News Archives - The Central Indiana Corporate Partnership

AgriNovus Indiana to award $75,000 to entrepreneurs at Velocity Demo Day June 18 in Indianapolis

Courtney Kerr2025-05-21T10:33:58-04:00May 21, 2025|

Three winners to receive $25,000 each for solutions to challenges in bioinnovation, farmer-focused innovation and food is health AgriNovus Indiana, an initiative to grow the agbioscience economy, will host its first Velocity Demo Day from 3 to 6 p.m. on June 18 at the Indiana State Fairgrounds, awarding three winning teams $25,000 each. In partnership with the Indiana Corn Marketing Council, Indiana Soybean Alliance, Elevance Health, Beck’s Hybrids, Ag Alumni Seed and Gutwein Law, the event culminates a six-month startup accelerator designed to inspire creation of tech-enabled businesses that address research-defined challenges in bioinnovation, farmer-focused innovation and food is health. “Velocity is designed to accelerate development of solutions to some of the toughest challenges facing the food and agricultural economy in Indiana and around the globe,” said Mitch Frazier, president and CEO of AgriNovus. “Demo Day will spotlight entrepreneurs [...]

Mitch Frazier, AgriNovus President and CEO to Step Down

Courtney Kerr2025-05-20T10:20:37-04:00May 16, 2025|

Organization Launches National Search for New President and CEO AgriNovus Indiana announced today it is launching a search for a new chief executive officer following the resignation of its current CEO Mitch Frazier who will depart from the organization June 6. Frazier, who has served as president and CEO of AgriNovus since June 2020, will become President of IBJ Media Corporation June 16. “It has been an honor to serve alongside the team at AgriNovus and work with partners across the state and around the world to build the next chapter of the agbioscience economy in Indiana,” said Frazier. “Together we have built a powerful engine to accelerate growth in this economy, and I know the passion that fuels this team will continue to deliver results well into the future.” During Frazier’s tenure at AgriNovus, the organization refined its [...]

Conexus Indiana names 2025 Rising 30 cohort of emerging industry leaders

Courtney Kerr2025-05-16T09:42:50-04:00May 15, 2025|

Conexus Indiana today announced its fifth annual Rising 30 class, recognizing outstanding young professionals making significant early-career contributions to Indiana’s advanced manufacturing and logistics (AML) sectors. The Rising 30 program, presented by Purdue University, continues Conexus Indiana’s commitment to strengthening and promoting Indiana’s vital manufacturing and logistics ecosystem. These honorees represent exceptional talent under the age of 30 who are already reshaping Indiana’s largest industry sector and will lead it into the next era of innovation. Selected for their remarkable achievements and forward-thinking approaches, this year’s cohort embodies the bright future of Indiana’s manufacturing and logistics industries. “When I visit our manufacturing facilities across Indiana, I’m always struck by the ingenuity of our young talent,” said Jay Wirts, President and CEO of Conexus Indiana. “These Rising 30 honorees aren’t just building products—they’re building the future of Hoosier manufacturing and ensuring [...]

TechPoint’s IN Tech Connect to accelerate innovation and business growth in Indiana

Courtney Kerr2025-04-29T12:35:04-04:00April 29, 2025|

June "Do Business in Indiana" event to unite enterprise leaders with high-potential SMBs and tech talent As Indiana rapidly emerges as a hub for digital innovation, TechPoint is doubling down on its mission to catalyze collaboration across the state’s thriving tech ecosystem. On June 17, TechPoint will host IN Tech Connect, to ignite partnerships between Indiana’s largest tech-driven enterprises and the state’s expansive network of small and mid-sized businesses (SMBs). The event is a direct outcome of insights from TechPoint’s Indiana CIO Network. Recognizing the untapped potential within Indiana’s 9,000+ tech firms, these CIOs are championing more intentional collaboration with SMBs, companies that are agile, ambitious, and ready to scale. “TechPoint is proud to bring together leaders from Indiana’s tech community – including our largest companies – with small and mid-size companies to spark meaningful connections that drive real business outcomes,” said [...]

Kristen Lampkin Named to 2025 IBJ Forty Under 40 Class

Courtney Kerr2025-04-24T10:02:41-04:00April 16, 2025|

Kristen Lampkin leads Business Equity for Indy, a joint effort of the Central Indiana Corporate Partnership and the Indy Chamber, in collaboration with the Indianapolis Urban League. The initiative aims to promote workplace diversity and foster economic opportunity for people of color through training, resources, data and advocacy. Central to her role is building relationships with other nonprofits, community organizations and partners. “Kristen Lampkin’s work and leadership,” one peer said, “is at the forefront of growing a more inclusive business environment.” Lampkin helped launch the People Community of Practice, a forum to provide guidance to hiring professionals as they look to increase diversity within their companies. She also guided a Mentors of Color event, which connected 40 young Black professionals with local business leaders. She is CEO of HR Guru LLC, which helps professionals with their LinkedIn profile and [...]

