The Office of the Governor of the State of Illinois

02/03/2026 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 02/04/2026 15:10

Governor Pritzker Awards $2.4 Million to 34 Companies Through Innovation Voucher Program, Announces Round III

Funding supports statewide research and development partnerships with universities across key industries
CHICAGO - Today, Governor JB Pritzker and the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) announced 34 awards totaling $2.4 million through the Illinois Innovation Voucher Program to promote small business growth and strengthen research collaborations across Illinois. Additionally, the Governor announced $2.6 million available in grant funding for the third round of the Innovation Voucher Program. Grantees will be selected through a competitive application process.
"The Innovation Voucher Program is enhancing research and development across key sectors - solidifying Illinois' reputation as a center for innovation. These investments grow our economy, empower our small businesses, and encourage collaboration between startups and Illinois' renowned universities," said Governor JB Pritzker. "I look forward to seeing groundbreaking research come to fruition and I encourage all eligible businesses to apply for the next round of funding for this transformative program."
Under Governor Pritzker's leadership, Illinois has continued to expand its standing as a national innovation hub by connecting small businesses with the state's world-class universities and research institutions. Through competitive awards of up to $75,000, the program enables companies to pursue research and development (R&D) projects in partnership with a qualified Illinois institute of higher education that support technology validation, accelerate product development, and strengthen commercialization pathways.
"Illinois has a business community that continues to push the boundaries of what's possible, connecting them with our world-class educational institutions just makes sense," said Lieutenant Governor Juliana Stratton. "Innovation takes time and resources, something small businesses now have access to with this program. There is no limit to how far Illinoisans can go!"
As the program enters its third year, participation from Illinois' higher education institutions has broadened significantly, reflecting a deepening alignment between academic research capabilities and private-sector innovation needs. This expanded network is helping more companies access university expertise, research facilities, and technical resources across the state.
"The first two rounds of the Innovation Voucher Program have supported successful partnerships among Illinois' world-class institutes of higher education and small businesses as they collaborate on transformative projects in key sectors," said DCEO Director Kristin Richards. "I encourage eligible entities to apply for the third round of funding to help foster innovation throughout the state."
Awardees in the 2025 cohort represent a diverse mix of high-growth industries across Illinois, including artificial intelligence, quantum technologies, health and life sciences, clean energy and energy storage, food and agricultural innovation, and semiconductor and advanced materials development. These university-business partnerships will advance cutting-edge research, accelerate technology development, and reinforce Illinois' position as a national leader in research-driven innovation.

Grantee

City

Award Amount

University Partner

Industry / Project Theme

Archer Career

Chicago

$74,950.30

DePaul University

Education

Arma Biosciences

Evanston

$74,676.80

Northwestern University

Health care

Aster Space Technologies LLC

Chicago

$75,000.00

Northwestern University

Space Tech

BAnta Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

Naperville

$74,999.08

University of Illinois Chicago, Illinois Institute of Technology

Health care

Biagon Inc.

Chicago

$74,921.97

University of Illinois Chicago

Health care

Cellmend Technologies

Glen Ellyn

$74,999.98

Northwestern University

Health care

Coral Innovations

Glenview

$74,742.20

Northwestern University

Clean Tech

Enzyme by Design Inc.

Chicago

$74,999.60

University of Illinois Chicago

Health care

Grapherry

Western Springs

$75,000.00

University of Illinois Chicago

Energy

ImmPro, Inc.

Evanston

$74,679.78

Northwestern University

Health care

Kilwa Technologies

Chicago

$75,000.00

Northwestern University

Fin Tech

Lux Blox LLC

Galesburg

$56,432.86

Bradley University

Education

memQ, Inc.

Chicago

$62,314.19

University of Chicago

Quantum

Midwest Bioprocessing Center

Peoria

$74,983.28

University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Health care

NETenergy

Chicago

$74,985.86

Illinois Institute of Technology

Energy

Opera Bioscience

Evanston

$75,000.00

Northwestern University

Health care

Phoenix Bean LLC

Chicago

$74,141.44

University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Food Tech

Qolab, Inc.

