Indiana’s Commitment To Innovation
The Indiana Economic Development Corporation (IEDC) is committed to investing in the growth and success of the state’s entrepreneurial ecosystem, which continues to inspire entrepreneurs and fuel new innovations, create quality jobs for Hoosiers, and attract record levels of capital investment. Indiana recently ranked as:
- Ranking as the #1 State to Start a Business by Forbes
- Recognized as a Global Top 40 Emerging Ecosystem by Startup Genome
- Has 6 of its cities named among the 2022 Best Startup Cities in the Midwest, with Indianapolis taking the #3 spot
Challenge
Despite a vibrant entrepreneurial spirit, Indiana’s resources were spread out, creating a hurdle for innovators seeking the support they needed to turn their ideas into reality. When COVID hit, businesses needed information regarding what was available to them, but navigating the different resources and connections became difficult. Accessing these resources was primarily dependent on knowing the right people.
Solution
EcoMap Technologies partnered with Indiana Economic Development Corporation to develop Connect IND, an online platform powered by ecosystem intelligence for Indiana’s entrepreneurs and innovators seeking to navigate the state’s entrepreneurial ecosystem. Connect IND provides info on:
- Business incubators and accelerators
- Investors and funding opportunities
- Mentorship programs
- Educational resources
Benefits
Increased Accessibility & Connectivity
ConnectIND made support organizations like IEDC visible, connecting them with entrepreneurs and startups who can now find resources in one place at the time they need them.
Scalable Ecosystem Support
Eliminating manual resource management, IEDC navigators now support a wider range of entrepreneurs across the state, providing tailored support and tracking their journeys and success at scale.
Improved Ecosystem Intelligence
Using ConnectIND, IEDC identified both successes and gaps within their entrepreneurial ecosystem, allowing them to strategically address them with tailored programming, funding, and resources. This resulted in a significant increase in both the success rate and number of entrepreneurs and startups.
“We had to be intentional about making sure that people from all backgrounds were at the table and were able to offer feedback. At our very first beta testing event, a woman who was on the platform for only 20 minutes broke down in tears…for how grateful and excited she was to be able to access all this information [about Indiana’s business resources].”
– Morgan Allen, Entrepreneurial Ecosystem Director, Indiana Economic Development Corporation