Transforming Chicago's Tech Scene

From the heart of Champaign-Urbana to the skylines of Chicago, a deep connection runs. You can see it through our alumni who have called both cities home, our faculty who lead pioneering efforts in each location, and our partners in academia and industry who recognize the Illinois Silicon Prairie as a single, unified force. Through close collaborations with the State of Illinois to our role as part of the Discovery Partners Institute and beyond, The Grainger College of Engineering plays a vital role in Chicago’s tech ecosystem.

Training the Next Generation of Chicago Engineers and Connecting Companies with Top Talent ✶✶✶✶

Nearly 27,000 Illinois Grainger Engineering alumni currently live in the Chicago metro area — approximately 24% percent of our overall base! Every day, they’re bringing the skills and knowledge they’ve gained through a world-class education to their work, contributing to Chicago’s tech hub in a big way.

But students don’t need to leave the city for access to our top-ranked programs. In addition to 13 graduate degree programs and 9 graduate certificate programs that are all fully online, Illinois Grainger Engineering offers a cutting-edge Master of Computer Science directly in downtown Chicago. This flexible program, which allows students to attend classes in the city or through an online hybrid model, gives tomorrow’s engineers the opportunity to learn from leading faculty in the field while providing high-level opportunities for corporate engagement in the area, creating a direct tech talent pipeline between our two cities.

Chicago companies that are looking for elite employees also have exclusive access to accomplished Illinois Grainger undergraduates through our City Scholars program. Students accepted into the program work for a Chicago-based tech company during a semester-long internship, building their skills while continuing their education in the city.

By combining Illinois Grainger Engineering’s top-notch education with Chicago’s vibrant tech scene, we’re providing an ideal experience for our students — and building Chicago’s future leaders. The connections our students make through our programs often result in full-time employment, successfully growing Chicago’s tech ecosystem and further enhancing the Illinois Silicon Prairie.

Leading the Revolution in Quantum Technology and Innovation ✶✶✶✶

Home to half the state’s quantum faculty with over 65 scientists, 170 graduate students and 40 postdocs, Illinois Grainger Engineering is creating the future of quantum technology, serving the state — and the world — on the grandest possible scale.

We’re a founding partner of Chicago-based Duality, the first accelerator program in the nation exclusively dedicated to startup companies focused on quantum science and technology. Our Illinois Quantum Information Science and Technology Center (IQUIST) is a core member of the Chicago Quantum Exchange, one of the largest collaborative teams working on quantum science in the world. And in July 2024, Illinois Grainger Engineering announced its leadership role in the new Illinois Quantum and Microelectronics Park, or IQMP.

Seeded by $500 million in state funding, this first-of-its-kind quantum-focused research and development campus will also be located in Chicago. Illinois Grainger Engineering Associate Dean for Research and Founder Professor Harley Johnson has been named its inaugural director and CEO. Laura Appenzeller, assistant vice chancellor for innovation and executive director of Research Park at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, will serve as associate director and chief operating officer, and Brian DeMarco, Illinois Grainger Engineering professor of physics and director of IQUIST, will serve as associate director and chief technology officer.

At IQMP, DeMarco believes researchers and industry collaborators will unlock the power of quantum computing to enable new approaches to drug discovery, financial fraud detection, climate prediction and more. In partnership with industry leaders like PsiQuantum and IBM, the State of Illinois, and the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), IQMP will help propel development of a quantum market that has a predicted worth of $2 trillion in the next decade. It’s projected to create thousands of jobs in Chicago and generate up to $20 billion in economic impact.

With IQMP, the quantum prairie revolution is here — and Illinois Grainger Engineering is poised to bring its loftiest visions to fruition.

Building a Successful Startup Culture ✶✶✶✶

Entrepreneurship has long been embedded in Illinois Grainger Engineering’s culture. We even have an entire center devoted to the cause! But did you know that we bring that same enterprising spirit to the Windy City?

Many of our most entrepreneurial alumni have set up shop in Chicago over the years. Successful startup stories range from ASL Aspire, an online educational platform that provides STEM education for K-12 Deaf students and their teachers, to Prenosis, which uses artificial intelligence to supply physicians with real-time information to predict future risks and improve patient outcomes (and whose Sepsis ImmunoScore TM was named one of Time’s best inventions of 2024).

Both companies got their start at Illinois Grainger Engineering. They also participated in our annual Cozad New Venture Challenge, which provides mentoring to teams throughout the phases of venture creation and culminates in a competition awarding up to $550,000 in funding and in-kind prizes. Similarly, Illinois Grainger engineers are given the opportunity to partner with University of Chicago students and participate in the University of Chicago’s College New Venture Challenge through our nine-week Startup City Scholars premier accelerator program.

These are but a few examples of our startup culture in action. The Illinois Grainger Engineering entrepreneurial ecosystem consistently produces Chicago-based companies that are changing the world. We can’t wait to see who’s next!

Engineering Technologies to Understand and Treat Inflammation, a Key Factor in Many Diseases ✶✶✶✶

Together with Northwestern University and the University of Chicago, the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign is leading advancements in human health at the Chan Zuckerberg (CZ) Biohub Chicago. In 2023, this biomedical research hub became the first expansion of the CZ Biohub Network — a group of nonprofit research institutes where researchers across many fields and universities unite to solve the grand challenges of our time.

Illinois Grainger engineers are at the forefront of CZ Biohub Chicago’s efforts, in which engineering technologies are being used to study human biology. Researchers are currently developing tools to make the first holistic and direct measurements of inflammation in human tissue, which will let them monitor immune cell activity in real time. The institute’s goal is to provide answers related to how inflammation begins and how it can be controlled to combat such diseases as cancer, heart disease and Alzheimer’s.

Expanding Access to Engineering and Computing Education ✶✶✶✶

Illinois Grainger Engineering is committed to making engineering and computer education more accessible throughout Chicago — in fact, it’s in our DNA as part of a land-grant institution.

In October, we proudly launched the Engineering Access Alliance in partnership with City Colleges of Chicago. Building on the success of our Engineering Pathways program, the Engineering Access Alliance offers students at City Colleges a streamlined process for transfer into Illinois Grainger Engineering. Through academic excellence and jointly delivered holistic support, it will provide students with the means to develop the cutting-edge skills needed to solve the complex challenges of tomorrow — and these students will, in turn, drive the city of Chicago even further upon graduation.

The Engineering Access Alliance is poised to create a more inclusive future in engineering and computing. By shaping the next generation of engineers, Illinois Grainger Engineering and City Colleges are not just meeting industry needs together — we’re redefining the landscape of Chicago’s tech sector and beyond.