The following words and phrases, for the purposes of this Act, shall have the meanings respectively ascribed to them, except when the context otherwise requires, or except as otherwise provided in this Act: "Advanced technology project" means any area of basic or applied research or development which is designed to foster greater knowledge or understanding, or which is designed for the purposes of improving, designing, developing, prototyping, producing or commercializing new products, techniques, processes or technical devices in present or emerging fields of health care and biomedical research, information and communication systems, computing and computer services, electronics, manufacturing, robotics and materials research, transportation and aerospace, agriculture and biotechnology, an
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The following words and phrases, for the purposes of this Act, shall have the meanings respectively ascribed to them, except when the context otherwise requires, or except as otherwise provided in this Act: "Advanced technology project" means any area of basic or applied research or development which is designed to foster greater knowledge or understanding, or which is designed for the purposes of improving, designing, developing, prototyping, producing or commercializing new products, techniques, processes or technical devices in present or emerging fields of health care and biomedical research, information and communication systems, computing and computer services, electronics, manufacturing, robotics and materials research, transportation and aerospace, agriculture and biotechnology, and finance and services. "Business expense" includes working capital financing, the purchase or lease of machinery and equipment, or the lease or purchase of real property, including construction, renovation, or leasehold improvements, but does not include refinancing current debt. "Business project" means any specific economic development activity of a commercial, industrial, manufacturing, agricultural, scientific, financial, service or other not-for-profit nature, which is expected to yield an increase in jobs or to result in the retention of jobs or an improvement in production efficiency. "Department" means the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity. "Director" means the Director of Commerce and Economic Opportunity. "Financial assistance" means a loan, investment, grant or the purchase of qualified securities or other means whereby financial aid is made to or on behalf of a business project or advanced technology project. "Intermediary organization" means any participating organization including not-for-profit entities, for-profit entities, State development authorities, institutions of higher education, other public or private corporations, which may include the Illinois Coalition, or other entities necessary or desirable to further the purpose of this Act engaged by the Department through any contract, agreement, memoranda of understanding, or other cooperative arrangement to deliver programs authorized under this Act. "Investment loan" means any loan structured so that the applicant repays the principal and interest and provides a qualified security investment to serve both as additional loan security and as an additional source of repayment. "Loan" means acceptance of any note, bond, debenture, or evidence of indebtedness, whether unsecured or secured by a mortgage, pledge, deed of trust, or other lien on any property, or any certificate of, receipt for, participation in, or an option to any of the foregoing. A loan shall bear such interest rate, with such terms of repayment, secured by such collateral, with other terms and conditions, as the Department shall deem necessary or appropriate. "Participating lender or investor" means any trust company, bank, savings bank, credit union, merchant bank, investment bank, broker, investment trust, pension fund, building and loan association, savings and loan association, insurance company, venture capital company or other institution, community or State development corporation, development authority authorized to do business by an Act of this State, or other public or private financing intermediary approved by the Department whose purposes include financing, promoting, or encouraging economic development financing. "Qualified security investments" means any stock, convertible security, treasury stock, limited partnership interest, certificate of interest or participation in any profit sharing agreement, preorganization certificate or subscription, transferable share, investment contract, certificate of interest or participation in a patent or application or, in general, any interest or instrument commonly known as a "security" or any certificate for, receipt for, guarantee of, or option, warrant or right to subscribe to or purchase any of the foregoing, but not including any instrument which contains voting rights or which can be converted to contain voting rights in the possession of the Department.