(upbeat electronic music) - Distillery Labs is an innovation hub in the heart of downtown Peoria, serving the entire region.

More broadly speaking, we are part of a larger network called the Illinois Innovation Network, which consists of 15 hubs throughout the state of Illinois, that exists to really connect different startup ecosystems to get those innovators, dreamers, and doers connected to the resources they need.

In this building, we have our coworking space, which is Open Desk Coworking.

You can come in and find a spot to work on your project.

So whether you're a startup founder or an entrepreneur by yourself, or if you have a team, you have a spot to come.

You need private offices for a day or for a few hours, you can come and reserve our conference rooms.

We also have a maker space in here where you can come and learn how to use a 3D printer, a CNC machine, screen printers, sewing machines.

So different types of equipment or tools that might be a little bit expensive for an individual to buy when they're not sure if it's what they need, they can come in and utilize that here.

We have a very nice commercial kitchen, a shared kitchen, where culinary entrepreneurs can come in and tinker.

We have a podcast studio, we have a photography studio in here.

So we try to provide all the resources that we can to the founders and those that are part of startups in the region.

- HuMod is an advanced biotech R&D outfit.

We synthesize biological motion to deliver advanced prosthetics.

The devices we're working on now, the novel tech really is the control mechanism.

So we've developed an AI co-pilot with our control mechanism.

It's totally reactive, it's adapting to the way the user is moving rather than the user having to manipulate a tool.

You're regaining a part of yourself rather than relearning a new way to walk.

But with Distillery Labs, their ability to truly focus on the founder and be reactive to what the needs are, immediate term, of the companies that they are supporting is tremendously helpful.

They do a wonderful job of delivering this sense of community.

We're able to then feel like the entire community is at our back.

- This could be a place that could attract people to move here.

We kind of built it with the idea that we were creating a space for the organizations that are involved to help greater Peorians fulfill their entrepreneurial dreams.

We have historically been a community that's been reliant on very large employers, Caterpillar, now OSF Healthcare.

But when communities become overly tied to one or two large employers, then you're kind of at the mercy of what's happening to that employer, if they're shrinking or if they're growing.

- We here at Distiller Labs, we genuinely believe, and I have 100% faith, that we will be a top 25 globally ranked startup ecosystem.

We have all the roots, it's all there.

But now, we get to grow and the rest of the world can see what we really have here.

And so as a founder, if you're there in your basement, come on out, join it, 'cause this community's here for you and we believe in you.

- I want the public to know that if they've got an idea around a business, that this is a place that they could start.

If you wanna start a catering company or you need a ghost kitchen or you just wanna do some prep work, that place is here for you.

If you want to be a podcaster, we've got that for you.

If you want to be a maker, if you've got a product that you want to try to develop that you need 3D printing or some other sort of machinery, that's here for you.

That's really what I'd like people to understand, that this is a place for them, that we built this for our entrepreneurial community.

- The number one advice we give to any startup or aspiring entrepreneurs, show up.

And so look at our events, look at something that you think would be a good fit for you.

We cannot help you navigate the ecosystem unless we know you exist.

So if you are currently in your basement, in your garage, working on an idea, engage with us.

We're here to hold your hand through the process.

- Go to Distillery Labs.

(laughs) This is one place where you can have the proverbial one stop shop.

And we're so excited to be a part of Distillery Labs at this stage, HuMod being the first startup, or one of the later stage ones here, to be participating in this space is selfishly so rewarding.

Get to Distillery Labs and check it out.

It's a pretty special place to be working at.

(upbeat electronic music)