Funding will support the new Indiana AI Innovation Network

The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) announced TechPoint, the Central Indiana Corporate Partnership’s (CICP) branded growth initiative for the state’s digital innovation economy, as a Stage Two winner for the 2024 Growth Accelerator Fund Competition (GAFC). TechPoint won the award for its plans to launch and operate the Artificial Intelligence (AI) Innovation Network for Indiana-based companies and organizations.

“AI will have a transformative impact on the future of our workforce and economic competitiveness for our community,” said Melina Kennedy, CEO of the Central Indiana Corporate Partnership. “This SBA award enables TechPoint and other CICP initiatives to continue leading AI adoption strategy and innovation ecosystem building work.”

The $100,000 funding will be awarded to support TechPoint’s impactful and inclusive approach to nurturing a collaborative national innovation ecosystem to advance small business research and development (R&D) from ideas to market. The organization won $50,000 in the Stage One round earlier this year.

The Evansville-based Indiana Center for Emerging Technologies also won a cash prize from the GAFC in both stages.

“We are gratified to see this additional support as we work with our incredible partners to ensure Indiana puts AI to work in the most positive, imaginative and useful ways possible,” said TechPoint President and CEO Ting Gootee.

Chelsea Linder, TechPoint’s Vice President, Innovation & Entrepreneurship, said the AI Innovation Network will be launched quickly to begin benefiting participants.

“There is huge market demand for support services in the AI space, and we have the absolute best group of foundational partners helping us build and shape this service,” Linder said.

Those interested in joining the AI Innovation Network are encouraged to learn more and reach out to TechPoint via its website at: https://go.techpoint.org/e/1009822/ai-innovation-network/5gkqt/641610642/h/fEBcla-SozHKwI6UUz0mDwdj_QLn_D1vKlBm92u4CkU

TechPoint’s network partners include CICP and its branded initiatives, AgriNovus Indiana, Ascend Indiana, BioCrossroads, and Conexus Indiana, plus AnalytiXIN, the Applied Research Institute, IU Quarry and Purdue Innovates.

Stage One of the SBA competition emphasized ecosystem network building, focusing on the enhanced support that can be provided to small businesses and startups through these Growth Accelerator Partnerships.

By fostering connections between entrepreneurs, mentors, partners, philanthropies, corporations, investors, and other shared resources, the SBA GAFC 2024 catalyzes strategic ecosystem partnerships to build community and organizational capacity for the successful launch, growth, and scale of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics)-based entrepreneurs.