) is an intergovernmental membership organization
that provides and administers a variety of planning, community & economic development, early childhood
education, and social services for Champaign and surrounding counties. The East Central Illinois Economic
Development District is located at the RPC.
The Research Park at the University of Illinois provides an environment where technology-based businesses can
work with faculty and students for collaborative research and easy access to University labs, equipment and
services. The Research Park is home to EnterpriseWorks, the University’s tech incubator.
Parkland College is a fully accredited, public community college with more than 10,000 students from the area.
The College has an Entrepreneurship Program concentration and scholarship program for students interested in
entrepreneurship regardless of their academic discipline. Parkland also maintains a network of local
entrepreneurs through an annual lecture series and entrepreneurial awards program.
The Village of Rantoul, IL, is located in northern Champaign County. Local and regional economic development
groups have been working together to repurpose the former Chanute Air Force base. Portions of the former base
are being re-used as the Rantoul Business Center, which offers high-tech office, manufacturing and laboratory
space.
The Academy for Entrepreneurial Leadership (AEL) at the University of Illinois offers entrepreneurship programs,
services and resources to faculty, students and community members. The Academy’s mission is to encourage
entrepreneurial awareness and initiatives across all disciplines at the University. AEL helps to initiate, build and
connect an understanding, appreciation and inclusion of entrepreneurship.
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The University of Illinois is a nationally- and
internationally-recognized public institution
• The University is a land-grant institution with over 40,000 students
• Illinois ranks 47th in the world in the 2010 High Impact Universities
ranking based upon research performance
• The College of Engineering is ranked 6th in undergraduate and 5th
in graduate programs nationally
• The campus has one of the largest international student
enrollments in the country. With 7,271 international students
currently enrolled at Illinois, the campus ranks first among public
universities in the U.S. and second among all American institutions
of higher education.
• The University of Illinois is a powerhouse of innovation, and one of
the leading sources of patented technology in the State of Illinois
• Our students and alumni are founders of revolutionary companies
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University System for Technology Commercialization
•
•
2000: University of Illinois formalizes technology-based economic development
“mission” of the University.
Technology commercialization units report to the UI Vice President of Research
UI’s Seamless
System of Resources
RESEARCH
INNOVATION
OTM Offices
Evaluation, IP
protection,
marketing, licensing
Existing
Companies
Research
Parks
Illinois
VENTURES
Enterprise
Works
COMMERCIALIZATION
New company
funding and
services
$600 Million UIUC
Research Budget
Annually
$65 Million in Early
Stage Investment
funding from
IVentures
200 Disclosures
annually at UIUC
New company
incubation
135 Startups
in 10 Years
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EnterpriseWorks in the Research Park is the
University’s startup engine
• EnterpriseWorks (EW) is a 43,000 square foot startup business incubator for early stage tech
firms located in the Research Park. Owned and operated by the University of Illinois, it is
used to help launch successful startup companies.
• 145 startups have incubated at EnterpriseWorks since 2003
• Startups are in the biotech, clean tech, information technology, and nanotech/materials
sectors
• $407 Million in capital has been raised in total by incubated companies
 Named by Inc.com as one of 10 “Incubators to Watch” in 2011
 Awarded 2011 Outstanding Research Park of the Year by AURP
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– Program was endowed at
$270,000 in its first year and has
grown to $500,000
Photo by: Sandra Gorman/for
The News-Gazette
• In 2010, Parkland created a
scholarship program so
students from various
disciplines could participate in
a yearlong program relating to
entrepreneurship and work
force development
Photo by: Sandra Gorman/For
The News-Gazette
Parkland College has developed an important
regional entrepreneurship program
Photo by: Darrell Hoemann/The
News-Gazette
• The program’s fundraising
event, Entrepreneur of the
Year, recognizes entrepreneurs
from the region
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The region has a variety of resources for
entrepreneurs…
• EnterpriseWorks Incubator
─
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─
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Entrepreneur-in-Residence Program
Rantoul Business Incubator
Mobile App Center
I-START program
─
─
─
─
─
─
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Startup Café
Tech CEO Roundtables
Women in Technology Forum
Annual Career Fair
Software User Group Meetings
Monthly Educational Seminars
Monthly Social Events
TechMix and TechCocktail
Biotechnology Networking Group
─
─
─
─
IllinoisVENTURES
Urbana-Champaign Angel Network
Invest Illinois Venture Fund
Champaign County Regional Planning Commission
• Research Park Events
• Funding Resources
• Legal and Patent Help
