Courtney Kerr, Author at CEOs of Indiana Corporate Partnership

PODCAST: Christy Wright on food as the next frontier of health, innovating for the farmer + AgriNovus as a critical ecosystem convener

Courtney Kerr2025-12-16T15:01:56-05:00December 16, 2025|

PODCAST: Melina Kennedy, CEO of the Central Indiana Corporate Partnership (CICP), recently hosted Christy Wright, the newly named President and CEO of AgriNovus Indiana on the Agbioscience podcast. They talk service, food as the next frontier of health and Christy's vision for what lies ahead for Indiana’s agbioscience economy. They get into: Christy’s journey from Director of Global Food Systems at Corteva to taking the reins at AgriNovus this year The “why” behind her desire to lead and serve, now in a leadership role at CICP Her takeaways and high-level overview as she’s been on a road tour 90 days into the job AgriNovus’ Accelerate 2050 report and how it serves as a launching point for the organization’s strategy moving forward How Christy wants to leverage the power of Indiana’s agbioscience ecosystem to drive a new era of industry [...]

16 Tech Concludes Inaugural Program Connecting 25 of Indiana’s Collegiate Founders

Courtney Kerr2025-12-15T10:17:49-05:00December 15, 2025|

This story is part of an initiative led by the Central Indiana Corporate Partnership (CICP) to highlight entrepreneurship and innovation across Indiana’s universities. Learn more about the initiative here. Ignition, powered by the Indiana Economic Development Corporation, connected 15 startup companies to Indiana’s entrepreneur ecosystem. 16 Tech Community Corporation celebrated the completion of Ignition, a program designed to support collegiate founders from across Indiana as they build ventures and futures in the state. Powered by the Indiana Economic Development Corporation’s Community Collaboration Fund, Ignition fills a critical gap between university-based entrepreneurial programs and Indiana’s larger startup ecosystem. “By bringing together student founders from multiple universities and immersing them in a thriving entrepreneur ecosystem, we’re helping Indiana grow the next generation of talent that will strengthen and stay in our economy,” said Emily Krueger, president and CEO of 16 Tech. [...]

TechPoint announces 2026 Mira Awards Finalists

Courtney Kerr2025-12-11T09:03:34-05:00December 10, 2025|

Winners to be announced at awards gala in April TechPoint, the industry-led growth initiative for Indiana’s digital innovation economy, announced today the finalists for the 2026 Mira Awards, known as the “Oscars of Indiana Tech.” The 106 finalists from across Indiana emerged from 231 submissions. Finalists were evaluated by a team of independent judges following live presentations earlier in the month. A total of 17 awards will be presented at the Mira gala at the Palladium in Carmel on April 24, 2026. “Each year, the Mira Awards reveal just how powerful and dynamic Indiana’s tech ecosystem has become,” said Ting Gootee, president and CEO, TechPoint. “These finalists embody the ingenuity, resilience, and collaborative spirit that continue to position our state as a national leader in digital innovation. We’re proud to celebrate their achievements and excited to showcase their impact [...]

Lilly and IU to expand access to clinical trials and latest innovative treatments for Hoosiers

Courtney Kerr2026-01-23T09:29:52-05:00December 3, 2025|

This post was originally published by Indiana University. Click here to read the original article. Collaboration aims to build best-in-class clinical trial innovation ecosystem in Indiana while strengthening Alzheimer’s disease clinical care and research and supporting life sciences talent development INDIANAPOLIS — A new agreement under which Eli Lilly and Company will provide up to $40 million to Indiana University aims to expand access to clinical trials in Indiana, giving patients a critical pathway to Lilly’s latest investigational and innovative medicines while surrounding them with exceptional care. The agreement builds on a decades-long partnership between the two entities and focuses on creating a best-in-class system for clinical trial innovation, strengthening Alzheimer’s disease clinical care and research, and developing the future scientific and clinical talent for Indiana’s growing life sciences sector. The five-year agreement leverages IU’s research and clinical expertise [...]

The Hoosier Heartland is Buzzing: IU Innovates Demo Day Showcases Indiana’s Next Generation of Founders

Courtney Kerr2025-11-26T13:32:10-05:00November 26, 2025|

This story is part of an initiative led by the Central Indiana Corporate Partnership (CICP) to highlight entrepreneurship and innovation across Indiana’s universities. Learn more about the initiative here. IU Innovates students participate in a demo pitch to a panel of entrepreneurs at Dimension Mill on Friday, Oct. 24, 2025. (Photo by Wendi Chitwood/Indiana University) Step into The Mill in Bloomington on Friday, October 24, and the air wasn't filled with the usual hum of a business event, but with the palpable energy of possibility. The occasion was the IU Innovates Student Startup Demo Day, a vibrant mid-semester showcase that felt less like a stiff pitch competition and more like a high-powered, community-led workshop. It was a tangible demonstration that Indiana University is not just discussing innovation; it’s actively cultivating and launching the next generation of founders [...]

