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

2026-03-05T16:52:07-05:00March 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 [...]

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

2025-12-20T22:20:39-05:00December 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 [...]

Butler University partnering with Ascend Indiana to connect students with Indiana employers

2023-02-22T08:42:28-05:00February 21, 2023|

INDIANAPOLIS (February 21, 2023) – Butler University is partnering with Ascend Indiana to connect more students to good and promising career opportunities in Indiana. Through the Ascend Network (the initiative’s online job matching platform), Butler students can connect with Indiana jobs and internships that match their skill sets and interests and receive increased one-on-one career guidance and job search support. In addition, this partnership provides Indiana’s leading employers with a unique platform for hiring Butler students. Since its inception in 2017, Ascend has connected more than 3,000 Hoosiers with jobs and training opportunities in all sectors across the state. More than 600 employers are currently using the Network. “Ascend has already helped many of our students connect to jobs and internships and we look forward to the connections they will help our students make in the future,” Brooke Barnett, Butler’s [...]

Go to Top