Students and staff at the innovation lab will work directly with Cargill business leaders, operations teams and customers to advance digital ideas to test mode

food

Image: Cargill will open innovation lab to help modernise global food and agriculture system. Photo: courtesy of Pete Linforth from Pixabay.

Cargill is set to open a new innovation lab at the Research Park at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

Cargill innovation lab will enable students of the university to test their work for addressing major challenges faced by the food and agriculture systems across the world.

Cargill innovation lab at the University of Illinois

Managed by Cargill’s digital labs team of data scientists, the innovation lab students and staff can directly coordinate with Cargill business leaders, operations teams and customers to advance digital ideas to test mode within weeks.

University of Illinois’ Urbana-Champaign chancellor Robert Jones said: “Cargill’s commitment to engaging our students in its innovation process will add a new dimension to their educational experiences at Illinois.

“I had the good fortune to visit Cargill’s headquarters and engage with their leadership in this process. I am excited that Cargill has decided to join the dynamic environment in our Research Park.”

With the support of software engineering and data science students and graduates, the innovation lab will help Cargill to modernise agricultural supply chains and food systems through new technologies across the globe.

Following a successful first phase of the partnership, including a 12-week internship programme, the innovation lab will formally open this fall.

Cargill digital labs team vice president Keith Narr said: “We are on a constant search for new innovations and new talent, whose fresh thinking can help us bring new technologies to life.

“With an impressive engineering and computer science program, the University of Illinois is an ideal partner to spur the growth and innovation in our digital business.”

With more than 160,000 employees in 70 countries/regions, Cargill offers food, agriculture, financial and industrial products and services to its customers across the world.

The Research Park at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign serves as a hub for startup companies and corporate research and development operations. The Research Park houses 120 companies that employ students and full-time technology professionals.