Global food company Cargill has partnered with the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in the US to open an Innovation Lab.

The lab at the research park will be used by university students to test their work to address challenges faced by global food and agriculture systems.

The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign chancellor Robert Jones said: “Cargill’s commitment to engaging our students in its innovation process will add a new dimension to their educational experiences at Illinois.

“I had the good fortune to visit Cargill’s headquarters and engage with their leadership in this process. I am excited that Cargill has decided to join the dynamic environment in our research park.

“We know our students are motivated by making an impact in their communities. There are few greater ways to do so than by helping Cargill fulfil its purpose of feeding the world.”

Expected to open later this year, the lab will be led by the company’s digital team of data scientists.

Students and the staff members will have the opportunity to work with Cargill’s business leaders, operations teams and customers to help push digital ideas.

With the innovation lab in place, Cargill will have a pipeline of software engineering and data science students, as well as graduates, prepared to upgrade agricultural supply chains and food systems globally.

Cargill digital labs team vice-president Keith Narr said: “We are on a constant search for innovations and new talent, whose fresh thinking can help us bring new technologies to life.

“With an impressive engineering and computer science programme, the University of Illinois is an ideal partner to spur the growth and innovation in our digital business.”

In June, Cargill opened its first innovation centre in Singapore that aims to address the nutrition and food safety needs of its customers.

The centre not only helps customers in the Asia Pacific region to anticipate market forces and shift consumer values around tastes, but also connects them to a global network of ten other innovation centres and 2,000 food scientists.

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