─ Office of Technology and Management
─ Patent Clinic
─ Pro-bono legal help at EnterpriseWorks
• Business Consulting and Mentoring
─
─
─
─
Second Saturday Business Review
Illinois Launch
Small Business Development Center
East Central Illinois SCORE
• Student Business Consulting
─ Illinois Business Consulting
─ Office for Technical Consulting Resources
─ Senior Design Courses
• Competitions
─
─
─
─
Cozad Competition
Lemelson Prize
Idea to Product
Innovation Celebration
• Courses and Training
─ FastTrac program
─ TEC courses
─ Life Sciences Certificate in Entrepreneurship and
Management
─ Rapid Prototyping Lab
• Student Entrepreneur Groups
─
─
─
─
Entrepreneurs without Borders
Illinois Entrepreneurship Network
Chinese Entrepreneur Association
Innovation LLC
…but they are difficult to navigate and are centralized in the Champaign-Urbana area
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Our goal is to broaden and strengthen our
entrepreneurial resources to create a regional
pipeline of small and innovative businesses
East Central Illinois University Center: Entrepreneur and Technology
Business Development Pipeline and Support
Needs assessment and incubation program expansion planning
Entrepreneur
Education
Startup
Assistance
Incubation
Growth Support
and
Financial
Investment
University Center program coordination and communications
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University Center programming is aligned with
business development and support stages
Entrepreneur
Education
Startup Assistance
Incubation
• Deliver FastTrac courses annually, including the TechVenture curriculum. Courses will
be delivered at EnterpriseWorks and the Rantoul Business Center.
• Provide mobile app development education to startups and tech entrepreneurs
• Expand Entrepreneur-in-Residence (EIR) counseling to include SBIR/STTR assistance
• Expand SBDC services to Rantoul
• Launch Student Entrepreneur Shared Services program
• Establish and operate Community Incubator facilities and program at Rantoul
Business Center and EnterpriseWorks
Growth Support &
Financial Assistance
• Provide EIR and SBDC counseling about financing options
• Incorporate insights from needs assessment
• Provide links to U-CAN, Champaign County Regional Planning Commission and private
investors
Needs Assessment &
Program Expansion
Planning
• Catalogue regional resources
• Identify gaps in regional entrepreneurship support
• Identify potential additional incubator locations and formats
Coordination &
Communications
•
•
•
•
Generate and distribute programming and publicity
Monitor economic performance and impact
Provide updates and report best practices at regional meetings
Conduct partner meetings to review Center performance
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Regional entrepreneurs have access to the
I-Start program at EnterpriseWorks
I-Start Entrepreneur Services
Service Types
Scope of
Services
Legal Services
•
•
•
•
•
Initial Company
Formation, bylaws,
application for FEIN
(filing fees paid by
entrepreneur)
Stockholder
agreements and
certificates
Stock option plan
Employment
Agreement
Non disclosure
agreements
Business Planning
•
•
•
•
•
Write Business Plan
with inventor input
Market Research
Financial
Projections
Recommendation
on sources of
capital
Assistance with
hiring and
incorporation
decisions
SBIR Assistance
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Finding
solicitation and
agency fit
SBIR process
guidance
Draft budget
Writing
assistance
Help with letters
of support
Project
Management
Registrations
and Submission
Financial and
Payroll Services
•
Payroll admin
•
Quarterly
Financial
Statements
•
Assistance
with
Quickbooks
setup for the
business
Student Shared
Services Center
•
Market research
•
Presentation
assistance
•
Initial template
website
•
Logo assistance
•
Social media,
adwords
•
IT/Computer
system setup
(up to 100 hours of
student work)
Part of the match for the University Center consists of extending these resources to
local entrepreneurs
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FastTrac courses have been attended by
community members
• The FastTrac TechVenture course
was offered at EnterpriseWorks
this summer with full enrollment
– Twenty participants, including
faculty, students and
professionals
• Parkland College instructor
received FastTrac training at the
Kauffman Foundation
• The FastTrac NewVenture course
in Rantoul started on September
13, 2012, with 22 participants
from throughout the community
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Mobile Application Development services were
successfully launched
• Mobile Day, 1/27/12: 150 attended free conference with startups,
corporations, students, and faculty presenting (50 companies)
• New iOS professional development course was offered in February 2012;
next course expected in October 2012
• AppIncubate program: In the iOS course, students designed app prototype
for clients
– Three projects were completed: Housing, Nutritional Sciences and kGrove
• Co-location space is for mobile developers
• A Mobile Expert is on-site 2 days a week for consulting and a mobile
development intern is available to help startups
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The Entrepreneur-in-Residence Program has
expanded
• EIRs are local-experienced tech entrepreneurs that have commercialized
technology, hired by the Research Park to consult startups
– The EIRs provide advice on business development, legal issues, attracting investment,
revenue creation, and engagements with industrial clients.
