ISTC Press Releases
ISTC Releases 2023 Illinois Innovation Index on University Entrepreneurship
October 24, 2023 | Download Full Release
The Illinois Science and Technology Coalition (ISTC) today released new data on entrepreneurial endeavors pursued by faculty, staff, professors, and students across our 12 partnering institutions of higher education in Illinois. The unique data was released through ISTC’s Illinois Innovation Index on University Entrepreneurship, which focuses on new business creation in the state through university assistance and affiliation.
ISTC Board Chair Laura Appenzeller Announces Board Leadership Transition, Dr. Bill Payne to Succeed as New Board Chair
August 22, 2023 | Download Full Release
The Illinois Science and Technology Coalition (ISTC) today announced the transition of leadership of their Board of Directors. Laura Appenzeller, Executive Director of the University of Illinois Research Park and Assistant Vice Chancellor for Innovation at UIUC, finished her term as chair and Bill Payne, Executive Director of Science and Technology at the Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation at the University of Chicago, will succeed her as Board Chair.
ISTC Partners with Horizon Educational to Bring Hydrogen Grand Prix to Midwest
March 9, 2023 | Download Full Release
The Illinois Science and Technology Coalition (ISTC) and Horizon Educational are proud to announce a partnership that will bring the H2 Grand Prix (H2GP) to schools across the Midwest.
ISTC Awarded GET Cities Grant for Executive Founder Series
February 28, 2023 | Download Full Release
The Illinois Science & Technology Coalition (ISTC) today announced its Executive Founder Series Program, designed to drive connections between startup founders and investors, clients, and corporate sponsors.
ISTC Announces 2022 Researchers to Know
Nov 21, 2022 | Download Full Release
The Illinois Science & Technology Coalition (ISTC) today announced its fifth annual list of Researchers to Know from universities across Illinois.
ISTC Welcomes the Illinois State Treasurer’s Office as its Inaugural Sponsor of Venture Engine Program
Aug 4, 2022 | Download Full Release
The Illinois Science & Technology Coalition (ISTC) is pleased to announce that the Illinois State Treasurer’s Office has joined the Venture Engine program as its inaugural sponsor.
ISTC Welcomes Holly Copeland and Dr. Azurii Collier as New Board Members
June 9, 2022 | Download Full Release
The Illinois Science & Technology Coalition (ISTC) today announced the addition of two new members to its Board of Directors…
Illinois Science & Technology Coalition Announce New Innovation Partnership With TechNexus Venture Collaborative
November 23, 2021 | Download Full Release
The Illinois Science & Technology Coalition (ISTC) today announced its partnership with TechNexus Venture Collaborative as an innovation partner in it’s startup and corporate partner program – Venture Engine.
Bradley University Joins the Illinois Science & Technology Coalition
July 8, 2021 | Download Full Release
The Illinois Science & Technology Coalition (ISTC) today announced that Bradley University has joined ISTC as its newest member in strengthening the state’s innovation ecosystem and workforce pipeline.
Illinois Science & Technology Coalition Announces New Partnership with World Business Chicago
April 21, 2021 | Download Full Release
The Illinois Science & Technology Coalition (ISTC) today announced that World Business Chicago has joined ISTC as it’s newest member in strengthening the region’s innovation economy.
ISTC/I Announces Temitope Sadiku as New Board Member
March 18, 2021 | Download Full Release
The Illinois Science & Technology Coalition and Institute (ISTC/I) today announced the addition of a new member to its Board of Directors, Temitope (Tope) Sadiku, Global Head of Digital Employee Experience at The Kraft Heinz Company.
ISTC/I Announces Laura Frerichs as Board Chair
March 16, 2021 | Download Full Release
The Illinois Science & Technology Coalition and Institute (ISTC/I) today announced the election of Laura Frerichs, Executive Director of the University of Illinois Research Park as chair of its board of directors. As Executive Director, Laura Frerichs oversees the University of Illinois Research Park operations and development, manages the entrepreneurship programs at the University’s technology incubator, and supports the University’s economic development efforts. She has served on the Board for ISTC/I since 2013.
