Conexus Indiana presents Manufacturing Innovation Award at TechPoint’s 26th annual Mira Awards

2025-02-28T11:22:20-05:00February 28, 2025|

Conexus Indiana, in partnership with TechPoint, has named Arcamed of Indianapolis as the recipient of the second annual Manufacturing Innovation Award. The award was announced at the 26th annual Mira Awards gala, commonly known as “The Oscars of Indiana Tech,” at the Palladium at Allied Solutions Center for the Performing Arts on February 27. The Conexus Indiana Manufacturing Innovation Award recognizes industrial firms that have taken an exceptional leap into the fourth industrial revolution (Industry 4.0) through cutting-edge technology adoption. The 2025 finalists were selected from a group of statewide applicants operating in and serving diverse manufacturing subsectors, including precision parts, fasteners, furniture, medical devices, aerospace and automotive. Collectively, the six firms deployed a broad range of advanced manufacturing technologies like robotics, data analytics, artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML), industrial internet of things and machine vision to [...]

Conexus launches strategic plan to grow Indiana’s advanced manufacturing and logistics industries

2025-03-04T15:45:01-05:00February 4, 2025|

Conexus Indiana, a non-profit dedicated to advancing Indiana’s position as a global leader in advanced manufacturing and logistics (AML), has unveiled its six-year strategic plan, Conexus 2031: Empowering Bold Industry Transformation, to address key challenges and capitalize on opportunities within Indiana’s AML sectors, which are vital to the state’s economic health.Employing more than 840,000 workers and contributing $151 billion to the state’s GDP, these industries account for 25% of all Indiana jobs and 37% of economic output—well above national averages. This outsized impact underscores the importance of maintaining Indiana’s competitive edge through strategic investment in modernization, advanced technology and workforce development.The creation of Conexus 2031 was shaped by robust industry research, including a recent report from TEConomy Partners and Conexus Indiana, Assessing Indiana’s Progress in the Fourth Industrial Revolution, which examines the complex dimensions of productivity, digitization and Industry 4.0 technology adoption and [...]

Central Indiana Corporate Partnership announces senior leadership appointments across BioCrossroads, Conexus Indiana and TechPoint

2024-12-19T00:27:36-05:00December 12, 2024|

INDIANAPOLIS – The Central Indiana Corporate Partnership (CICP), alongside its branded initiatives BioCrossroads, Conexus Indiana and TechPoint, today announces the appointment of three senior leaders who will play pivotal roles in shaping the future of Indiana’s life sciences, advanced manufacturing and logistics and technology sectors. Douglas Kiehl, Patrick “PJ” McGrew and Casey Osterkamp joined BioCrossroads, Conexus Indiana and TechPoint, respectively, in senior leadership roles on December 10. “As we ensure the strength of Indiana’s advanced industries, these strategic hires underscore our commitment to building a thriving, innovative economy,” said Melina Kennedy, CEO of the Central Indiana Corporate Partnership. “Doug, PJ and Casey each bring a depth of expertise that will help us tackle workforce challenges, advance technological adoption and foster cross-sector collaboration. Together, they will elevate our efforts to position Indiana as a global leader in innovation and talent [...]

Fred Cartwright, President and CEO of Conexus Indiana, to retire

2024-11-04T10:29:41-05:00November 4, 2024|

Fred Cartwright, President and CEO of Conexus Indiana, to retire Fred Cartwright, President and CEO, Conexus Indiana INDIANAPOLIS – Today, Conexus Indiana, an initiative of the Central Indiana Corporate Partnership (CICP), announced that Fred Cartwright, president and CEO of Conexus Indiana, will retire at the end of 2024 after more than three years of service with the organization. “Fred’s leadership has been instrumental in advancing Indiana’s role as a national leader in advanced manufacturing and logistics,” said Scott Brand, president and chief operating officer of Subaru of Indiana Automotive and chair of the Conexus Indiana Board of Directors. “His vision, dedication and strategic insight have positioned the organization to thrive. On behalf of the Board, I thank Fred for his leadership and his enduring impact on Conexus and Indiana’s advanced industries.” Cartwright was responsible for Conexus Indiana’s [...]

Conexus Indiana opens nominations for Rising 30 Class of 2025, celebrating emerging talent in advanced manufacturing and logistics

2024-10-28T13:00:08-04:00October 28, 2024|

INDIANAPOLIS – Conexus Indiana has opened nominations for the Rising 30 Class of 2025. The fifth annual Rising 30 awards program, presented by Purdue University, highlights young leaders who are making a significant impact on Indiana’s advanced manufacturing and logistics (AML) sector and shaping the future of the industry. As part of Conexus Indiana’s mission to position Indiana as a global leader in advanced manufacturing and logistics, the Rising 30 program was designed to celebrate the next generation of innovators, change-makers and leaders who are advancing the state’s AML ecosystem. The program also encourages pathways to success in these vital industries, which employ over 700,000 Hoosiers and represent a third of the state’s gross domestic product. “Indiana’s young professionals in advanced manufacturing and logistics are driving change across sectors, from product design and manufacturing processes to logistics and transportation,” [...]

