Innovations at Research Park

Hosted by University of Illinois Research Park

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May 2026

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About the show

Tune in to hear insightful conversations on fascinating industry innovations with members of the Research Park community- startups, corporations, students, and alumni. The Research Park at University of Illinois is a leading hub for tech commercialization with a unique environment that cultivates startups and increases capabilities for established companies. The mixed-use composition promotes creative collisions and interdisciplinary collaborations, strengthening the bridge between campus and community. Located at UIUC, Research Park has 120+ companies and growing. researchpark.illinois.edu

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33 recent

May 5, 202641 min

Nancy Sullivan- CEO of Illinois Ventures

Nancy Sullivan is CEO, Managing Director, and Managing Principal of Illinois Ventures, one of the longest-running and most active university-affiliated venture capital firms in the nation. Illinois Ventures and Research Park were both created by the University of Illinois 25 years ago to launch the new economic development mission that was added to the University. Illinois Ventures' campus office is located at EnterpriseWorks at the Research Park and has invested in many of the startups that have incubated there.Across Nancy’s career, she has played a key role in supporting entrepreneurship and helping translate innovation into opportunity for founders and researchers alike. Tune in to this conversation to hear about her path into venture, her connection to the University of Illinois ecosystem, and her rare dual perspective on how Illinois Ventures and Research Park together help launch and grow startups.VISIT http://researchpark.illinois.edu/podcast/ for our entire catalog of episodes.

February 13, 2026Episode 132 min

Dr. Ken Paige & Dr. Chris Harbourt - Founders of Frenzy Ag

Frenzy Ag is a company revolutionizing crop yields with breakthrough biological technology. Ken Paige is a Professor Emeritus at the University of Illinois whose decades of research into how plants respond to stress laid the foundation for Frenzy Ag’s core science. Chris, an agtech entrepreneur and engineer, brings over 25 years of experience turning innovation into real-world solutions and is now leading Frenzy Ag as CEO. Together, they’re transforming a fascinating scientific insight into a game-changing solution for farmers.VISIT http://researchpark.illinois.edu/podcast/ for our entire catalog of episodes.

December 30, 2025Episode 31 hr 0 min

2025 Year in Review

This is a special episode to celebrate a great year at UIRP! Research Park’s Laura Appenzeller and Laura Bleill join the podcast to talk about important milestones from this year like the 25th anniversary of Research Park, 10th AgTech Summit, land expansions, startup updates, and more!VISIT researchpark.illinois.edu/podcast for the full catalog of episodes.

September 9, 2025Episode 253 min

S5E2: Dr. David Ruzic on Pioneering Plasma Physics Research

Dr. David Ruzic is Professor Emeritus in the Department of Nuclear, Plasma, & Radiological Engineering at UIUC , founder of Starfire Industries-- a company born at the Research Park-- and Director of the new Illinois Plasma Institute.He has spent his career not just pushing the boundaries of plasma physics, but making science unforgettable. He has lit up classrooms—often literally—with his engaging teaching style and explosive demos. He has taken research from the lab to the patent office and helped shape technologies for fusion reactors and advanced semiconductor manufacturing. He’s earned countless accolades in his field and has an active youtube channel called IllinoisEnergyProf with nearly 10 million views. Simply put—if you think science can’t be exciting, you haven’t met David Ruzic. Dr. Ruzic's YouTube- https://www.youtube.com/@illinoisenergyprof6878VISIT http://researchpark.illinois.edu/podcast/ for our entire catalog of episodes.

April 18, 2025Episode 138 min

S5E1: Cara Bognar - Founder & CEO of Top Tier Lessons

Cara Bognar is the Founder of Top Tier Lessons, a sports technology platform that connects collegiate student athletes with parents looking for sports lessons for their children. She’s an athlete herself, as a former team captain for Illini Swimming & Diving, and graduated from UIUC with dual degrees in Bioengineering and Innovation Leadership and Engineering Entrepreneurship (ILEE).Cara's LinkedIn- https://www.linkedin.com/in/carabognar/Top Tier Lessons- https://www.toptierlessons.com/VISIT http://researchpark.illinois.edu/podcast/ for our entire catalog of episodes.

January 21, 2025Episode 144 min

2024 at Research Park - Year in Review

This is a special episode to celebrate a great year at UIRP! Research Park’s very own Laura Appenzeller and Laura Bleill join the podcast to talk about startup and corporate highlights from the year, plans for 2025, industry trends, and more! VISIT researchpark.illinois.edu/podcast for the full catalog of episodes.

November 1, 2024Episode 532 min

S4E5: Jack Cui- CEO of Yummy Future

Jack Cui is Co-Founder and CEO of Yummy Future, a Y-Combinator backed robotic coffee shop with roots, and stores, at the University of Illinois. Yummy Future’s mission is to “enhance the artistry of the human barista by the precision and efficiency of robotics.” Jack's LinkedIn- https://www.linkedin.com/in/jack-cui-5b8651b5/ Yummy Future- https://www.yummy-future.com/ VISIT http://researchpark.illinois.edu/podcast/ for our entire catalog of episodes.

June 3, 2024Episode 418 min

S4E4: Dr. David Lomiashvili on Digital Identity Verification

Dr. David Lomiashvili is the CEO of Identomat which has created an innovative AI-powered KYC and identity verification solution. Prior to his current venture, Dr. Lomiashvili has an extensive pedigree in entrepreneurship, not to mention a PhD in Astrophysics. Tune in to hear about topics like digital identity verification, his career journey, and his outlook looking ahead. David's LinkedIn- https://www.linkedin.com/in/lomiashvili/ Identomat- https://www.identomat.com/ VISIT http://researchpark.illinois.edu/podcast/ for our entire catalog of episodes.

May 6, 2024Episode 353 min

S4E3: Matt Ahrens - Perspectives on AI from an NVIDIA Leader

Matt Ahrens oversees performance and tools work for the Accelerated Big Data Platforms group at NVIDIA. He’s a long-time leader in the University of Illinois community with a story that spans the 20-year history of the Research Park. Tune in to hear about his career journey, his perspectives learned along the way, and what he sees as the future of AI. ADDITIONAL LINKS- Matt's LinkedIn- https://www.linkedin.com/in/matt-ahrens-b62984/ NVIDIA at RP- https://researchpark.illinois.edu/tenant_directory/nvidia/ VISIT http://researchpark.illinois.edu/podcast/ for our entire catalog of episodes.

April 3, 2024Episode 238 min

S4E2: Beth Conerty- Transforming Central Illinois into a Leading Biomanufacturing Hub

Dr. Beth Conerty helps lead business development for the Integrated Bioprocessing Research Lab at the University of Illinois. She’s also the Regional Innovation Officer for the iFAB Tech Hub, an initiative created by the Biden administration to strengthen manufacturing innovation in America. Tune in to hear about the research area of bioprocessing and how it can transform the central Illinois economy! ADDITIONAL LINKS- VISIT http://researchpark.illinois.edu/podcast/ for our entire catalog of episodes.