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 – inventing, making and moving bioscience solutions at global scale. Today, the state’s bioscience industry generates more than $125 billion in direct economic impact, ranks first in the nation for pharmaceutical and life sciences exports and continues to attract companies, talent and investment at an accelerating pace.
As Indiana competes globally for the next generation of bioscience jobs, companies and innovation, leaders across industry, academia and economic development are coming together around a unified identity for the region’s bioscience ecosystem.
“Indiana is a powerhouse in human, animal and plant biosciences, but our story has not been told with the clarity, consistency or urgency it deserves,” said Melina Kennedy, CEO of the CEOs of Indiana Corporate Partnership. “What makes this region different is not just that we make bioscience solutions, we are also a hotbed of invention and discovery, with the manufacturing strength, logistics infrastructure and collaborative spirit to move innovations into the world. BioHeartland gives us a shared identity to help investors, companies and talent understand the full value of what Indiana offers.”
“Indiana’s life sciences sector has reached a remarkable level of scale because of decades of collaboration across industry, academia, government, philanthropy and investors,” said Vince Wong, president and CEO of BioCrossroads. “BioHeartland helps connect that story across research, development, manufacturing, talent and entrepreneurship, and gives us a clearer way to show how Indiana’s life sciences ecosystem is producing real results for people here and around the world.”
“Indiana is home to global leaders in human, animal and plant health – a powerful intersection for innovation and our competitive advantage,” said Christy Wright, president and CEO of AgriNovus Indiana. “BioHeartland tells our connected story, showing the state’s ability to bring new solutions to market that address critical needs for farmers, consumers and communities across the world.”
Indiana’s bioscience industry generates more than $125 billion in direct economic impact. The state ranks first in the nation for pharmaceutical and life science exports, and Hoosier inventors have patented more than 13,000 inventions since 2010, nearly three times the national average. Governor Mike Braun has also committed $1 billion over the next decade to grow high wage jobs in agriculture and life sciences, further strengthening Indiana’s position in plant, animal and human health.
“Governor Braun’s $1 billion commitment to creating 100,000 new jobs is a statement to the world: Indiana is planting a flag in the ground as the place for human, animal and plant health,” said David Adams. “The assets are already here — from discovery to delivery — across one connected region. With this announcement, Central Indiana has a unified voice and a stronger platform to compete globally for investment, companies and talent. Now it’s time to tell the BioHeartland story to the world.”
The BioHeartland launch also builds on the state’s broader regional growth strategy, including Governor Braun’s designation of CIRDA to help lead and coordinate the next phase of bioscience growth across Indiana.
That economic strength is rooted in a rare concentration of expertise. Indiana is one of the few places in the world where human health, animal health and plant science all operate at scale in the same region. Global companies including Eli Lilly and Company, Elanco and Corteva are headquartered or deeply rooted in Indiana, alongside a growing network of startups, research institutions and advanced manufacturing operations.
“Indiana’s bioscience strength is the result of decades of investment, collaboration, and innovation operating in close proximity,” said David A. Ricks, chair and CEO of Eli Lilly and Company. “Lilly has been a proud part of the BioHeartland story for 150 years, and we’re just getting started.”
“Creating BioHeartland further advances the efforts to make Indiana a premiere destination for life sciences talent and innovation,” said Jeff Simmons, president and CEO of Elanco. “We believe BioHeartland will accelerate efforts to build an ecosystem where the next generation of life-changing bioscience innovation will be created. We look forward to contributing to and thriving within this exciting new chapter.”
Indiana’s research universities are also central to BioHeartland’s ecosystem, producing and attracting the talent that powers the region’s innovation pipeline while advancing discoveries that reach patients, farmers and communities around the world. The state is home to four R1 research universities, including the largest medical school in the country.
“BioHeartland reflects Indiana’s extraordinary capacity to develop and deliver bioscience solutions at scale,” said IU President Pamela Whitten. “From our nine campuses to initiatives like the IU Launch Accelerator for Biosciences, Indiana University is proud to contribute to that leadership ecosystem through research and innovation that’s improving lives and driving economic opportunity across our state.”
“With our strengths in human, animal and plant health research and innovation, Purdue University is deeply connected to this ecosystem,” said Mung Chiang, president of Purdue University. “BioHeartland gives that work a shared identity and a platform to further accelerate innovation in this space in central Indiana.”
The BioHeartland identity also reflects the growing network of innovation districts and bioscience hubs across Central Indiana, including 16 Tech Innovation District, the LEAP Innovation District, the OneHealth Innovation District, and the Fishers Life Sciences and Innovation District. Together, those districts form a connected constellation designed to help ideas move faster from discovery to commercialization by bringing together research, talent, manufacturing capacity and infrastructure.
“Communities across Indiana have spent years investing in life sciences infrastructure and innovation,” said Fishers Mayor Scott Fadness, chair of the Central Indiana Regional Development Authority. “BioHeartland gives the entire region a unified way to tell our story to position ourselves as a life science destination that can compete globally.”
BioHeartland will make its international debut at the BIO International Convention in San Diego, June 22 through 25, where Indiana leaders will introduce the identity to global investors, companies and bioscience partners.
Brand assets, messaging guidance and partner resources are available at INBioHeartland.com.
About BioHeartland
BioHeartland is a shared identity led by the CEOs of Central Indiana Corporate Partnership (CICP), in collaboration with its branded initiatives, BioCrossroads and AgriNovus Indiana, and in partnership with the Central Indiana Regional Development Authority (CIRDA). It exists to amplify Indiana’s bioscience strengths, while elevating the innovation districts, companies and research centers making and moving a rare concentration of life-changing innovation across human, animal and plant health at global scale. Learn more at INBioHeartland.com.
About CICP
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 objective, 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.
About AgriNovus
AgriNovus Indiana, a branded initiative of the CEOs of Indiana Corporate Partnership (CICP), is a nonprofit organization focused on advancing the agbioscience sector by connecting and convening stakeholders to deliver innovative ways to inspire and attract agbiosciences talent, companies and innovation to the state. Learn more at www.AgriNovusIndiana.com.
About BioCrossroads
An initiative of the CEOs of Indiana Corporate Partnership (CICP), BioCrossroads is a catalyst for Indiana’s life sciences sector, advancing the state’s position as a global leader in research, development, manufacturing, and healthcare innovation. Through strategic initiatives, industry partnerships, and ecosystem development, BioCrossroads supports the growth of life sciences companies, talent, and investment, as well as existing enterprises and new business development across Indiana. The initiative fosters public-private collaboration by uniting a diverse range of academic, industry, and philanthropic stakeholders, all collectively focused on advancing Indiana’s life sciences sector. To learn more about BioCrossroads, visit biocrossroads.com.
