Innovation & Entrepreneurship Archives - CEOs of Indiana Corporate Partnership

More Than a Pitch: Cultivating Indiana’s Next Generation of Innovators

Courtney Kerr2026-03-05T16:52:07-05:00March 5, 2026|

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. In the world of economic development, we often talk about "innovation" as a destination—a finished product, a funded startup, or a patent-pending technology. But at its core, innovation is a mindset. It is the ability to look at a complex problem and see a pathway toward a solution. For Indiana to remain competitive in a global economy, we need to cultivate that mindset early. On February 27, the Collegiate Entrepreneur Summit brought together students from across the state (and beyond) to bridge the gap between our world-class lecture halls and the real-world industries that power Indiana. Hosted by INtercollegiate Entrepreneurs, 16 Tech, CICP, and Butler Entrepreneurship, and powered by the [...]

Blazing a new trail for early-stage innovation: Purdue announces creation of Low Institute for Therapeutics (LIFT) through a generous gift by Phil and Joan Low

Courtney Kerr2026-02-24T14:09:15-05:00February 24, 2026|

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. The creation of the Low Institute for Therapeutics, which will work toward accelerating lifesaving therapeutics from the lab and into the world by funding necessary early-stage trials in partnership with Purdue University and Purdue Research Foundation, was announced Tuesday (April 29). The announcement was signed by (from left) Philip Low, Purdue's Presidential Scholar for Drug Discovery and the Ralph C. Corley Distinguished Professor of Chemistry; Purdue Innovates Senior Vice President Brooke Beier; and Purdue President Mung Chiang. (Purdue University photo/Kelsey Lefever) WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Prostate cancer. Malaria. Influenza. All diseases one step closer to eradication thanks to the tireless, lifelong efforts of professor Philip Low. Now he’s [...]

Board of Trustees approves IU Inc., a new nonprofit to accelerate research, advance IU 2030

Courtney Kerr2026-02-24T13:56:27-05:00February 23, 2026|

This post was originally published by Indiana University. Click here to read the original article. As a university-affiliated nonprofit, IU Inc. will help deepen industry collaboration, foster entrepreneurship and business attraction, and expand large-scale research initiatives, while creating new opportunities for faculty and students. INDIANAPOLIS — The Indiana University Board of Trustees has authorized the university to form IU Inc., a nonprofit organization designed to expand and enhance IU partnerships with industry, start-ups and government agencies, with the goal of more rapidly transforming discovery into real-world impact for Indiana and the world. IU Inc. will catalyze innovation and new economic activity by driving stronger collaboration between IU’s research enterprise, entrepreneurs and other potential partners, while creating new opportunities for students and faculty to advance transformational research. As the front door for partners seeking to connect to the university’s more [...]

A Day of Discovery: Recapping the 2025 See Yourself IN Summit

Courtney Kerr2026-02-12T14:36:07-05:00February 12, 2026|

The 2025 See Yourself IN High School Summit brought together hundreds of high school students, educators, and industry leaders for a day designed to spark possibility and illuminate real pathways into Indiana’s advanced industries. From the moment students arrived at the AMP at 16 Tech on November 13, the energy was unmistakable: curiosity, excitement, and a genuine eagerness to explore what’s possible for their futures. Click here to view photos from this year's event! Learning from the Leaders Who Shape Indiana’s Economy We kicked off the 2025 See Yourself IN Summit with an opening from Kristen Lampkin and Latoya Botteron of CICP, who encouraged students to think boldly about their futures and to go into this day with an open mind of what is out there in Indiana. We then welcomed Olivia West, in-game host for the Indiana Fever [...]

2025 Tech Venture Report

Courtney Kerr2026-02-02T19:01:07-05:00February 2, 2026|

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BioCrossroads Launches Startup Hub, a New Centralized Platform for Indiana’s Life Sciences Startup Ecosystem

Courtney Kerr2026-02-18T16:28:45-05:00January 22, 2026|

INDIANAPOLIS [January 22, 2025] – BioCrossroads today officially launched the BioCrossroads Startup Hub, a new, comprehensive ecosystem platform designed to serve as a centralized front door for Indiana’s life sciences startup community. Built as a continually evolving resource, this online hub brings together funding pathways, mentorship, regulatory and clinical resources, startup visibility, and ecosystem connections in one place. The platform targets a longstanding challenge within Indiana’s innovation economy: while the state is home to one of the strongest life sciences ecosystems in the country, the resources that support startups have historically been fragmented across many organizations and websites. That fragmentation can slow momentum for founders, limit visibility for investors, and create unnecessary barriers to growth. The BioCrossroads Startup Hub is designed for the multiple stakeholders critical to a thriving startup ecosystem— researchers and innovators exploring commercialization; investors seeking Indiana-based life [...]

Ignition: If you’re Ready to Build Something Big, Start Here

Courtney Kerr2026-01-20T11:11:49-05:00January 20, 2026|

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 is Indiana's statewide launchpad for collegiate founders. Ignition is an 8 week, cohort-based program powered by the Indiana Economic Development Corporation. It is designed to help collegiate founders validate their ventures, refine their MVPs, and connect with Indiana’s startup ecosystem. Participants gain access to mentors, investors, and statewide peers, and leave the program ready for accelerators, to attract capital, and scale their venture. The Spring 2026 cohort kicks off in February and runs through April, combining weekly virtual workshops with in-person meetups at Indiana’s home for innovation. Join a statewide community of builders, makers, and founders who are shaping what’s next — and doing it right here in Indiana. Apply here. Timeline: Applications open [...]

The “Silver Tsunami” and the Future of Indiana Business: Why You Need to Be at the First Statewide ETA Conference

Courtney Kerr2025-12-20T22:20:39-05:00December 20, 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. Indiana is standing at the edge of a massive economic shift. As the "Silver Tsunami" approaches—the wave of retiring Baby Boomer business owners, thousands of established Indiana companies will soon need new leadership. “How big of an effect this will have on Indiana is hard to predict, but what is clear is that rural areas have the most at stake. According to the U.S. Small Business Administration, so-called Main Street businesses represent 84.8% of total businesses in rural areas and 54.3% of total jobs,” stated Brian Schutt, Director of Indiana’s new Office of Entrepreneurship and Innovation in an IBJ article earlier this year. In Indiana, these businesses aren’t just numbers [...]

People of Indiana State: Bryce Maxwell

Courtney Kerr2025-12-16T15:16:59-05:00December 16, 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. For Bryce Maxwell, ‘25, the decision to attend Indiana State University was rooted in family and practicality. Born and raised in Terre Haute, Maxwell chose to pursue a degree from Indiana State because of stories he had heard from family members. “My mom, my dad, and my older brother all went to Indiana State,” he shares. “I had three great examples of success stories, so I thought I’d stay in my hometown. The tuition was great, and I knew Indiana State was a nice school. I could find my way and figure out what I wanted to do.” Finding that way, however, took time. Maxwell entered college unsure of his [...]

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. [...]

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