Case Study: Internships Help Students Find Careers, Grasp Advanced Manufacturing

Courtney Kerr2025-11-25T09:12:05-05:00November 25, 2025|

This story is part of an initiative led by the Central Indiana Corporate Partnership (CICP) to highlight entrepreneurship and innovation across Indiana’s universities. Learn more about the initiative here. Background A company launched at the dawn of the 20th century and still owned and operated by its founder’s descendants, Grote Industries has thrived into the 21st century by constantly pursuing innovation. A manufacturer of safety lighting and visibility systems, the company has been recognized as a top employer in the Madison area and as a global leader in its industry. More than a century ago, William Grote saw a future not only in a particular line of products but also in groundbreaking production processes. Even as the company he launched established itself as a leading supplier of visibility and safety products, it also emerged as a manufacturing trailblazer. It was first to introduce injection-molded plastic products to the nation and to create a plastic-injection molding machine. A reflector technology Grote Industries developed decades [...]

CICP, TechPoint Announce Leadership Transition

Courtney Kerr2025-11-20T15:33:47-05:00November 18, 2025|

INDIANAPOLIS (November 18, 2025): The Central Indiana Corporate Partnership (CICP) and TechPoint announced today that TechPoint CEO Ting Gootee will transition from her role at the end of this year, with her last day set for December 31, 2025. “Leading TechPoint has been one of the most meaningful experiences of my career,” said Gootee. “I’m proud of what we’ve accomplished together and confident that the organization is well positioned for its next chapter of impact. Indiana’s tech community is growing, resilient and on a powerful path forward.” Under Gootee’s leadership, TechPoint has strengthened its position as the central hub for Indiana’s tech and innovation ecosystem, broadening technology’s transformative role across all sectors to drive economic growth. “Ting has guided TechPoint through a period of meaningful progress and transformation,” said TechPoint Board Chair Richard Cardwell. “Her leadership has strengthened our foundation, expanded [...]

Indiana on the Global Stage: Insights from the Global Entrepreneurship Congress 2025 in Indianapolis

Courtney Kerr2025-11-18T09:53:38-05:00November 18, 2025|

This story is part of an initiative led by the Central Indiana Corporate Partnership (CICP) to highlight entrepreneurship and innovation across Indiana’s universities. Learn more about the initiative here. Earlier this year, Indianapolis took center stage as thousands of entrepreneurs, investors, policymakers and innovation ecosystem builders from over 140 countries gathered for the Global Entrepreneurship Congress (GEC) 2025. The international event, hosted every other year in a new global city with an emerging entrepreneurial ecosystem, brought an estimated 3,000 attendees to the Hoosier State and showcased why Indiana is earning its reputation as a rising hub for innovation and entrepreneurship. Ryan Henderson, Conexus Indiana’s senior director of innovation, attended the event and brought back key takeaways across four jam-packed days of programming and collaboration. A Global Spotlight on Indiana’s Manufacturing Strengths and its Entrepreneurial Roots The opening session, Bold Solutions [...]

All Roads Led to Warsaw: BioCrossroads FrameWORX Highlights Indiana’s Orthopedic Leadership

Courtney Kerr2025-11-17T10:15:51-05:00November 17, 2025|

Known globally as the Orthopedic Capital of the World®, the region welcomed more than 200 scientists, researchers, business leaders, and students for BioCrossroads’ quarterly FrameWORX event: The Future of Musculoskeletal Health: Innovations in Orthopedic Medicine and Indiana’s Leadership Opportunity. Held at Grace College in Winona Lake, Indiana the event placed Indiana’s orthopedic strength in the spotlight by bringing national voices together to discuss the science, industry, and impact of musculoskeletal health. Orthopedics is one of the most important sectors in global health, providing implants, devices, and treatments that restore mobility, reduce pain, and extend quality of life for millions of patients. Warsaw has long been at the center of that mission. It is home to global leaders like Zimmer Biomet and J&J MedTech, alongside a thriving community of mid-sized companies, startups, suppliers, and innovators who design and manufacture orthopedic technologies that are used worldwide. Tens of [...]

Nutrition + Wellness Majors: The Emerging Agbioscience Professional – Field Atlas

Courtney Kerr2025-11-17T10:00:25-05:00November 17, 2025|

This article was originally published by Field Atlas. Click here to read the original article. The Field Atlas Agbioscience Mentorship Program was launched nearly 5 months ago in February of 2025, and the connections mentees have been able to make through the first half of this program are truly inspiring. AMP is a guided yearlong mentorship program that connects late college and early professionals to industry leaders excelling in the agbioscience field. This year, 14 professional mentor/mentee connections were made through AMP – one of those including China Thompson, Senior at Marian University pursuing a degree in Nutrition, Fitness & Wellness and aspiring Nutritionist. China originally applied to the AMP program hoping to achieve a better understanding of the agbioscience industry and develop a broader network in this space. China was really hoping this experience would help her bridge the connection [...]

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