ISTC/I Welcomes Tyla Landry as new Operations Manager
January 25, 2021 | Download Full Release
The Illinois Science & Technology Coalition and Institute (ISTC/I) today announced Tyla Landry as the newest member of its team. As Operations Manager, she will manage all financial activities for ISTC/I and will have a hand in all operational activities for ISTC/I, including support for ISTC programs, communications, strategic event planning, and support for senior members of the organization as needed.
ISTC/I Welcomes DePaul University as new member
January 12, 2021 | Download Full Release
The Illinois Science & Technology Coalition and Institute (ISTC/I) today announced that DePaul University has joined ISTC as a member. DePaul University is a leading institution for entrepreneurship and business education in Illinois, and through numerous institutes and initiatives, DePaul is able to educate and empower students and alumni, connect its members with the Chicago business community, and accelerate entrepreneurship and innovation throughout the Chicago area.
ISTC/I Announces Two New Board Members
January 7, 2021 | Download Full Release
The Illinois Science & Technology Coalition and Institute (ISTC/I) today announced the addition of two new members to its Board of Directors, Bill Payne, PhD, Executive Director of Science and Technology at the Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation at the University of Chicago and Robert Patino, J.D., Director of Technology Transfer at the Southern Illinois University System.
Illinois Breaks Record for STEM Degrees
December 9, 2020 | Download Full Release
Illinois set a new record for bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) fields in 2019. The Illinois Science & Technology Coalition (ISTC) released the finding today through its Illinois Innovation Index, which reports on the key metrics of the state’s innovation economy.
ISTC/I Announces Two New Board Members
October 28, 2020 | Download Full Release
The Illinois Science & Technology Coalition and Institute (ISTC/I) today announced the appointment of two new members to its Board of Directors, Kumar Natesaiyer, Vice President, Corporate Innovation at USG and Dr. James Gillespie, PhD, JD, MPA, Director of Scientific Strategies at Sterling Bay.
Colleen D. Egan Named Chief Executive Officer at Illinois Science & Technology Coalition
July 13, 2020 | Download Full Release
ISTC today announced that its Board of Directors has selected Colleen D. Egan to serve as Chief Executive Officer for both ISTC and ISTI. Most recently, Colleen served as Director of People, Culture, & Endless Possibilities at Clarity Partners LLC for over two years. Colleen brings a unique skill set and extensive experience in healthcare, education, technology, startups, and entrepreneurship to ISTC and ISTI, where she will continue the mission of building a stronger, more inclusive talent pipeline in Illinois, and strengthening the State’s innovation economy.
Record Number of Startups Launched from Illinois Campuses
May 18, 2020 | Download Full Release
The Index found that 1,064 startups were founded on university campuses across Illinois over the past five academic years (2014-15 through 2018-19). These startups are the result of technology licensing, entrepreneurship programs, startup competitions and other university initiatives. The number of startups founded over the past five years is the highest ever tracked by the Index, and nearly double the amount founded over the previous five years, when 576 startups were founded from 2009-10 to 2013-14.
Illinois High Schools Team Up with Top Companies to Develop Next-Generation Solutions
April 23, 2019 | Download Full Release
This academic year, more than 1,000 students from 27 Illinois high schools teamed up with 17 of the state’s most innovative companies to address some of the most pressing business and community challenges as part of the Illinois Science and Technology Institute’s (ISTI) STEM Challenge Program. On April 26, students from each high school will present their innovative projects in four-minute presentations followed by Q&A led by their partner company.
ISTI Celebrates High School Student Research at Inaugural Showcase
March 20, 2019 | Download Full Release
The Illinois Science and Technology Institute (ISTI), a STEM education focused nonprofit that connects companies and universities with classrooms, will hold its first annual Student Research Showcase on Friday 22nd at MxD, formerly UI LABS. The event will feature presentations from 20 high school students, a subset of the 600 students from 19 Illinois high schools that conducted research projects throughout the 2019-19 school year with the support of more than 200 mentors from across the country.
ISTI Celebrates Record High School-Industry Partnerships
October 16, 2018 | Download Full Release
The Illinois Science & Technology Institute (ISTI), a STEM education focused nonprofit that connects companies with classrooms, today announced its highest level of participating high schools and industry and academic partners. Throughout the 2018-19 school year, ISTI will reach more than 2,100 students at 44 Illinois high schools – more than half from Chicago Public Schools – who will be paired with professionals working at some of the state’s most innovative corporations and universities.
