Courtney Kerr, Author at CEOs of Indiana Corporate Partnership

The Future of Innovation is Headed to Ross-Ade Stadium

Courtney Kerr2026-05-28T14:49:35-04:00May 28, 2026|

This story is part of an initiative led by the CEOs of Indiana Corporate Partnership (CICP) to highlight entrepreneurship and innovation across Indiana’s universities. Learn more about the initiative here. The Future of Innovation is Headed to Ross-Ade Stadium There is something incredibly special about watching a startup transition from a bold idea into a market-ready reality. Over the last three months, five dynamic companies have been putting in the work as part of Cohort 2 of the Purdue Innovates Accelerator. This cohort was selected from a highly competitive field of over 80 applications. The program is a three-month, investment-based startup accelerator that gives founders up to $100K in funding, tailored strategic support, and a massive network of mentors, corporate partners, and alumni to help them reach critical milestones and scale. On Wednesday, June 17th, these five teams are [...]

The Future is Bright: Meet the 10 Finalists of the 2026 STARTedUP Challenge

Courtney Kerr2026-05-28T14:39:18-04:00May 28, 2026|

This story is part of an initiative led by the CEOs of Indiana Corporate Partnership (CICP) to highlight entrepreneurship and innovation across Indiana’s universities. Learn more about the initiative here. Image credit: STARTedUP Foundation If you ever need a reminder that the future is in good hands, you just need to look at Indiana’s high school student entrepreneurs. The STARTedUP Foundation recently announced the Top 10 Finalists for the 2026 STARTedUP Challenge Finals (formerly known as Innovate WithIN). To say the competition has reached a whole new level this year would be an understatement. We are officially seeing a landmark moment for young innovation in our state. Don’t believe me? Look at the numbers: 1,174 teams submitted ventures this year—more than doubling the 515 submissions from 2025. Student participation skyrocketed by 128%, bringing 2,162 young innovators into the arena. We expanded our footprint to 7 competitive regions by adding West Central Indiana [...]

JagStart winner pursues entrepreneurial dreams with stylish workwear startup

Courtney Kerr2026-05-28T14:56:48-04:00May 28, 2026|

This story is part of an initiative led by the CEOs of Indiana Corporate Partnership (CICP) to highlight entrepreneurship and innovation across Indiana’s universities. Learn more about the initiative here. Image credit: Indiana University Indianapolis Ja’Niya Smith’s business experience and clear vision for Miss CEO Essentials lands first-place finish in IU Indianapolis pitch competition Indiana University Indianapolis sophomore Ja’Niya Smith has always been entrepreneurial. At 13, she started braiding hair under the guidance of her grandmother, a hairstylist. By 18, she had a successful small business, Beautifully Braided, providing natural hair care services such as styling, braiding and extensions from a small salon at her family’s home in Muncie, Indiana. But when she came to IU Indianapolis to major in marketing, management and venture creation at the Kelley School of Business, Smith started considering how to spin off [...]

Conexus Indiana Expands Advanced Industries Council Meetings to Southern Indiana

Courtney Kerr2026-05-20T10:10:19-04:00May 20, 2026|

New meetings bring council programming directly to southern Indiana, extending the council’s statewide reach INDIANAPOLIS (May 20, 2026) — Conexus Indiana today announced the addition of two southern Indiana meetings to the Conexus Indiana Advanced Industries Council (CIAIC) calendar, expanding access to the council’s programming for industry leaders across the region. The new meetings are a direct response to feedback gathered from members over the past year, including input from two southern Indiana regional dinners and Conexus Indiana board members from the area.The first southern meeting will take place June 3rd at Toyota Motor Manufacturing Indiana in Princeton, Indiana. A second southern meeting is planned for August 20 at Jasper Engines and Transmissions. Both meetings are open exclusively to CIAIC members. The southern Indiana meetings are an expansion of — not a replacement for — the council’s four existing [...]

BioHeartland Launches as the New Identity for Indiana’s Bioscience Ecosystem

Courtney Kerr2026-05-19T10:30:26-04:00May 19, 2026|

New regional identity showcases the state’s ability to invent, make and move breakthroughs across human health, animal health and plant science, positioning Indiana to compete globally for bioscience investment, innovation and talent. INDIANAPOLIS (May 19, 2026) — Today, regional leaders introduced BioHeartland, a new shared identity designed to unify and elevate Indiana’s bioscience ecosystem across human health, animal health and plant science. Developed through a collaborative effort led by the CEOs of Indiana Corporate Partnership (CICP) and its branded initiatives, BioCrossroads and AgriNovus Indiana, in partnership with the Central Indiana Regional Development Authority, BioHeartland was created to give Indiana a more cohesive and unified way to share the state’s story with investors, companies, researchers and talent around the world. For more than a century, Indiana has steadily helped shape global health through leadership in research, development, manufacturing and logistics [...]

