News Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Iowa State University Research Park announces new Alliant Energy Agriculture Innovation Lab
New collaboration space will be built as hub for digital and precision agriculture innovation
AMES, IA – (March 23, 2023) – Iowa State University Research Park (ISURP) and Alliant Energy announce a new multi-tenant collaboration space to be built at ISURP this summer.
The Alliant Energy Agriculture Innovation Lab will provide more than 85,000 square feet for ISU’s College of Agriculture and Life Science’s Digital Ag Innovation team as well as agriculture-based business tenants to access technology, research, development and each other for innovation opportunities primarily focused on digital and precision agriculture.
“This project is the latest in our long-standing partnership with Alliant Energy,” said Rick Sanders, president, Iowa State University Research Park. “Our mutual goal, to invest and innovate in the agriculture industry, will take a significant step forward in this collaborative new building. It will afford us the opportunity to create an epicenter of agricultural innovation here in the Midwest.”
The Alliant Energy Agriculture Innovation Lab is expected to be completed by the fall of 2024. It will pair collaborative office and agricultural workshop space to allow for a unique and innovative work environment in Central Iowa. Over 70% of the building will feature high bay and lab space. The ISU digital and precision agriculture program will leverage this new space to grow and become a world leader in ag tech innovation.
“Alliant Energy is proud to partner with Iowa State University and Iowa State University Research Park to advance innovative research through this forward-thinking and strategic project,” said John Larsen, Chairman & CEO, Alliant Energy. “Creating space for the emergence of cutting-edge technology and collaboration opportunities in agriculture innovation will help build stronger communities across Iowa, the Midwest and beyond.”
The facility will contain space for companies engaged in collaborative work with the Digital Agriculture Innovation team. It will also include a robust atrium and shared conferencing spaces to encourage collaboration between stakeholders.
The research team, led by Iowa State professor Dr. Matt Darr, is responsible for more than 50% of industry research at Iowa State. The team boasts more than 70 patents and distinct tech transfer outcomes as well as 32 products sold globally that impact agriculture daily. This accounts for significant external investment in Iowa through federal and industry partnerships and the support and creation of more than 300 central Iowa based agriculture technology jobs. The new Alliant Energy Agriculture Innovation Lab will allow the team extended space to scale and collaborate more deeply with companies from across the state on agriculture technology projects.
The lab will be located on Iowa State University Research Park land, just south of the Ames Fitness Center on University Boulevard. The facility will be a front door to the vast array of agricultural and scaling assets at ISU Research Park and ISU College of Agriculture and Life Science’s Research Farms, including the Alliant Energy Solar Farm at Iowa State University. The building is envisioned to be the first of a multi-phase expansion at the research park in the precision and digital agriculture space.
Renderings of the Alliant Energy Agriculture Innovation Lab can be found here.
About Alliant Energy
Alliant Energy Corporation (NASDAQ: LNT) provides regulated energy service to 995,000 electric and 425,000 natural gas customers across Iowa and Wisconsin. Alliant Energy’s mission is to deliver energy solutions and exceptional service customers and communities count on – safely, efficiently and responsibly. Interstate Power and Light Company (IPL) and Wisconsin Power and Light Company (WPL) are Alliant Energy’s two public energy companies. Alliant Energy is a component of the Nasdaq CRD Sustainability Index, Bloomberg’s Gender-Equality Index, and the S&P 500. For more information, visit alliantenergy.com and follow Alliant Energy on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
About Iowa State University Research Park
Iowa State University Research Park is a 550+ acre development with more than 800,000 square feet of workspace in 17 buildings, an innovation community and incubator for new and expanding businesses. The Park was founded to provide the space and resources needed to advance science-based initiatives and assist startups and Iowa-based companies develop their potential by nurturing scientific and technological entrepreneurial ventures. The Park connects tenants with resources they need to profit from their research, including facilities, expertise, technology, financing, talent, and more. For more information, visit www.isupark.org and follow Iowa State University Research Park on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
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Media Contacts:
Melissa McCarville, Alliant Energy
319.786.4169
melissamccarville@alliantenergy.com
Alison Doyle, Iowa State University Research Park
515.509.3361