Chicago

$75,000.00

Northwestern University

Quantum

Retina Robotics™

Naperville

$57,956.78

University of Illinois Chicago

Transportation and Logistics

Says

Chicago

$74,577.71

Northwestern University

Technology

Seq Solutions

Chicago

$20,173.29

Loyola University Chicago

Clean Tech

Sibel Health Inc

Chicago

$74,999.02

Northwestern University

Health care

Sigenics, Inc

Chicago

$74,902.96

Illinois Institute of Technology

Semiconductor

SMARTCharts

Chicago

$74,309.04

University of Illinois Chicago

Health care

SolarMantle

Champaign

$75,000.00

University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Manufacturing

SuperBetter

Glen Ellyn

$74,922.31

Northern Illinois University

Education

Tanda Biotech Corporation

Buffalo Grove

$74,957.00

University of Illinois Chicago

Health care

TearDx, LLC

Champaign

$75,000.00

University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Health care

The Loop Speech, Language, and Learning

Chicago

$74,653.35

DePaul University

Health care

Tiptek, LLC

Savoy

$74,999.98

University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Semiconductor

Ultra Small Fibers

Niles

$75,000.00

IIT, Northwestern

Health care

UP Oncolytics

North Chicago

$74,973.26

Rosalind Franklin University

Health care

Valjuvant Corporation

Chicago

$74,999.92

University of Chicago

Health care

Vastimmune Biologics Inc.

Champaign

$74,999.47

University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Health care



Recognizing the success of the first two rounds of the program, DCEO has enlisted Illinois Science & Technology Coalition (ISTC) to continue serving as the program administrator responsible for marketing, outreach, application review, technical portal support for applicants, application portal development, and efficient processing of payments.
"The Illinois Innovation Voucher Program has been transformative. By increasing R&D activity and establishing dynamic partnerships, Illinois is better positioned to produce new products and services, retain and attract businesses, and offer competitive opportunities for our talent pipeline," said ISTC CEO Kate Calabra. "This creates an environment that not only welcomes and supports innovation, but directly benefits from the short- and long-term impact of comprehensive economic development. ISTC is proud to administer this program and endlessly impressed by the ingenuity within each awarded project. The next life-saving drug, industry disruptor, or technology-that-we-can't-imagine-life- without is undoubtedly emerging as a result of this program and Illinois' investment in its resident innovators."
In 2025, interest in the Innovation Voucher Program reached record levels. Application submissions rose by 145% compared to 2024. At the same time, program engagement increased by approximately 137%, as more companies sought to learn about the program, explore its benefits, and understand how university-supported R&D can support their development goals. The program has also seen more universities participate across a broader geographic footprint, indicating that institutions increasingly view the program as a reliable pathway for applied research, student experiential learning, and technology translation.
"Congratulations to the 34 partnerships throughout Illinois that were awarded funding to support their transformative projects through the Innovation Voucher Program," said Senator Celina Villanueva. "Spanning numerous high-growth sectors, these innovative projects have the power to support development goals and solidify Illinois' leadership as a hub for innovation."
The third round of the Innovation Voucher Program will build upon the State's efforts to support innovative research and development projects. Innovation Vouchers are designed to support with research engagement costs, including the sharing of technologies, knowledge, facilities, equipment necessary for project needs, and more.
Eligible entities include Illinois-based businesses with fewer than 500 employees or businesses that have at least 100 full-time employees in Illinois that operate in key industries, including agribusiness and agriculture technology, energy, information technology, life sciences and health care, manufacturing, and transportation and logistics.
Qualified entities can apply for competitive grants, with awards up to $75,000, to cover up to 75% of research engagement costs. Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis until funds are exhausted. To view application information and apply for the grant, please visit the program website.

The Office of the Governor of the State of Illinois published this content on February 03, 2026, and is solely responsible for the information contained herein. Distributed via Public Technologies (PUBT), unedited and unaltered, on February 04, 2026 at 21:10 UTC. If you believe the information included in the content is inaccurate or outdated and requires editing or removal, please contact us at [email protected]