ISTI Receives Motorola Solutions Foundation Innovation Generation Grant
September 06, 2018 | Download Full Release
The Illinois Science & Technology Institute (ISTI), today announced it has received a grant for $60,000 USD from Motorola Solutions Foundation, the charitable arm of Motorola Solutions, Inc. Through the grant, ISTI will continue to expand STEM Challenges and the Mentor Matching Engine (MME) to bring real world STEM experiences to Illinois’ students. Motorola Solutions Foundation awards grants each year to organizations, such as ISTI, which support and advance public safety programs and technology and engineering education initiatives.
More Than 1,400 High School Students Developed Concepts for New Products Through Annual Illinois Science & Technology Institute Program
April 26, 2018 | Download Full Release
This year, the program paired 16 of the state’s most innovative companies — Caterpillar, AbbVie and State Farm, to name a few — with 27 high schools, where more than 1,400 students tackled an authentic, real-world business problem facing the company. Over the course of a semester, students innovated alongside mentors from each of these companies and came up with new ideas, products, prototypes and designs.
New report highlights record number of university-supported startup creation and funding
April 04, 2018 | Download Full Release
Over the past five years, students and faculty of Illinois’ universities have founded 942 startups with the support of university technology licensing, entrepreneurship programs and competitions, and other university initiatives. This volume of startup activity is the largest since our entrepreneurship survey began, when just over 400 startups were spun out of the state’s universities from 2009 to 2013.
ISTI Celebrates Record Breaking STEM Challenge Partners
October 11, 2017 | Download Full Release
1,500 students at 40 Illinois high schools will team up with 16 leading corporations and universities to solve real challenges and conduct independent research. Each company will present a business-specific problem and mentor students both in-person and virtually throughout the course of the year.
1,200 Illinois students team up with businesses and universities to address major challenges
April 27, 2017 | Download Full Release
An innovative device to detect lead levels in drinking water, a patch to assist with medication adherence, a healthy breakfast bar, and a mobile app that connects patients with cancer – these are a few inventive solutions Illinois high school students have come up with in response to the Illinois Science and Technology Institute’s (ISTI) statewide STEM Challenge.
New report highlights record number of university-supported startups in Illinois
March 8, 2017 | Download Full Release
The Illinois Science and Technology Coalition (ISTC) today released new data showing record growth in entrepreneurial activity at the state’s universities as part of its Illinois Innovation Index, which reports on the key metrics of the state’s innovation economy. The report found that during the past five academic years, students and faculty at Illinois universities created 804 startups through technology licensing, entrepreneurship programs, competitions and other university initiatives, according to the self-reported data.
38 Illinois high schools team up with leading corporations and universities to innovate beyond the classroom
October 6, 2016 | Download Full Release
The Illinois Science & Technology Institute (ISTI), a STEM education focused nonprofit that connects companies with classrooms, today announced its participating high schools and industry and academic partners for the 2016-17 school year. This year’s program includes more than 2,000 students at 38 Illinois high schools, who will be paired with professionals working in STEM-related fields to collaborate on industry-focused problems and independent research projects.
ISTI Receives Motorola Solutions Foundation Innovation Generation Grant
July 12, 2016 | Download Full Release
The Illinois Science & Technology Institute (ISTI) today announced it has received a grant for $40,000 as part of the “Innovation Generation Grant” program from the Motorola Solutions Foundation, the charitable arm of Motorola Solutions, Inc. Through the grant, ISTI will continue to expand STEM Challenges and the Mentor Matching Engine (MME) to bring real world STEM experiences to Illinois’ students.
Students innovate to solve STEM challenges
May 16, 2016 | Download Full Release
What happens when 800+ high school students join forces with experts from some of the world’s most innovative companies? They tackle pressing problems that extend beyond the classroom.
This is the R&D STEM Learning Exchange, where Illinois students are solving real world STEM problems.
New Report Highlights Growth of University-Driven Startups in Illinois
March 8, 2016 | Download Full Release
The Illinois Science and Technology Coalition (ISTC) today released new data conveying the growth of entrepreneurial activity across the state’s universities as part of its Illinois Innovation Index, a publication that reports on key metrics of the state’s innovation economy. The announcement was made at the Illinois Institute of Technology’s University Technology Park with university leaders and leading university-driven entrepreneurs.