entrepreneurship Archives - The Central 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 [...]

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. [...]

The Hoosier Heartland is Buzzing: IU Innovates Demo Day Showcases Indiana’s Next Generation of Founders

Courtney Kerr2025-11-26T13:32:10-05:00November 26, 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. IU Innovates students participate in a demo pitch to a panel of entrepreneurs at Dimension Mill on Friday, Oct. 24, 2025. (Photo by Wendi Chitwood/Indiana University) Step into The Mill in Bloomington on Friday, October 24, and the air wasn't filled with the usual hum of a business event, but with the palpable energy of possibility. The occasion was the IU Innovates Student Startup Demo Day, a vibrant mid-semester showcase that felt less like a stiff pitch competition and more like a high-powered, community-led workshop. It was a tangible demonstration that Indiana University is not just discussing innovation; it’s actively cultivating and launching the next generation of founders [...]

Indiana on the Global Stage: Insights from the Global Entrepreneurship Congress 2025 in Indianapolis

Courtney Kerr2025-11-18T09:53:38-05:00November 18, 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. Earlier this year, Indianapolis took center stage as thousands of entrepreneurs, investors, policymakers and innovation ecosystem builders from over 140 countries gathered for the Global Entrepreneurship Congress (GEC) 2025. The international event, hosted every other year in a new global city with an emerging entrepreneurial ecosystem, brought an estimated 3,000 attendees to the Hoosier State and showcased why Indiana is earning its reputation as a rising hub for innovation and entrepreneurship. Ryan Henderson, Conexus Indiana’s senior director of innovation, attended the event and brought back key takeaways across four jam-packed days of programming and collaboration. A Global Spotlight on Indiana’s Manufacturing Strengths and its Entrepreneurial Roots The opening session, Bold Solutions [...]

Nutrition + Wellness Majors: The Emerging Agbioscience Professional – Field Atlas

Courtney Kerr2025-11-17T10:00:25-05:00November 17, 2025|

This article was originally published by Field Atlas. Click here to read the original article. The Field Atlas Agbioscience Mentorship Program was launched nearly 5 months ago in February of 2025, and the connections mentees have been able to make through the first half of this program are truly inspiring. AMP is a guided yearlong mentorship program that connects late college and early professionals to industry leaders excelling in the agbioscience field. This year, 14 professional mentor/mentee connections were made through AMP – one of those including China Thompson, Senior at Marian University pursuing a degree in Nutrition, Fitness & Wellness and aspiring Nutritionist. China originally applied to the AMP program hoping to achieve a better understanding of the agbioscience industry and develop a broader network in this space. China was really hoping this experience would help her bridge the connection [...]

How Field Atlas is Preparing Students for Careers in Environmental Studies, Sustainable Agriculture

Courtney Kerr2025-11-17T09:45:22-05:00November 17, 2025|

This article was originally published by Hoosier Ag Today. Click here to read the original article. Before Field Atlas ambassadors and students take their Agbioscience company tours, the students are introduced to Indiana ag leaders during the Field Atlas mentorship dinner. This gives students the opportunity to connect with agbioscience professionals who are actively working in careers that feed the world, protect the planet, and improve lives. Photo courtesy of AgriNovus Indiana. There are many different careers in the agbioscience industry. But, many college students may not be aware of the ones that focus on environmental studies and sustainable agriculture. “I really want to work in conservation, and I know that conservation is such a big part of agriculture,” says Aliviah Cartwright, who is a natural resources and environmental management major at Ball State University. She’s also a Field Atlas ambassador [...]

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