Technology and Innovation
Overview
Where Makers Thrive
The birthplace of groundbreaking inventions including the cell phone, the wireless remote and the first-ever web browser, Illinois is a place where ideas become patents, businesses and life-changing technologies.
The state’s history of innovation continues today thanks to its robust digital infrastructure, venture capital networks and continually growing talent base. The University of Illinois graduates more engineers each year than MIT, Stanford and CalTech combined, and there has been a 200% increase in startup companies launching from Illinois’ universities over the past 5 years.
Illinois companies raised $7.1B in funding over 397 deals in 2021 alone and 12 Chicago companies achieved unicorn status (valuations of more than $1B).
Data
Industry Data
Resources & Links
Accelerators & Incubators
Business + Financial Services
Energy
- Clean Energy Trust
- Energy Foundry
- Smart Grid Technology Cluster
Food + Beverage
Health + Sciences
- Center for Healthcare Innovation
- IBIO Propel
- Illinois Science & Technology Park
- The Incubator
- Healthbox
- Matter
Manufacturing
Technology
Corporate R&D
Business & Financial Services
Food & Beverage
- Archer Daniels Midland
- Springboard Brands
Health & Sciences
Manufacturing
- Boeing
- Caterpillar
- Caterpillar Champaign Innovation Center
- John Deere
- John Deere Technology Innovation Center
- United States Gypsum Corporation
Mentorships & Networking
- Built in Chicago
- Chicago Innovation Awards
- Chicago Innovation Mentors
- Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce
- Illinois Innovation Networking
- Illinois Venture Capital Association
University R&D
Bradley University
DePaul University
Greenville University
- Greenville SMART
Illinois Institute of Technology
- Galvin Center for Electricity Innovation
- Institute for Food & Health Safety
- Jules F. Knapp Entrepreneurship Center
- Kaplan Institute
- University Technology Park
- Wanger Institute for Sustainable Energy Research
Illinois State University
Lewis University
Loyola University
Northern Illinois University
- Eigerlab
- Microelectronics Research & Development Lab
Northwestern University
- Farley Center for Entrepreneurship & Innovation
- Center for Hierarchical Materials Design
- The Garage
- International Institute for Nanotechnology
Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science
- Innovation and Research Park
Southern Illinois University
Southern Illinois University – Edwardsville
University of Chicago
- Institute for Molecular Energy Material Research Science & Engineering Center
- Material Research Science & Engineering Center
- Polsky Center
- Fab Lab
University of Illinois System
University of Illinois at Chicago
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
- Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology
- Enterprise Works
- Illinois Center for Transportation
- National Center for Supercomputing Applications
- Technology Entrepreneur Center
- UIC Innovation Center
- Mad Lab
University of St. Francis
- University of St. Francis Business Incubator
Western Illinois University
Relevant News
New ADM Animal Nutrition Facility Uses Industry-Leading Technology to Meet Customer Needs for Livestock Feed
DECATUR, Ill., April 3, 2019—Archer Daniels Midland Company (NYSE: ADM) today celebrated the opening of its new high-tech livestock feed facility in Quincy, Illinois. This is the fourth cutting-edge animal nutrition manufacturing facility in North America opened in recent months by the global leader in value-added products and solutions for both production and companion animals. […]
Illinois Featured in United’s Hemispheres Magazine
Illinois is featured in United’s Hemispheres magazine’s Dossier. More than 700,000 copies of the issue occupy every seat pocket on every United flight in the month of March, and 40 pages of the magazine are devoted to showcasing Illinois and its unmatched academic institutions, its wide variety of communities, and its unique business advantages. A […]
Illinois Ranks Third in Site Selection’s Governors Cup
Illinois ranks third in the country in Site Selection’s Governors Cup. The magazine ranks states based on new and expanded corporate facilities. Illinois has 444 projects recorded from 2018. The annual analysis is regarded by the corporate real estate world as the “industry scoreboard.” In addition to Illinois’ ranking, Chicago has once again been named […]
Salesforce Announces Salesforce Tower Chicago, Commits to Adding 1,000 New Local Jobs
Salesforce (NYSE:CRM), the global leader in CRM, today announced Salesforce Tower Chicago, significantly expanding the company’s regional headquarters in Chicago. As part of the expansion, Salesforce plans to add 1,000 new jobs locally, over the next five years, helping fuel the city’s economic development.
HARTING announces $6 million expansion of Elgin facility
Investment follows German trade visit and is expected to create 50 or more new jobs ELGIN – HARTING today announced a $6 million facility expansion at the German company’s world-class North American Headquarters in Elgin. The new investment will include the addition of a lab and showroom to the on-site warehouse and distribution center as […]