Indiana awards more than $1 million for 32 community-based entrepreneurial projects
The programs are focused on entrepreneurial education, connection, and acceleration across Indiana, with a particular focus on underrepresented founders and underserved markets.
The Indiana Economic Development Corporation (IEDC) has announced $1.05 million in grant awards to accelerate entrepreneurial activity and resources statewide through its new Community Collaboration Fund (CCF). This investment will help power 32 community-led projects focused on entrepreneurial education, connection, and acceleration across Indiana, with a particular focus on underrepresented founders and underserved markets.
“Indiana already ranks number two in the nation for starting a business, and these unique and collaborative projects are set to propel our entrepreneurial ecosystem to even greater heights,” said Secretary of Commerce David Rosenberg. “Through the Community Collaboration Fund, we’re accelerating 32 new projects aimed at filling critical gaps and providing more direct support and resources for our entrepreneurs and small businesses at every stage of their journey, ensuring that all Hoosiers have the tools needed to innovate, grow, and succeed.”
CCF, launched in October 2023, is designed to foster Indiana’s already strong entrepreneurial ecosystem. According to a recent ranking by Forbes, Indiana ranks #2 in the U.S. for starting a business, boasts the 12th most active venture capital fund in the country, and has been recognized as a top 40 global emerging destination for entrepreneurship by the Global Entrepreneurship Network and its partners at Startup Genome.
The program provides matching grants to support new community collaborations, services, and programming that will benefit Indiana’s entrepreneurial ecosystem with a focus on education, connection, and acceleration. After an initial pilot of the program, the IEDC received more than 80 applications for its 2024 CCF grants. From the submissions, the 32 projects were chosen based on their ability to fill gaps across the entrepreneurial ecosystem, support non-traditional markets, and collaborate across boundaries.
Click here for a list of the 32 proposals that were funded.
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