Deere and Company is investing $1 million to create a John Deere Technology Innovation Center with the University of Illinois to leverage the skills and knowledge of faculty and students in the areas of agriculture, business, engineering and information technology.

The new facility, which is expected to be ready by July, is located in the University Research Park in Champaign. It will create an accelerated innovation environment to assist Deere in utilizing advanced electronics, mechatronics, advanced sensors and control systems technology.

According to Deere, the new technology innovation center in Champaign will extend its capabilities to respond to the rapidly changing environment for John Deere's customers and businesses through leveraging U of I's capabilities.

The center will remain a satellite organization to John Deere's Moline Technology Innovation Center, which is located on the camps of the company's World Headquarters in Moline.