IU Innovates Archives - CEOs of Indiana Corporate Partnership

JagStart winner pursues entrepreneurial dreams with stylish workwear startup

Courtney Kerr2026-05-28T14:56:48-04:00May 28, 2026|

This story is part of an initiative led by the CEOs of Indiana Corporate Partnership (CICP) to highlight entrepreneurship and innovation across Indiana’s universities. Learn more about the initiative here. Image credit: Indiana University Indianapolis Ja’Niya Smith’s business experience and clear vision for Miss CEO Essentials lands first-place finish in IU Indianapolis pitch competition Indiana University Indianapolis sophomore Ja’Niya Smith has always been entrepreneurial. At 13, she started braiding hair under the guidance of her grandmother, a hairstylist. By 18, she had a successful small business, Beautifully Braided, providing natural hair care services such as styling, braiding and extensions from a small salon at her family’s home in Muncie, Indiana. But when she came to IU Indianapolis to major in marketing, management and venture creation at the Kelley School of Business, Smith started considering how to spin off [...]

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 [...]

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 [...]

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