– They also provide entrepreneur training on business topics monthly
– Helps fill early management guidance for startups
– Paid for by the Research Park to help UI entrepreneurs access free consulting
Lori Patterson
IT entrepreneur,
Pixo company
founder
Chad Stiening
Mentor
Management and
currently running a
medical diagnostic
device company
Tim Hoerr
Serra Ventures &
Cbana, Immuven,
Gameday Sports,
Striped Sail, CPA,
Valuation expert
Dennis Beard
Serra Ventures &
Open Prairie
Ventures CFO,
UI Business Adj.
Faculty - Finance
Jed Taylor
JLT Consulting
and Pattern
Insight, Siebel
Scholar
Alan Singleton
Singleton Law
Firm, specializes
in tech startups
and IP
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The new SBIR counselor started in June 2012
• There is significant demand from regional entrepreneurs
for assistance with Small Business Innovation Research
(SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) grants
• 22% of all awards in Illinois go to Champaign County
– 30 Awards to incubator companies in 2010
• Provides 16 hours a week of free assistance with:
– Identifying funding opportunities, and matching a company's
strengths and capabilities with the right Federal agency
solicitation.
– Assistance with grant writing, review, and critique.
– Assistance with marketing and networking to develop
relationships with Federal labs and other technology partners.
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The Student Shared Services team at
EnterpriseWorks is in place
The team of graduate and undergraduate students from a
variety of academic disciplines assist entrepreneur clients
Sample Services
• Business plan review
• Logo design
• Market research and
analysis
• Website design
Academic Backgrounds
• MBA
• Architecture
• Graphic Design
• Computer Science
• Industrial Engineering
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Student Shared Services work product
example: company logos
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Student Shared Services work product
example: company website
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The Rantoul Business Incubator opened in June
2012
• New Incubator located in
Rantoul at the former Chanute
Air Force Base provides free
space for entrepreneurs
– Onsite business consulting from the
Small Business Development Center
– Onsite FastTrac entrepreneur course
offered through Parkland College
– Manufacturing/Shell Lab space access
with loading doors
– Affiliate status with EnterpriseWorks
to utilize resources of our team
• Use of Shared Services student
program with Parkland and UIUC
students
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The Rantoul Business Incubator opened in June
2012 (cont’d)
• A grand opening event
held on 6/28/12
– TechMix event showcased
the incubator, regional
resources, and University
Center services
• Local entrepreneurs have
already applied for offices
in the incubator
• Incubator logo created
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The needs assessment has been staffed and
initiated. Further research is planned for the next
program year.
Program
Components
Catalogue regional
resources for
entrepreneurs and
service providers
Plan assessment,
conduct initial
research and
develop survey
Key Activities
and Updates
• The first draft currently being reviewed in-house and will be reviewed by regional
assistance providers.
• Directory will be placed online in first quarter of program year two, with continual
updating throughout the project.
• Initial research is being conducted via a benchmarking study of small
business/entrepreneurship activity and infrastructure. The study will include activity
in east central Illinois and comparison regions, and seek best practices from
comparison regions.
