AMES, Iowa – Iowa State University Research Park and Alliant Energy in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, have announced a new multi-tenant collaboration space to be built, beginning in June, at the Research Park as a hub for digital and precision agriculture innovation.

“This project is the latest in our long-standing partnership with Alliant Energy,” said Rick Sanders, Iowa State Research Park president. “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 will provide more than 85,000 square feet for Iowa State’s College of Agriculture and Life Science’s Digital Ag Innovation team, and agriculture-based business tenants to access technology, research, development, and each other for innovation opportunities primarily focused on digital and precision agriculture.

Officials said the new lab will pair collaborative office and agricultural workshop space to allow for a unique and innovative work environment in central Iowa.

John Larsen, Alliant Energy chair and CEO, said over 70 percent of the building will feature high bay and lab space, with the Iowa State digital and precision agriculture program leveraging this new space to “grow and become a world leader in agricultural technological 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,” he said. “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.”

Alison Doyle, recently promoted from chief relationship director to associate director of Iowa State University Research Park, agreed with Sanders, saying Alliant Energy and Iowa State have a long-term partnership that spans many years.

“For instance, the Iowa State University College of Agriculture and Life Sciences recently announced a solar farm collaboration and Alliant Energy previously invested in the Iowa State University Research Park-based Center for Industrial Research and Service Digital Manufacturing Lab, powered by Alliant Energy,” she said.

“Both of these projects are ultimately aimed at providing Alliant customers with forward-thinking innovation solutions,” she added.

She said the new lab concept discussions began more than five years ago. “The Iowa State University Research Park was seeing an increased need for high bay workspace, and we were also seeing a surge in Iowa-based manufacturing companies seeking innovation and workforce solutions in the digital and precision agriculture space,” she said.

“The Iowa State University Research Park had a model in place for organic innovation-based collisions to occur in our Iowa State University economic development core facility, and the idea was born to create a similar space,” she added, “specific to precision agriculture.”

She said, “Alliant was interested in investing as they have many customers throughout the state interested in innovation in the precision agriculture space, and they also wanted to serve as a catalyst for helping those businesses and individuals come together to create next-generation solutions.”

She said the facility will contain space for companies engaged in collaborative work with Iowa State’s Digital Agriculture Innovation team, and will include “a robust atrium and shared conferencing spaces to encourage collaboration between stakeholders.”

The research team, led by Matt Darr, Iowa State professor of agricultural engineering, is responsible for more than 50 percent of industry research at the university. The team has more than 70 patents and distinct tech-transfer outcomes, as well as 32 products sold globally that impact agriculture daily.

Officials said 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 lab will allow the team extended space to scale and collaborate more deeply with companies from across the state on agriculture technology projects.

“Iowa State’s Digital Agriculture Innovation team was also working with the research park on scaling their operation and expanding their footprint due to their exceptional track record they have working with corporate partners, and the marriage of all three of these concepts under one roof just made sense,” Doyle said.

Construction of the new lab is slated to start in June, and the building will open in the fall of 2024.