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.
Credit: Butler University
From student start-ups to statewide partnerships, Butler University is building a connected ecosystem where ideas grow, leaders emerge, and innovation thrives.
At Butler University, entrepreneurship is more than a business concept—it’s a campus-wide commitment to imagination, problem-solving, and possibility. From student-run ventures and pitch competitions to alumni investor networks and statewide collaborations, Butler is cultivating the next generation of entrepreneurial leaders who are shaping Indiana’s innovation economy.
“Our goal is to ensure that students graduate with more than a degree,” Craig Caldwell, Dean of the Lacy School of Business (LSB), said. “They leave with the confidence, experience, and leadership skills to solve problems, build businesses, and make an impact from day one.”
A Launchpad for Ideas
The Entrepreneurship and Innovation Program within Butler’s Lacy School of Business empowers students to take ideas from concept to creation through hands-on coursework, mentorship, and immersive learning experiences. From the First-Year Business Experience course to the sophomore-level Real Business Experience —where every student builds and runs a company with $1,000 in seed funding—to studio style incubation within Butler’s Startup Lab for student founders- entrepreneurship at Butler is as real as it gets.
These experiences are reinforced through mentorship, non-dilutive grant funding, networking, and partnerships that connect students directly with Indianapolis’s entrepreneurial community as part of the ecosystem managed by Butler Entrepreneurship. “About 70 percent of people in this generation want to start a business at some point,” Nick Smarrelli, Lecturer in Entrepreneurship and Director of Butler’s Entrepreneurship Program, said. “Our job is to help them develop the mindset and the muscle to actually do it. We give them the structure, resources, and freedom to explore what happens when ideas meet execution.”
That ecosystem now supports more than 40 student-founded ventures and a growing portfolio of student-run businesses like Chimba Bowls and Butler Brew, both employing peers and serving as living classrooms in leadership and innovation.
A Community that Builds Together
That community-first approach was on full display this fall when more than 200 students, alumni, and community members gathered for Butler’s Entrepreneurship Kick-Off event, hosted by the Private Venture Association (PVA) and Butler DECA. The evening featured Indy 500 Champion Alex Palou, who shared lessons from his own entrepreneurial journey, and showcased alumni founders who have turned classroom ideas into scalable ventures.
“Everyone needs to know that Butler University—not just LSB—is leaning into entrepreneurship now more than ever,” Caldwell told the crowd. “LSB is just leading the charge.”
Current Entrepreneurship student Felipe Reyes, founder of Chimba Bowls, and recent graduate John Dunn, founder of EntryPoint SRM, illustrated the transformative power of Butler’s approach. “Butler gave me the yes and the opportunity,” Reyes said. “Know that you have the capacity to build cool things and make an impact.”
That spirit of innovation starts early. Just three weeks into the fall semester, 44 first-year students took the stage in the First-Year Pitch Competition, presenting startup concepts to a panel of investors and entrepreneurs. “Pitching allows students to practice nearly every skill they’ll need after graduation—working as a team, presenting ideas clearly, and showing themselves well,” Smarrelli says. “And the best part? It’s fun. Every team exceeded expectations.”
And the momentum continues at events, programs, and initiatives rooted in Dugan Hall. “We are hosting 41 CEOs, founders, and investors at the Lacy School of Business for a speed networking event,” Smarrelli added. “I’d say this rivals anyone in terms of the number of people brought in from the community to engage with future entrepreneurs and entrepreneurial thinkers.”
From Campus to Capital
Butler’s entrepreneurial ecosystem extends beyond the classroom. The Butler Angel Network, launching in 2026, will connect early-stage ventures with alumni and community investors while giving students direct experience in venture capital and early-stage investing.
“This is more than an investment vehicle,” Caldwell explained. “It’s a living lab for our students—a bridge to our alumni and the broader investment community, and a bold step toward making Butler a hub for entrepreneurial leadership and economic development in the Midwest.”
Through partnerships with organizations like gener8tor, TechPoint, and the Indiana Economic Development Corporation, Butler is aligning academic innovation with statewide economic opportunity. These collaborations provide students with access to mentors, investors, and real-world projects that strengthen Indiana’s entrepreneurial pipeline.
Transforming, Together
For Melissa Beckwith, Butler’s Executive Vice President and Chief Strategy Officer, the University’s growing influence in entrepreneurship reflects a shared purpose between education and industry. “College shouldn’t just be a place to learn about entrepreneurship—it should be a place to live it,” Beckwith said. “Programs like Innovate WithIN and the Butler Angel Network demonstrate what’s possible when education, mentorship, and investment come together to empower young innovators.”
From first-year students pitching their first ideas to alumni returning as investors and mentors, Butler is proving that innovation is strongest when it’s shared. Together, the University and its partners are fueling Indiana’s next generation of thinkers, builders, and doers—creating not just businesses, but lasting impact.
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Across Indiana, our universities are fostering the next generation of entrepreneurs and innovators who are shaping our state’s future. In collaboration with our university partners, CICP is excited to share and amplify those stories; which highlight students, faculty, and alumni who are turning ideas into action. By celebrating these efforts, we aim to strengthen the connections between higher education, industry, and community, and to shine a light on the innovation happening throughout our state. Click here to learn more about this initiative.
