Indianapolis (April 15, 2026) – Across our state, innovation is happening in classrooms, research labs, and startups — yet too often, the stories of student founders, faculty innovators, and alumni entrepreneurs remain siloed within individual campuses or industries. The CEOs of Indiana Corporate Partnership (CICP) has announced the launch of INfluence: Stories of Indiana Innovation, a strategic effort designed to amplify and share these stories of entrepreneurship and innovation happening across Indiana, ensuring the state's success is visible, connected, and understood beyond individual campuses, industries, or networks.
"By creating an interconnected ecosystem that turns ideas into action, we are ensuring Indiana's innovators and programs have the visibility and support they need to succeed," said Melina Kennedy, CEO of CICP. "Indiana is no stranger to innovation. From life-saving medicines to advanced manufacturing breakthroughs, discoveries in agbiosciences to new businesses and technologies, Hoosiers have a long history of turning ideas into impact."
Early INfluence stories highlight the breadth of innovation happening across Indiana, particularly at the university level. From cross-university student challenges and pitch competitions to campus-wide commitments to fostering entrepreneurial environments, these stories showcase the scale, diversity, and momentum of ideas being explored, tested, and brought to life across disciplines and institutions. This activity is reinforced by the growth of innovation districts across the state, underscoring that Indiana's innovation economy is both active and interconnected. You can explore these stories at the link here.
"There is a tremendous amount of innovation and entrepreneurial activity happening across Indiana, but that momentum isn't always fully understood," said Jahon Hobbeheydar, Executive Vice President of Strategy at CICP. "INfluence helps tell that story more clearly and reinforces that Indiana is a place to start and grow a business, supported by strong universities, industry partners, and organizations committed to helping entrepreneurs succeed."
INfluence is part of a broader, collaborative effort led by CICP to ensure Indiana's innovation and entrepreneurship are not the state's best-kept secret. Working closely with university members and partners, CICP uses its role as a convener and amplifier to elevate and share stories of success that demonstrate the depth of opportunity present across Indiana, bringing together stories that might otherwise live solely within individual campus or organizational networks.
University partners participate by sharing existing stories of faculty and student-led projects, campus programs, or university endeavors, as well as creating new content specifically for the INfluence platform. In doing so, they extend the reach of their stories beyond traditional audiences – contributing to a broader narrative that reflects the strength of Indiana's entrepreneurial ecosystem. Together, these stories illuminate the many pathways into innovation across Indiana, reinforcing the state as a place where ideas grow into impact and where talent is attracted, developed, and retained.
For more information on INfluence: Stories of Indiana Innovation, visit cicpindiana.com/influence-stories-of-indiana-innovation.
About CEOs of Indiana Corporate Partnership
The CEOs of Indiana Corporate Partnership (CICP) was formed in 1999 (under its legal name, Central Indiana Corporate Partnership) to bring together the chief executives of the region's prominent corporations, foundations and universities in a strategic and collaborative effort dedicated to Indiana's continued prosperity and growth. To advance this mission, CICP sponsors five key talent and industry sector initiatives, AgriNovus Indiana, Ascend Indiana, BioCrossroads, Conexus Indiana, and TechPoint, each of which addresses challenges and opportunities unique to its respective area: agbiosciences, talent and workforce development, life sciences, advanced manufacturing and logistics, and technology. To learn more about CICP, visit cicpindiana.com.
