A Northern Illinois University business and technology accelerator based in Rockford is linking up with a federally-funded research and development organization in Chicago.
Illinois Senator Dick Durbin and Representative Cheri Bustos will join NIU President Doug Baker and leaders of the Digital Manufacturing & Design Innovation Instituteat NIU-Rockford on Monday to announce the new affiliation between the Institute and NIUEIGERlab. EIGERlab officials say the affiliation will help support innovation among Rockford area manufacturers.
The Institute is a consortium of public and private partners led by the University of Illinois’ UI Labs. It is one of a handful around the country that form the National Network for Manufacturing Innovationestablished by President Barack Obama to spur advances in manufacturing.
NIU EIGERlab officials say the Institute’s goals are well aligned with the goals of the NIU EIGERlab Innovation Network. Those are to help enhance the local environment for innovation, and connect Rockford area companies and entrepreneurs with mutually beneficial partnerships and opportunities around the region, the state and the country.
EIGERlab says the Institute offers projects and educational opportunities that will help support those goals.
