In the project, the university is a member of three elite international institutions: the University of Illinois, the University of Chicago and Northwestern University
For the first time in Israeli academia: Tel Aviv University is one of the four founding partners in a project led by the University of Illinois - the establishment of an innovation and entrepreneurship center in the heart of Chicago, called the Discovery Partners Institute (DPI). The other two founders are the University of Chicago and Northwestern University. All the partnerships are among the leading research institutions in the world, and in the coming months, more elite institutions are expected to join the project.
The ambitious project received the blessing of Illinois Governor Bruce Rauner and Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel. The Illinois State House of Representatives allocated $500 million to build the center in Chicago and deploy a network of innovation centers throughout Illinois. This coming December, a celebratory event will be held in Chicago with the participation of Tel Aviv University President Prof. Yossi Klifter. University of Illinois System President Prof. Tim Killeen announced that the first new building is expected to open its doors in 2021.
The new center will engage in research and teaching in the fields of entrepreneurship and innovation, and will place emphasis on topics that are currently at the forefront of science and society, including cyber security, artificial intelligence, big data
((Big Data and food security. Tel Aviv University will operate laboratories, classrooms and offices at the site, for the use of undergraduate and graduate students and university faculty members, who will be there for study and research purposes. The subject of entrepreneurship will be closely woven into the fabric of DPI, with an emphasis on building companies news, connecting start-up companies with venture capital funds, and creating connections between new companies and old companies operating in the same markets. The first group of students from the Kohler Faculty of Management has already stayed at the center (which is currently operating in an existing building), and the activity is expected to expand with the construction of the state-of-the-art facilities.
Tel Aviv University President Prof. Yossi Klefter said: "The fact that Tel Aviv University was added as an equal founding partner to this important initiative testifies to its solid position and central place in the international arena when it comes to entrepreneurship and innovation. This is an expression of the university's success in training generations of successful entrepreneurs, and its excellent achievements in the field of research."
The vice president of the university, Prof. Raanan Rein added: "This is another link in a series of steps that increase the visibility of Tel Aviv University in Europe, North and South America and Asia, especially when it comes to innovation and development."
"Tel Aviv University is a powerful global engine of education, entrepreneurship and the creation of world-class companies, a cornerstone of Israel's position as a world leader in the development of startup companies that drive progress and economic growth," said Tim Killeen, president of the University of Illinois system. "This is the same pioneering and leading culture, always focused on looking ahead, that we are working to expand in Illinois, and we are very happy that Tel Aviv University will help direct our efforts."
