Americas Competitiveness Exchange (ACE)
The University of Illinois System’s long-standing commitment to shaping the state’s economic future through education, research, and innovation continued to spread as dozens of senior global leaders visited for the Americas Competitiveness Exchange (ACE), held in Illinois from April 27 to May 2, 2025.
The conference brought 50 delegates from around the world to Illinois, all eager to engage in discussion on economic and workforce development, technology, energy, logistics, and life sciences — all key points of interest and areas of potential collaboration.
During the week-long program, high-level decision-makers engaged with Illinois’ dynamic innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystem. Participants met with leaders from the public sector, private sector, and academia in Chicago, Champaign-Urbana, Aurora, Naperville, Peoria and Elgin.
The U of I System-led Illinois Innovation Network (IIN) played a key role in OAS and the federal government choosing Illinois for its most recent ACE edition. IIN’s public university-based hubs join with industry and communities on entrepreneurship, research, and workforce development across the state.
The U of I System shared with delegates the history and progress of quantum endeavors across its enterprise. UIUC experts showed the brainpower behind the work — physicists, computer scientists, and authorities from a host of other disciplines. ACE participants gained understanding of the future of quantum exemplified in the system-led Illinois Quantum and Microelectronics Park, as well as the need for pre-quantum training to build a powerful quantum workforce.
ACE Illinois was convened by the Organization of American States (OAS) and the United States Government, through the Department of Commerce (Economic Development Administration and the International Trade Administration) and the Department of State (Permanent Mission to the OAS). The local organizer and host was the State of Illinois, through the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity and the University of Illinois System, specifically the Office of the Vice President for Economic Development and Innovation.
> Read more about ACE Illinois 2025, including partnerships forged at the event.