Corteva Veteran Joins AgriNovus to Lead Growth Efforts Across Indiana’s Agbioscience Economy

Courtney Kerr2025-04-16T14:30:53-04:00April 8, 2025|

Former Dow AgroSciences and Corteva Leader Megan DeVelvis to Focus on Economic Growth, Joins Expanded AgriNovus Leadership Team AgriNovus Indiana, a nonprofit coalition to grow Indiana’s agbioscience economy, announced today Megan DeVelvis as its new senior director of growth – a role charged with enabling and accelerating growth of agbioscience companies in the state. DeVelvis, who joins AgriNovus after more than 20 years in agriculture, will lead AgriNovus’ economic development efforts, connecting industry, academia, capital providers, governments and non-profits to opportunities to fuel growth across food, animal health, plant science, agtech and agriculture. “Agbioscience is the only economy in the world that touches every person on the planet, and Indiana has emerged as the destination of choice for innovators and companies seeking to build the next chapter of food and agriculture even stronger,” said Mitch Frazier, president and CEO [...]

Conexus Indiana welcomes Jay Wirts as President and CEO

Courtney Kerr2025-04-03T11:35:06-04:00March 28, 2025|

Following a national search, Conexus Indiana, a statewide organization dedicated to strengthening Indiana’s advanced manufacturing and logistics industries, today announced the appointment of Jay Wirts as its new president and CEO. Wirts brings more than 20 years of executive leadership experience in the advanced manufacturing sector, with a track record of driving business growth and operational excellence. Wirts most recently served as executive vice president of Smart Infrastructure Solutions at Belden, where he managed a $1.2 billion global business that designs and manufactures broadband and network infrastructure. Throughout his career, Wirts has demonstrated exceptional leadership in developing innovative customer solutions, strengthening supply chains and fostering talent pipelines. “Jay’s extensive experience and passion for advancing industrial innovation make him an ideal leader for Conexus Indiana,” said Scott Brand, chair of the Conexus Indiana Board of Directors and president and COO [...]

TechPoint Founders Network Expanding to Fort Wayne

Courtney Kerr2025-03-27T12:07:55-04:00March 27, 2025|

Expansion is 2nd for the group, following 2024 Bloomington chapter opening TechPoint, the Northeast Indiana Innovation Center (NIIC) and Fort Wayne Tech today announced that TechPoint’s Indiana Founders Network is expanding to Fort Wayne. “We are so pleased to expand this support to entrepreneurs in northeastern Indiana,” said Chelsea Linder, TechPoint’s vice president for innovation and entrepreneurship. “Founders’ Network gatherings in Indianapolis and Bloomington have proven to be popular as well as helpful, and we are confident we’ll see the same level of activity and excitement in Fort Wayne.” The Indiana Founders Network is free-of-charge to join and open to startup founders, including those with an idea but who haven’t yet moved forward with it and those who want to become a co-founder. It is not a space for investors or vendors. It offers connections to other entrepreneurs, access [...]

Ascend Indiana Announces Founding Members of Workforce Council

Courtney Kerr2025-03-19T21:39:58-04:00March 19, 2025|

Ascend Indiana, the talent and workforce development initiative of the Central Indiana Corporate Partnership (CICP), announced today the 10 founding members of the Ascend Indiana Workforce Council. Ascend Indiana launched the Workforce Council earlier this year as a membership-based collaborative that serves as the voice of industry to address Indiana’s persistent gap between available jobs and the Hoosiers prepared to fill them. The Council, comprising business leaders and human resources professionals, is charged with elevating market conditions and identifying emerging industry needs, barriers and successes. The following 10 companies, representing a broad spectrum of industry sectors, have appointed a representative to serve as a member of the Workforce Council’s steering committee, which is responsible for guiding the council’s vision, mission and strategy: CFA Staffing Community Health Network Eli Lilly and Company Henriott Group IU Health Parkview Health PNC Bank [...]

AgriNovus Indiana names new executive members, welcomes new directors

Courtney Kerr2025-03-11T14:29:42-04:00March 11, 2025|

AgriNovus Indiana, a nonprofit coalition focused on growing Indiana’s agbioscience economy, announced today changes to its executive committee and its board of directors. The board unanimously approved the addition of Robert King, executive vice president, Crop Protection Business Unit at Corteva Agriscience, and David Pugh, chief financial officer of AgReliant Genetics, to the executive committee. The board also approved the addition of Dr. Brian Lutz, vice president of Agricultural Solutions at Corteva Agriscience, and Micah Beckwith, Lieutenant Governor of Indiana, as successions to replace outgoing directors. “Indiana’s agbioscience economy continues to grow thanks to the direction and support of the AgriNovus board of directors,” said Mitch Frazier, president and CEO of AgriNovus Indiana. “The addition of these experts to our Board brings even more breadth of expertise to our team as we work to build the agbioscience economy of [...]

MAIN MENU

IMPORTANT LINKS

INITIATIVES