Illinois has seen significant amounts of economic growth in 2024. In particular, Illinois doubled private investments from $6.3 billion in 2023 to $12.5 billion, quadrupling the number of retained jobs. Illinois also doubled company investments in the clean energy economy from $2 billion to $4 billion and achieved significant growth in key sectors including quantum computing, record-breaking tourism, and exports.

Aside from this, Illinois has grown to become the top exporting state in the Midwest. Additionally, Illinois is ranked fifth in the nation for its export sales. Illinois experienced another record-breaking year with export sales over $78.7 billion in 2023.

Illinois is home to many airports, railways, and shipping ports, which give companies a direct way to move their products all across the globe. Since 2019, Illinois exports have increased by 32%.

Last year, Illinois made monumental economic developments, particularly one that brings the state to the forefront of a premier technological industry. Last summer, the state announced a major Manufacturing Illinois Chips for Real Opportunity Act agreement with PsiQuantum – a leading quantum computing company set to build the first practical, error-corrected quantum computer at the Illinois Quantum and Microelectronics Park in Chicago.

Quantum computing is emerging as a cutting-edge sector of computer science that focuses on solving large problems through the use of quantum mechanics. Quantum computers, as opposed to normal super computers, use qubits instead of bits to store information and process the data differently. These computers can solve problems on a grander scale much faster than classical computers by testing multiple potential solutions simultaneously and measuring the probability of finding the best outcome.

Eagle watching is popular free and fun community event for numerous areas across the state! The first eagles arrive in December, and most leave by mid-March. January and February are the best months to see eagles, whether at a state park or wildlife refuge, here is a list of some of the best locations to see our protected national birds:

Did you know that Illinois is home to the first blood bank in the world?

Dr. Bernard Fantus was known for his work to improve and modernize medicine. As patients who needed a blood transfusion had to scramble to find a donor for a person-to-person transfusion, he knew there had to be a better way.

Located in the northeast corner of the state in Zion, the Illinois Beach State Park has unfortunately suffered from beach erosion and loss of habit for three costal bird species over the years, including the piping plover, common tern and Caspian tern.

To protect the state’s last remaining natural shoreline, major investments were made into an impressive and historic shoreline stabilization project that was recently completed in October. The $73 million investment allowed for the necessary construction of new offshore stone breakwater structures to shelter the Lake Michigan shoreline from wave energy.

The park – located roughly 50 miles north of Chicago – is a major source of tourism for the area. In 2015, 1.2 million visitors came to the park to enjoy boating, hiking, swimming and more along its 4,160 acres. The shoreline stabilization project was also selected for the 2024 Best Restored Beach award through the American Shore and Beach Preservation Association.