• The study will continue via interviews and surveys of service providers and local
entrepreneurs. Questions are being identified, and Champaign County Champaign
County service providers will be interviewed.
• Surveys will incorporate information to be used in identifying gaps in current
resources for assistance, and potential incubator locations, including whether need is
for local on-site assistance or can be provided, e.g., online, or in a larger community
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that draws people for other needs.
Business Analyst Services: GIS Data
• Free services being provided for regional small businesses
through the Champaign County Regional Planning
Commission
• ArcGIS Business Analyst services provides tools for
understanding regional demographics, trade areas, market
analysis, and site analysis.
• Training offered through the new University Center 6/26/12
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I-Start Clients: Helping Launch 16 Companies
Clients: 6 Software, 5 Biotech, 2 Electronics, 3 Cleantech; 12 faculty, 4 graduate students
•
Poheme: founded by Prof. Bruce Schatz, College of Medicine, mobile application
with algorithms to be able to decipher food and nutritional content
•
SC4*: founded by Prof. Steve Long and Prof. Eric Sacks, Institute for Genomic
Biology, commercialization of tested high productivity germplasm miscanthus and
other C4 perennial grasses
•
Serionix*: founded by James Langer, Materials Science, water purification and
sensing with fiber-based adsorbents and ion-exchange materials provide much
faster removal of contaminants than their conventional counterparts
•
Valkyrie*: founded by Computer Science Prof. Sam King, secure browser for mobile
devices allowing enterprise applications
•
Oceancomm: deep-sea underwater wireless communication system
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I-Start Clients
•
GlucoSentient: founded by Prof. Yi Lu, Chemistry department, detect targets (drug
molecules, contaminates, adulterants, etc.) using personal glucose meters
•
Talus Research: founded by Prof. Richard Sowers, Mathematics department,
Financial exchange market analysis and tools
•
EP Purification: Novel systems for the purification of water and air based on
microplasma technology developed at UIUC. Initial products will be a line of ozone
generators designed for the purification of water for municipal water supplies,
aquaculture, and pools.
•
Oso Simple Technologies*: Wireless, Internet-connected soil moisture monitoring
system
•
Lenuco: Low-Energy Nuclear Reactions and cold fusion
•
Sonistic*: microphone arrays for detecting presence of wildlife species
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I-Start Clients
•
PhiOptics: founded by ECE Prof. Gabriel Popescu, affordable light microscopy
device allowing 3D tomographic imaging of live cells
•
Spectoclick: Analytical Chemistry in the Palm of Your Hand using a mobile device
enabled spectrophotometer, founded by Chemistry Professor Alexander Scheeline
•
Effimax Solar: Nanotexturing to produce powerful silicon solar cells
•
Axel Technologies: mechanical fabrication of ultrahigh precision diffraction
gratings for spectral analysis of ultraviolet and x-ray radiation
•
Aptimmune Biologics*: Developing a vaccine for Porcine Reproductive and
Respiratory Syndrome (PRRS), a viral disease that has spread to more than 70% of
commercial swine farms in the U.S.
•
PrenylX Therapeutics: development of lipophilic bisphosphonates compounds as
therapeutics for bone diseases, started by Chemistry professor and research
scientist
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Entrepreneur-in-Residence program
EnterpriseWorks has team of 6 EIRs
that are consulting students, faculty,
and entrepreneurs
July 2011 to April 2012
Company Type
Biotech
Consulting/
Service
Green Technology
Info Technology
Materials
Engineering
Unknown
Total
Consultations
37
Unique
Entrepreneurs
14
17
8
84
1
2
16
62
21
229
7
12
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Out of 331 EIR meetings (from start
to present), 26% of those were with
student start ups.
SBIR, 7%
Product, 4%
Business
Plan, 15%
Presentation
Prep, 10%
Commercial
potential for
research,
12%
Partners, 6%
Contracts,
8%
General
Startup
Assistance,
23%
Funding,
15%
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Contact Information
Ali Thompson
University of Illinois
Research Park Program Coordinator
EnterpriseWorks
60 Hazelwood Drive
Champaign, IL 61820
(217) 300-2174
althomp2@illinois.edu
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