Every traffic jam has a cost: lost time, missed deliveries, and millions in economic drag. At the University of Illinois Chicago, publicly funded research is driving innovation to help Illinois move smarter. At the center of it all is the Gateway Traveler Information System, a data platform used by thousands of travelers and agencies each month. 

Growing up, Pierre Paul thought all the great inventions had already been made — back when Socrates and Plato were still debating big ideas. But as he aged, he noticed something most overlooked: accessibility tech hadn’t kept pace. That realization led to We Hear You, a Peoria-based startup building assistive tech that’s elegant and effective.

Every time his startup celebrates a big win, Gabe Tavas hears the voice of his middle school science teacher. “Think bold, be curious, and do the research,” she’d say — words that led him to the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, where he surrounded himself with makers, researchers, and entrepreneurs.

State support for research is not abstract. In Illinois, it shows up in bricks, mortar, and the momentum of 48,000 new jobs projected in the decade ahead. In 2022, Gov. JB Pritzker announced the release of $37.3 million in capital funding to accelerate development at five hubs of the Illinois Innovation Network.

When Denise Brown graduated from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign in 1985, she had no idea she'd one day return to campus not as a student — but as a client. She found the perfect partner to scale her small business in the University of Illinois System’s Diverse Supplier Development Program.

As the roar of the crowd faded at the finish line of the 2023 Chicago Marathon, one exhausted runner could barely make it a few steps — unable to stand on his own. That’s when University of Illinois Chicago kinesiology students Michael Alvero and Alex Garber stepped in. 

For years, Andrea Barcenas feared missing a doctor’s appointment with her mother. Not just for emotional support — she was the translator. Without Andrea, Juana Garcia struggled to follow treatment plans, ask questions, or fully understand the very serious need for a kidney transplant.

New technology could make farms more effective and efficient, thanks to the Coles County Extension FarmBot Project. With global demand for food rising and natural resources under pressure, tools like FarmBot could transform how growers manage crops, increase yields, and support food security — in Illinois and beyond. 

When Damon S. Williams arrived at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign in the 1970s, he didn’t have a clear path — just a physics degree, a civil engineering job, and a question: What do I do with the rest of my life? He got his answer in an unexpected place: a conversation that began like a job interview with Professor Richard S. Engelbrecht.