homepage-featured Archives - CEOs of Indiana Corporate Partnership

Eric Christopher named new TechPoint president and CEO

Courtney Kerr2026-04-06T09:04:04-04:00April 6, 2026|

INDIANAPOLIS (April 6, 2026): The CEOs of Indiana Corporate Partnership (CICP) and TechPoint, the nonprofit industry-led growth initiative for Indiana’s digital innovation economy, announced today that Eric Christopher will serve as TechPoint’s next president and CEO, effective April 7. With more than 20 years of experience securing venture capital and scaling high-growth software companies, Christopher is recognized as a leader across Indiana’s tech community and throughout the tech industry nationally. Having served as a TechPoint board member since 2018, Christopher has led efforts to expand support and resources for local tech talent to fuel sustained economic growth. “Eric brings the leadership and vision needed to build on Indiana’s growing momentum in technology and digital innovation,” said Aman Brar, a member of the TechPoint Board. “As artificial intelligence and emerging technologies reshape industries and create new opportunities, TechPoint plays a critical [...]

AgriNovus Indiana research unveils focus areas ripe for startup innovation, launches applications for $75,000 Velocity Accelerator

Courtney Kerr2026-03-30T12:04:44-04:00March 30, 2026|

2026 Velocity empowers innovators to build tech solutions in bioinnovation, farmer-focused innovation, food is health INDIANAPOLIS (March 30, 2026) - AgriNovus Indiana, an initiative to grow the agbioscience economy, released new research today identifying critical challenges ripe for innovation that will serve as the foundation for the 2026 Velocity Accelerator, a six-month program that awards entrepreneurs three separate $25,000 cash prizes for their technology solutions in bioinnovation, farmer-focused innovation and food is health. Conducted by Arrowpoint Labs, the study entitled Advancing Innovation: Priority Areas for Indiana’s Agbioscience Future updates the sector’s economic impact in Indiana, synthesizes insights from key state and national agbioscience leaders and provides problem statements for the innovation community – from students to startups and existing companies – to solve through Velocity. “Velocity is an accelerator that focuses on the core challenges facing our agbioscience industry,” said [...]

Ascend Indiana Launches Regional Work-Based Learning Support Network and Resource Hub

Courtney Kerr2026-03-25T16:51:42-04:00March 25, 2026|

Ascend Indiana, the talent and workforce development initiative of the CEOs of Indiana Corporate Partnership (CICP), announced today a statewide initiative to support Indiana schools and employers in developing and implementing high-quality work-based learning experiences for high school students. In partnership with the Indiana Department of Education (IDOE), Ascend developed and launched a comprehensive set of resources that provides step-by-step guidance, examples and design considerations aligned with Indiana’s updated high school graduation requirements. Ascend has also established and equipped a network of regional partners that will coordinate, expand and enable high-quality WBL across the state. As Indiana’s statewide workforce initiative, Ascend developed these work-based learning resources and accompanying network in response to the state’s high school diploma redesign, which requires students graduating with a readiness seal to have completed sustained WBL experiences aligned to career pathways. “Beginning with the [...]

TechPoint Launches Expanded Statewide Tech Job Board Powered by Ascend Indiana

Courtney Kerr2026-03-19T09:47:48-04:00March 19, 2026|

Indianapolis (March 19, 2026) – TechPoint, the industry-led growth initiative for Indiana’s digital innovation economy, today announced the launch of the new TechPoint Job Board powered by Ascend Indiana’s on-line job platform, the Ascend Network. The expanded, technology-enabled platform increases available tech job listings from less than a hundred to more than 1,000 across Indiana, creating broader access for job seekers and stronger hiring support for employers. The launch comes as Indiana’s tech sector faces a growing experience gap. According to TechPoint’s recent brief, AI Amplifies Need to Address Experience Gap, early-career workers ages 22–25 experienced a 13% relative decline in employment from late 2022 to mid-2025. As artificial intelligence reshapes hiring needs, employers increasingly seek candidates with hands-on experience, making it harder for young professionals to gain entry into the field. “Indiana’s tech economy is growing, but early-career [...]

BioCrossroads 2025 Annual Report: Indiana’s Life Sciences Ecosystem in 2025

Courtney Kerr2026-03-18T19:11:53-04:00March 18, 2026|

Advancing BioCrossroads' 10-Year Strategy INDIANAPOLIS (March 18, 2026)—BioCrossroads today released its 2025 Annual Report, highlighting another landmark year for Indiana’s life sciences ecosystem. The report highlights BioCrossroads’ efforts to support robust talent pipelines, unprecedented economic impact, and national recognition of Indiana’s leadership in life sciences. Indiana remained number one in the nation for life sciences and pharmaceutical exports. The report also highlights continued growth and momentum across the state’s life sciences and healthcare sectors: $102 billion total economic contribution from Indiana’s life sciences industry; 70,000 Hoosiers employed in life sciences across 3,312 establishments; $177,000 average annual wage in life sciences; 386,100 healthcare workers across Indiana; 36 venture capital deals totaling approximately $190 million invested in Indiana life sciences companies in 2025. “By crossing the $100 billion threshold of total economic contribution, Indiana’s life sciences sector has reached a remarkable [...]