New data confirms growing impact of Manufacturing Readiness Grants program on success and scale of Indiana’s small- to mid-sized advanced manufacturers

2024-10-08T00:47:16-04:00October 2, 2024|

INDIANAPOLIS – Conexus Indiana announced today the results of its most recent study measuring the impact of Indiana’s Manufacturing Readiness Grants program. The report reaffirms the program’s pivotal role in transforming and modernizing Indiana’s advanced manufacturing sector by incentivizing capital investments in advanced technologies at small- to mid-sized businesses. The Manufacturing Readiness Grants program was launched in 2020 as part of the Indiana Economic Development Corporation’s (IEDC) Economic Activity Stabilization and Enhancement (EASE) program. The Indiana General Assembly extended funding for the program in 2021 and again in 2023. The program has seen increasing interest, with the number of applications and continuing to exhaust funding each fiscal year. Since the program’s inception, $57 million in matching grants through 526 awards have been made in 79 Indiana counties. The program boasts a 13:1 leverage ratio, demonstrating that for every dollar [...]

AI in manufacturing economy lags other Indiana industry sectors, but manufacturers continue to make strides on adoption to enhance production capabilities

2024-05-17T12:33:11-04:00May 14, 2024|

Conexus Indiana recently released its latest report, AI in Indiana Survey Report highlighting the state of artificial intelligence (AI) in the Indiana advanced manufacturing and logistics (AML) ecosystem. For the last three years, Conexus Indiana has studied Industry 4.0 technology adoption trends among Indiana manufacturers. Data from the three surveys, fielded between 2020 and 2022, showed many Indiana manufacturers are steadily increasing adoption of Industry 4.0 technologies with a focus on efficiency and productivity gains in their production facilities. Since the completion of the last survey in early 2022, the development and use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) has rapidly evolved, particularly with the launch of Open AI’s ChatGPT platform. Consequently, AI has progressively been at the forefront of the national media and public policy discussions. [READ FULL REPORT] Additional context is available in a recent Conexus Indiana blog post. About [...]

Conexus Indiana names accomplished young professionals to 2024 Rising 30 class

2024-05-13T09:04:59-04:00May 9, 2024|

Honor recognizes 30 professionals in Indiana’s advanced manufacturing and logistics industries INDIANAPOLIS - Conexus Indiana today announced the newest members of the Conexus Indiana Rising 30, an exclusive group of young professionals recognized for their early-career accomplishments in the advanced manufacturing and logistics industries. The Rising 30 program, presented by KSM, is in its fourth year and is part of Conexus Indiana’s mission to strengthen Indiana’s advanced manufacturing and logistics industries. Program honorees represent Indiana’s top talent under the age of 30 who will drive the state’s advanced manufacturing and logistics industries successfully into the future. This year’s winners exemplify leadership and innovation in Indiana’s largest industry sector and are poised to become Indiana’s future industry leaders. “The dynamic professionals named to this year’s Rising 30 cohort are defining what it means to be a young leader in Indiana’s AML [...]

Conexus Indiana presents Manufacturing Innovation Award at TechPoint’s 25th annual Mira Awards

2024-04-29T12:56:03-04:00April 26, 2024|

WATCH Smoker Craft Video INDIANAPOLIS — Conexus Indiana, in partnership with TechPoint, names Smoker Craft Inc. of New Paris, Ind. as the inaugural Manufacturing Innovation Award winner. The award was announced at the 25th annual Mira Awards program presented by the Indiana Economic Development Corporation (IEDC), Salesforce and a host of the state’s most innovative companies, universities and organizations. The Conexus Indiana Manufacturing Innovation Award recognizes industrial firms that have taken an exceptional leap into the fourth industrial revolution (Industry 4.0). The six nominees collectively prioritized productivity and efficiency gains through the adoption of advanced manufacturing technologies like robotics, data analytics, artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML), industrial internet of things, machine vision and more. This year’s winner, Smoker Craft, exemplifies innovation within a manufacturing environment. The multi-generational, family-owned Elkhart County manufacturer is one of the oldest and largest boat builders in [...]

Four Indiana student-run businesses awarded at Conexus Indiana Case Competition

2024-02-29T13:27:01-05:00February 27, 2024|

INDIANAPOLIS – Students from four Indiana high schools were named winners in the 2024 Conexus Indiana Student Industries Case Competition. Teams of student leaders from Eastbrook High School, Mitchell High School, Perry Central High School and White River Valley High School will receive cash prizes to support their School-based Enterprise (SBE), an in-school entrepreneurial advanced manufacturing and logistics business that is managed and operated by students. “The Case Competition, which is open to schools operating SBEs throughout the state, gives high schoolers a platform to showcase their practical decision-making and problem-solving skills,” said Kyle Marshall, senior director of talent programs at Conexus Indiana. “The competition also gives them an opportunity to present to and interact with a panel of industry leaders in Indiana – an opportunity they otherwise might not have while in high school.” Competing schools were divided into [...]

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