With the $1.8 million grant from the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity DCEO), Sandburg will create an agriculture tech focused incubator in downtown Galesburg. President Dr. Seamus Reilly informs the space will provide opportunities for the entire community:
“We were very lucky to be awarded the $1.8 million grant from DCEO to be part of an innovator tech-hub. The 518 Collective is going to be located in the Annex. It will focus on agriculture innovation. The broad concept is to develop a space where we can provide entrepreneurial opportunities for members of our district. There are lots and lots of different types of programming that fit under that, so whether it be your basic startup entrepreneurial skills or how to write a business plan or bring a lawyer in to explain contract law, bring a bank manager in to explain how to go about setting yourself up to run a business, in addition to the office professional kinds of skills. Our plan will be to work with agricultural providers, as well as younger students out of high school to explore those new things, especially in the field of science and agronomy.”
The 518 Collective will be located in Sandburg’s Annex building at 209 East Main Street in downtown Galesburg along with the Workforce Development and Community Education Department.