CICP Unveils New Business Name to Align Work and Impact Across Indiana

Courtney Kerr2026-03-11T08:55:15-04:00March 11, 2026|

Indianapolis (March 11, 2026) – With a clear purpose to drive economic growth and prosperity in Indiana, Central Indiana Corporate Partnership today announced plans to align its name with its strategic impact and collaborative efforts across the state. CEOs of Indiana Corporate Partnership (CICP) will now serve as the organization’s doing business as (DBA) name, reflecting its 27-year legacy of advancing research, leading innovation, and expanding opportunities for entrepreneurs and workforce development. “Our new name reaffirms who we are as an organization while supporting our commitment to elevating advanced industries throughout Indiana,” said Melina Kennedy, CEO of CICP. “As our board of directors represent CEOs and presidents of the state’s top corporate, academic, and philanthropic organizations , our identity leverages their expertise to tackle some of the state’s most challenging and inspiring opportunities. We lead with purpose and know [...]

CICP Launches Catalyst Scholars Fund to Drive Advanced Chemistry Innovation in Indiana

Courtney Kerr2026-03-05T09:52:48-05:00March 5, 2026|

Indianapolis (March 5, 2026) – The Central Indiana Corporate Partnership (CICP) has announced the launch of the Catalyst Scholars Fund, which marks the first phase of a broader Advanced Chemistry strategy for Indiana. The strategy involves a coordinated effort to position Indiana as the national leader in the development and deployment of technologies needed to reshore and secure critical supply chains for medicines, animal health products, and agricultural inputs, which is a national security priority. The Catalyst Scholars Fund is a five-year initiative to enable Indiana’s leading STEM higher education institutions, including its four R1 research institutions (Indiana University Bloomington, Indiana University Indianapolis, Purdue University and the University of Notre Dame) along with Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology to attract world-class research teams in Advanced Chemistry through strategic cluster and eminent scholar recruitment. The Fund will provide matching support for [...]

Conexus Indiana Launches Industry Exchange Workshop Series to Accelerate Technology Adoption in Manufacturing and Logistics

Courtney Kerr2026-03-04T09:36:36-05:00March 4, 2026|

First workshop set for March 31 in Jeffersonville to support small and mid-sized companies INDIANAPOLIS – March 4, 2026 – Conexus Indiana, a statewide organization dedicated to strengthening Indiana’s advanced manufacturing and logistics industries, announced today the launch of the Industry Exchange workshop series, a hands-on learning program designed to help Indiana’s advanced manufacturing and logistics (AML) companies navigate technology adoption and corresponding workforce challenges. The Industry Exchange workshop series open to all Indiana AML companies and brings practical frameworks and peer-to-peer learning to small and mid-sized manufacturing and logistics companies who need actionable guidance on building technology roadmaps, assessing digital readiness and aligning workforce strategy with technology investments. The series is informed by insights gathered through workshops and direct conversations with small and mid-sized AML companies across Indiana, which revealed that leaders clearly understand the value of digital [...]

AgriNovus Indiana announces new board leadership, welcomes new directors

Courtney Kerr2026-02-25T14:35:14-05:00February 25, 2026|

INDIANAPOLIS (February 25, 2026) — AgriNovus Indiana, a nonprofit coalition focused on growing Indiana’s agbioscience economy, announced today that Trent Torrance, chief operating officer of United Animal Health, will serve as chair of the organization’s board of directors. The board unanimously approved Tim Bettington, executive vice president for Center of Strategic Growth at Elanco, as its vice chair. Phil Brewer, vice president of strategy at Keystone Cooperative, and Dr. Bernie Engel, Glenn W. Sample Dean of Agriculture at Purdue University, were also approved to the AgriNovus Executive Committee. Stéphane Frijia, president and CEO of Northeast Indiana Regional Partnership, and Drew Garretson, vice president of Innovation and Sustainability at Keystone Cooperative, were unanimously approved as additions to the organization’s Board of Directors. The board also approved the addition of Darren Dillenbeck, CEO of BW Fusion, Mike Jacob, board representative [...]

Ascend Indiana Broadens its Reach, Adding Three New Members Named to its Board of Directors

Courtney Kerr2026-02-18T09:24:53-05:00February 18, 2026|

Ascend Indiana, the talent and workforce development initiative of the Central Indiana Corporate Partnership (CICP), announced today three members to its Board of Directors. The board members include Tina Peterson, president and CEO at Regional Opportunity Initiatives (ROI), Jacqueline Kronk, chief strategy officer at the Office of the Indiana Secretary of Education, and David Umulis, Purdue’s chief academic officer and senior vice provost for Indianapolis. David is replacing board member Dan Hasler (former chief operating officer of Purdue University in Indianapolis) on the Ascend Indiana Board of Directors. “Ascend’s board of directors is in a period of growth and has added key members to help strengthen its position as a statewide workforce development intermediary. Tina brings significant expertise to the board through her regional intermediary work focused on advanced industry sectors, regionalism, transformative school and workforce redesign and placemaking [...]

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