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Proud to CHOOSE GREATER PEORIA

February 18, 2022

GPEDC Weekend Update- February 18, 2022


Welcome Trajectory Energy: I am pleased to welcome Trajectory Energy Partners as a new investor in Greater Peoria EDC. Trajectory Energy is a solar development company with projects currently under development or planning in Knox, Marshall, Tazewell and Peoria counties. They develop both smaller “community solar” projects as well as much larger “utility scale” solar fields. Their projects are great job creators during construction and greatly increase land value and property taxes after completion. From a business perspective, greater investment in “green economy” projects also helps promote our region for both business and talent attraction. Our thanks to Trajectory Energy for recognizing the value of regional economic development.

At Issue: A few weeks ago, H Wayne Wilson of WTVP reached out for some help identifying some “under the radar” good news business growth stories. We were able to connect him three Greater Peoria startups at various stages of their journey. His most recent edition of  “At Issue” features Bear’s Bites, a small organic pet food company that just expanded to a larger facility in East Peoria; Veloxity Labs, a contract research organization which just established itself at the Peoria Next Innovation Center; and VirtuSense, a Peoria Next graduate with over 100 employees across the country that uses artificial intelligence to prevent falls.  My thanks to H for helping to showcase three great companies. Make sure you give the show a watch.

AgTech Connect: Our friends at the Morton EDC have taken the lead in a new regional collaboration called Shaping the Future of Agriculture. Partnering with GPEDC, Distillery Labs, Illinois Central College and the Bradley SBDC, the effort seeks to grow economic opportunity, sustainable growth and stimulate innovations.  This is a key industry for our region. The first AgTech Connect session will seek to bridge the connections and fuel the ecosystem to explore solutions and collaborative innovation on Friday, February 25 from 1 – 3 pm.  These quarterly AgTech Connect Sessions are to produce “purposeful collisions” creating greater yields for people, products, innovation and crop production. Please pass this invitation on to any farmers, agriculture companies and AgTech innovators in your network. There is no cost to attend, but please RSVP to reserve your seat and dessert. Register here.  

Reminder – GP2030 HR and Realtor Training:  As part of the GP2030 Talent Attraction Campaign, we are hosting the Greater Peoria 2030 Welcome Wagon Seminar on Thursday, February 24 at the Scottish Rite Theater.  We are inviting real estate agents, human resource professionals and frankly anyone who wants to be a booster for Greater Peoria to learn more about our campaign and the tools being developed to make their jobs easier. Please pass this invitation on to any realtors or HR recruiters in your network. The event is free, but we’d ask people to register by February 21 here