Insights

After two years of being virtual, the OnRamp Agricultural Conference brought more than 500 attendees to the University of Illinois’ Champaign-Urbana campus for in-person meetings last month. This year’s event also marked the first time the conference came to Illinois, underscoring the state’s position as a leader in agricultural innovation and technology.

Image Source: OnRamp Agricultural Conference website

A surge in data center projects has made Illinois a national leader in the industry, underscored by CloudHQ’s new announcement. Northern Illinois is ranked a top five global market for data centers and is still growing. Illinois’ central location, deep talent pool and data center incentive program are driving companies from all over the world to invest here. In addition, the State’s utilities provided unparalleled access to reliable and clean energy. ComEd CEO Gil Quiniones explains how this access to reliable, sustainable power is pivotal to data center companies deciding where to locate.

Google is buying the iconic James R. Thompson Center in the heart of Chicago, deepening its ties to the state of Illinois and underscoring the city’s prominence as a tech leader. By investing in Chicago, Google is committing to growing its long-term presence in the city, where it currently employs 1,800 people.

Illinois is a leader in the IT industry. As a rapidly growing global data market, support for next-gen data centers and 5G networks is essential. Enter viaPhoton, an Aurora-based company disrupting the fiber connectivity market with customizable solutions for data centers and telecoms infrastructure.

Volvo has opened a new electric truck training center in Tinley Park, Illinois, joining the Swedish company’s growing network of EV training facilities across North America. The new facility underscores Illinois’ importance both as a central transportation hub as well as an emerging bastion of the EV industry. Learn how other companies like Kellogg’s and Ferrero are investing in Illinois.

After years of hype, electric vehicles are finally breaking through into the mainstream. Beyond the breathless headlines and attention-seeking tweets, real work is being done in factories, research facilities, and government offices to make EVs more accessible and useful to everyone. This piece highlights three trends to watch this year as the EV industry charges up in Illinois and beyond.

The 5th biggest economy in the U.S. is home to dozens of Fortune 500 companies, millions of educated and skilled workers and a central location completely connected to the rest of the world. See more of what makes Illinois the place to be for your business with this downloadable infographic.

Rivian chose to build its first manufacturing facility in Illinois for many reasons, such as the state’s proximity to top-tier talent as well as Normal’s central location and access to infrastructure. In this Q&A, Rivian’s Zack Dietmeier will touch on the facility’s expansion, the development of Illinois’ EV ecosystem, and offer helpful insights to prospective EV companies looking to set up businesses in new locations.

A new research report shows how Chicago’s strong foundation in the food industry, combined with a growing network of startups, incubators, and investors puts the city – and the state more broadly – at the forefront of innovation. Since 2019, venture capital in food innovation has soared more than 500%. Investment is flowing to three main areas: new ingredients and foods, new ways of getting products to customers, and new technology from packaging to robots to kitchen tools.