CEOs of Indiana Corporate Partnership joins forces with Google to help reach more Hoosiers as part of IN AI initiative

Courtney Kerr2026-05-14T09:52:04-04:00May 14, 2026|

Google to Offer AI Readiness Workshops for Small and Medium-Sized Businesses Statewide INDIANAPOLIS (May 14, 2026) – The CEOs of Indiana Corporate Partnership (CICP) today announced an alliance with Google to support the IN AI initiative, aimed at making Indiana the most AI-ready state in the nation. Google will activate a series of AI workshops to help small, medium-sized businesses, and start-ups across Indiana adopt and implement artificial intelligence into their operations. "This collaboration with Google and our educational partners is an exciting step forward in empowering businesses across Indiana to embrace AI technology," said Melina Kennedy, CEO of CICP. "With the IN AI initiative, we’re ensuring that businesses throughout the state have the resources and support they need to thrive in an AI-powered economy, while also reaching the State’s goal of equipping 1 million Hoosiers with the skills [...]

Lilly Endowment and CICP announce the launch of a new annual endowed life sciences speaker series in recognition of the 150th anniversary of Eli Lilly and Company

Courtney Kerr2026-05-12T13:04:14-04:00May 12, 2026|

INDIANAPOLIS – Lilly Endowment Inc. and the CEOs of Indiana Corporate Partnership (CICP) today unveiled during the “150 Years of Medicine” celebration at the recently completed Lilly Event Center a new annual speaker series that will bring to Indiana world-renowned experts in important and timely topics regarding life sciences. “The annual series is endowed through a $10 million grant from Lilly Endowment to the CICP Foundation in tribute to the role the Endowment’s founders played in developing and leading Eli Lilly and Company during its first century and in recognition of the company’s 150th anniversary. The speaker series will help raise the profile and build on the state’s national leadership in the life sciences,” said N. Clay Robbins, Lilly Endowment’s Chairman and CEO. “Indiana is home to some of the world’s most innovative life sciences companies and research institutions, [...]

CICP announces new board leadership to support the organization’s strategy and economic development efforts

Courtney Kerr2026-05-07T11:43:27-04:00May 7, 2026|

Chair and CEO of Cummins, Inc., Jennifer Rumsey, to chair CICP board INDIANAPOLIS (May 7, 2026) – The CEOs of Indiana Corporate Partnership (CICP) today announced that Jennifer Rumsey, Chair and CEO of Cummins Inc., will serve as Chair of the CICP Board of Directors following unanimous board approval. Rumsey previously served as vice chair and has been a board member since 2023.In this new role, Rumsey will work closely with the CICP Executive Committee, Board of Directors and CICP Leadership Team to guide the organization’s strategic direction and support its purpose to advance economic development in Indiana. “CICP plays a critical role in strengthening Indiana’s long-term competitiveness, and I’m grateful for the opportunity to serve as board chair,” said Rumsey. “I look forward to continue working with leaders across business, higher education and philanthropy to advance innovation, connect [...]

Conexus Indiana names 2026 Rising 30 cohort of emerging industry leaders

Courtney Kerr2026-05-04T10:51:07-04:00May 4, 2026|

Annual awards program recognizes 30 young Hoosiers already shaping the next chapter of Indiana’s manufacturing and logistics industries INDIANAPOLIS (May 4, 2026) — Conexus Indiana today announced its sixth annual Rising 30 class, honoring 30 young professionals who are already leaving their mark on Indiana’s advanced manufacturing and logistics (AML) industries. Presented by Katz, Sapper & Miller (KSM), the Rising 30 program spotlights Hoosiers 30 years old and younger whose early-career contributions demonstrate the depth of talent driving Indiana’s largest industry sector forward. Each honoree was nominated by an employer or industry representative and selected based on professional accomplishments and demonstrated impact. “Recognizing emerging talent is one of the most important investments we can make in Indiana’s advanced manufacturing and logistics community. The Rising 30 class never fails to remind us of the depth of talent that exists across this [...]

CICP 2025 Annual Report

Courtney Kerr2026-05-28T10:12:38-04:00April 29, 2026|

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