TechPoint, Indiana’s technology growth initiative, recognized the state’s high-tech success stories during its 13th annual Mira Awards gala presented by BKD CPAs & Advisors at the JW Marriott in downtown Indianapolis on Saturday. BKD Managing Partner Rob Pruitt and Sproutbox Co-founder Brad Wisler served as co-hosts for the event known as “Indiana’s Technology Oscars." ... [more]

BioCrossroads announced today the formation of the Indiana Seed Fund II (the Fund), an early-stage capital fund focused on identifying, creating and developing the next generation of Indiana-based life sciences companies. The $8.25 million fund is a follow-on to the Indiana Seed Fund I, a $6 million fund that is now fully committed in a portfolio of 12 Indiana life sciences companies. Managed by BioCrossroads, the Indiana Seed Fund II is a result of a unique public-private collaboration of corporate, university and philanthropic investors including BC Initiative (BioCrossroads’ for-profit / investment entity), Eli Lilly and Company, the Richard M. Fairbanks Foundation, Inc., Indiana University Research and Technology Corporation, Purdue University, the University of Notre Dame, and WellPoint... [more]

Summary of the Mind Trust Plan to decentralize the Indianapolis Public School district into a portfolio of 'opportunity schools,' borrowing from the successful Recovery School Distrcit of New Orleans.

Download here. 

Update on CICP stragetic projects prepared for the April 24, 2012 Board of Directors meeting.

Download here. 

Annual audit report for 2011 for CICP, Inc. from Katz Sapper & Miller. 

Download here. 

Conexus Indiana, the state’s advanced manufacturing and logistics (AML) initiative, today announced six Hoosier high schools and career centers that will pilot its new high school-level AML curriculum this fall.  The curriculum, designed to give Indiana students a head-start on careers in the state’s largest economic sector, will debut at George Rogers Clark High School & Area Career Center (Hammond, Indiana); the Area 31 Career Center at Ben Davis High School (Indianapolis); The Excel Center (Indianapolis); Terre Haute North High School; North High School and Southern Indiana Career/Technical Center (Evansville); and Batesville High School..[more]

2011 was another milestone year for BioCrossroads and Indiana’s life sciences industry. More companies were formed and funded; more pharmaceutical and medical device products made their way from Indiana into the global marketplace; more and better data tracked the development of our sector; and more recognition came to our community as a regional hub of America’s life sciences industry – an industry with a $44 billion total impact on Indiana’s economy... [more]

Statement from the Central Indiana Transit Task Force

Last November, the Central Indiana Transit Task Force proposed a significant regional mass transit plan that will connect workers to jobs, revitalize urban neighborhoods and help the region compete for talent and economic investment.

The Task Force called on the Indiana General Assembly to give voters a chance to evaluate the proposal and decide for themselves through a referendum if they wanted to invest in this kind of transit system.  A broad coalition of more than 100 groups, representing civic organizations, neighborhood associations, the business community, organized labor, local elected officials, disability advocates and others joined the call to give local voters this voice.

We knew that the time constraints of a short legislative session would be challenging, but we were encouraged that this groundswell of support would lead to success this year.  Unfortunately, the transit initiative became entangled in collateral issues at the Statehouse, most notably right to work.  With labor issues added to the mix, our bill failed to clear the House Ways & Means committee by one vote, even though the transit portion of the legislation – on its own merits -- would have easily passed the committee with strong bipartisan support.

Given this outcome and the pressing calendar of the short session, it has become clear that the transit initiative won’t pass this year.  To quote Vince Lombardi, "We didn't lose the game; we just ran out of time."  Speaker of the House Brian Bosma and Senate President Pro Tem David Long have encouraged us to continue making the case for the transit plan and to bring the issue back for consideration in the 2013 budget session.

In that spirit, we’ll meet with individual legislators over the course of the coming year to answer their questions and secure bipartisan support for the plan.  We'll engage the strong grassroots network that already exists to build even broader community support. And we'll continue gathering feedback to refine the transit plan as necessary to meet the community's needs.

The success of the Super Bowl demonstrated once again that we can do incredible things when the community comes together to pursue a shared goal.  It showed that we know how to take a familiar concept, study the success and failures of others, and put our own unique imprint on the event. 

Finally, the Super Bowl experience reminded us that the disappointment of an initial setback – such as losing our initial attempt to host the game – shouldn’t deter us from pressing on.  We'll take all of those lessons to heart as we plan for the next legislative session.

