URBANA, Ill. — From medicine to fuel to laundry detergent, many everyday items now come from the bioeconomy — industries that rely on living organisms and natural processes to make products. The University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign is quickly becoming a national leader in this space, combining agriculture, biotechnology, and artificial intelligence to power sustainable innovation.
This month, the campus hosted global experts for events including Biofoundry Week and the Institute for Sustainability, Energy, and Environment’s 2025 Congress. The spotlight is on Illinois for good reason: its researchers are developing AI-driven labs, microbe-based herbicides, organic solar panels, and sustainable aviation fuels from crops like miscanthus.
As just a few examples, U. of I. researchers and industry partners are
- creating more active industrial enzymes in self-driving labs,
- designing organic photovoltaics that rival silicon solar cells,
- developing AI tools for the lab and field to accelerate crop improvement,
- identifying bioenergy crops best suited for conversion to sustainable aviation fuels,
- creating innovative microbe-derived herbicides,
- producing new pharmaceuticals from microbial cell factories, and more.
Federal policy has helped accelerate this shift. A 2022 executive order and a 2025 bipartisan commission report both called for rapid bio-based innovation to secure U.S. supply chains and economic independence. Illinois, with its agricultural strength and research depth, is uniquely positioned to lead.
Major initiatives like the Department of Energy-funded CABBI are turning crops into fuels and chemicals while creating scalable, climate-smart systems. At the same time, student training and public-private partnerships are preparing a skilled workforce and launching startups.
Illinois’ land-grant legacy, combined with cutting-edge science and industry collaboration, is fueling the next generation of the bioeconomy — right here in the Midwest.
