Indiana Secretary of Commerce Brad Chambers today announced the promotion of Dave Roberts to executive vice president of entrepreneurship and innovation for the Indiana Economic Development Corporation (IEDC), effective Nov. 1, 2021. Roberts has served the IEDC since 2016, most recently as chief innovation officer.

“Dave is a valued member of the IEDC team, and Indiana and its entrepreneurs will benefit from his continued leadership,” said Sec. Chambers. “Dave’s track record within the IEDC provides the foundation we need to continue our momentum in establishing Indiana as the premier destination for entrepreneurs.”

In his new role, Roberts will report to Sec. Chambers and will oversee entrepreneurial ecosystem and capital, tech commercialization, strategic futures and the Indiana Small Business Development Center.

Before leading the IEDC’s entrepreneurship and innovation efforts, Roberts served as president of the Battery Innovation Center, a public-private partnership focused on next generation energy technologies. He was also the CEO of EnerDel Inc., legal counsel for Caterpillar, an engineer for Lockheed Martin, a corporate board member of domestic and international organizations, and a patent and business attorney with Gutwein Law.

Roberts represents the state for various initiatives, including the Techpoint, AgriNovus Indiana and 16Tech boards, and the Volkswagen Mitigation Trust Committee. He is a graduate of Lehigh University and Indiana University School of Law. He resides in the Indianapolis area with his wife and two children.