Task Force Co-chairs

Al Hubbard, E&A Industries
John Neighbours, Faegre Baker Daniels
Robert Palmer, FedEx

Task Force Founding Members

Mark Miles, Central Indiana Corporate Partnership
Scott Miller, Greater Indianapolis Chamber of Commerce
Steve Sullivan, Metropolitan Indianapolis Board of Realtors

Local elected officials will join civic and business leaders today at the Indiana State Fairgrounds to endorse a dramatic expansion of mass transit in the region, and together will call on the Indiana General Assembly to give local communities the flexibility they need to fund the plan and to authorize a referendum in November 2012 to give voters the final say on the plan... [more]

Conexus Indiana today announced its intention to launch a high school-level curriculum focused on advanced manufacturing and logistics, two industries that collectively employ one of every four Hoosier workers. This innovative program will give Indiana students a head-start on careers in these increasingly high-tech fields...[more]

At the eighth annual Indiana Life Sciences Summit today, BioCrossroads recognized the late William A. Cook, the founder of Bloomington-based Cook Group and one of the world’s great entrepreneurial success stories, with the August M. Watanabe Life Sciences Champion of the Year award. Cook Group President Kem Hawkins accepted the award as a tribute to his friend and colleague...[more]

Auto racing is about the thrill of competition, about who can coax the best performance out of finely-tuned race machines. A proposed new racing series aims to complement internal combustion engine racing traditions with the advanced technologies quickly emerging in electric vehicles (EVs). With emerging battery technology, EVs can outperform traditional cars in torque, speed and handling - on the track or on the highway...[more] 

BioCrossroads today announced the receipt of a two-year $2.8 million grant from Lilly Endowment Inc.   The grant will fund a range of charitable, educational and scientific activities through 2013 as BioCrossroads continues to build upon Indiana’s signature strengths in the life sciences.... [more]

Economic output from Indiana’s defense contractors more than doubled over the past decade; in the last two years alone, the Indiana Economic Development Corporation (IEDC) estimates that Hoosier defense and aerospace companies have created 1,800 new jobs....[more]

More than one of every ten cars produced in the United States are assembled in Indiana, putting the ‘Crossroads of America’ on the map as an automaking powerhouse.   But a new industry-led initiative sponsored by the Indiana Economic Development Corporation (IEDC) and Conexus Indiana has even higher ambitions – making the Hoosier State the recognized leader in automotive innovation, engineering and manufacturing...[more]

Energy Systems Network (ESN), the industry-driven initiative focused on clean technologies and energy innovation, has elected four new members to its Board of Directors: John Bear, President & CEO of Midwest ISO (MISO); Eizo Kobayashi, Chairman of the Board at ITOCHU Corporation; Norio Sasaki, President & CEO of Toshiba Corporation; and Reuben Munger, Chairman & CEO of Bright Automotive have all joined the ESN Board...[more]

A rapidly growing life sciences industry has a $44 billion total impact on Indiana’s economy, according to a comprehensive new report released today by BioCrossroads. The report, Indiana’s Life Sciences Industry: 2002-2010—Tracking Progress and Charting the Course for Continued Success, authored by Walter H. Plosila, Ph.D., and based on data gathered by the Indiana Business Resource Center at the Indiana University Kelley School of Business, illustrates a decade of substantial growth and measurable progress across a wide range of nationally significant indicators....[more] 

Conexus Indiana and the Ball State Center for Business and Economic Research today released the 2011 Indiana Manufacturing and Logistics Report Card, an annual "grading" of the strengths, challenges and opportunities impacting the two industries that collectively employ nearly one of every four Hoosiers....[more]

TechPoint's 2011 Innovation Summit will feature a keynote address by Facebook Spokeswoman and Director of Market Development Randi Zuckerberg - who is also Founder Mark Zuckerberg's sister....[more]

Central Indiana Corporate Partnership (CICP), the regional CEO alliance, announced today that Ron Gifford is serving as its Executive Vice President for Public Policy effective March 1, 2011. In that capacity, Gifford will also act as executive director of the Central Indiana Transit Task Force...[more]

In March 2010, the Conexus Indiana manufacturing and logistics initiative launched Indiana Supplier INsight, a web-based network that links Indiana firms with potential suppliers within the state – streamlining supply chains and helping Hoosiers do business with Hoosiers...[more]