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Indianapolis-based Conexus Indiana is launching an effort to support innovation and other activity within the state’s emerging hardtech sector.
The effort, called the Hardtech Innovators Network, has its first meeting from 4 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. on Aug. 7 at the 16 Tech Innovation District, 1220 Waterway Blvd. The gathering is scheduled for the district’s food hall area, known as The Amp.
Similar gatherings are planned once per quarter at locations around the state. Conexus expects to offer a fourth-quarter event in Terre Haute, with Carmel and Fort Wayne events set for the first and second quarters of next year, respectively. The dates and exact locations for these three events have yet to be determined.
Generally speaking, hardtech refers to the integration of software with physical objects—which could include anything from consumer goods to medical devices to next-generation industrial materials.
The Hardtech Innovators Network grew out of a coordinated effort by multiple organizations to boost Indiana’s hardtech sector. That effort traces back to late 2022, when representatives from Conexus; the Indiana Economic Development Corp.; venture investors Elevate Ventures, HG Ventures and Indiana University Ventures; 16 Tech; AgriNovus Indiana; and TechPoint began meeting regularly.
The group’s initial goal was to focus on entrepreneurs, helping them to connect with the mentors, design and prototyping expertise, manufacturing and other resources they needed.
Over time, though, the group came to realize it needed to adjust its focus.
“We had many more conversations and realized that serving just the entrepreneurs was too narrow,” said Ryan Henderson, the director of hardtech entrepreneurship at Conexus. “We know that innovation happens not just at startups funded by venture capital, but in medium-sized companies and in the large corporations as well.”
Conexus is an advocacy group of leaders in the industry, education, and public sectors devoted to bolstering Indiana’s advantage in advanced manufacturing and logistics.
As part of that shift in focus, Conexus took the lead role in the effort, which had previously existed as a conglomeration without any one group in charge.
The Hardtech Innovators Network events are targeted not at executives but at those who actually do the hands-on design, engineering and innovation work at Indiana companies, Henderson said. That could include engineers, people who work in the venture arms of large corporations, people who work in product development and entrepreneurs.
As of Wednesday, Henderson said, 118 people already had registered to attend next week’s event. Henderson said he is encouraged by that level of interest, especially since the events are geared toward a targeted audience.
“The content is going to be very specific, and it’s definitely going to be focused more to the technical kind of founder and person,” he said.
The first meeting will include information about the Hardtech Innovators Network and its goals, followed by presentations by Indianapolis-based product development firm Glassboard and Rose-Hulman Ventures. Speakers from these two organizations will talk about 3-D printing and metal casting. The event also includes time for networking.
Reservations are requested for the free event, and you can find the registration portal here.
Conexus has received grant funding to cover the cost of the first four events, Henderson said, with the hope that the network will continue to operate after that. Henderson declined to give details about the source or amount of the grant, deferring to the funder’s wish to make its own announcement at a later time.
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