Airbnb gets foothold in Indianapolis
The surge in the online matchmaker of travelers and hosts has local hospitality industry leaders complaining and scrambling to compete.
Entrepreneurship
Articles
Kelley MBA students offer free guidance to entrepreneurs launching ventures
IU Kelley School of Business’ DIVE program, which stands for Discovery, Innovation and Ventures Enterprise, is based on the concept that startups can get free, sound guidance from second- and third-year MBA students, and the students get a unique opportunity to participate in early-stage entrepreneurship.
As Bitcoin gains converts, entrepreneur debuts ATM
Indiana’s first Bitcoin ATM, which recently debuted at an Irvington e-cigarette emporium called World of Vapor, is either a glimpse of Indiana’s cyber-money future or an anachronism. Or perhaps both.
2015 Forty Under 40: Santiago Jaramillo
Santiago Jaramillo, 25, is founder and CEO of Bluebridge, and making mobile magic.
2015 Forty Under 40: Denver Hutt
Denver Hutt, 27, executive director of The Speak Easy, leads a collaborative work space that empowers entrepreneurs.
2015 Forty Under 40: Matt Ewer
Matt Ewer, 36, CEO of Bean LLC, delivers farm-to-table to your door through his Green Bean Delivery.
Cycling devotees embrace $450 pump
Josh Poertner, a Zipp Speed Weaponry engineer who helped prove bicycle fanatics would pay $3,000 for a pair of aerodynamic wheels, has turned his Steve Jobs-like obsession with technology and design to the lowly tire pump.
Owners of popular Greek restaurant turning 1920s warehouse into event center
Taki and Jeanette Sawi of Santorini Greek Kitchen, in Fountain Square, are branching out to open a large banquet facility in a nearly century-old warehouse on the southwestern edge of downtown just across the White River and not far from Lucas Oil Stadium.
Homegrown app eases Alzheimer’s care-giving learning curve
Ashley Bryan is on the cusp of launching a website and smartphone application she hopes will ease the learning curve for millions of care givers. It’s called Life in the Moment and it’s billed as a one-stop source for information and tools for managing Alzheimer’s.
Co-working movement gains steam
Buoyed by the early success of suburban co-working hub Launch Fishers, a group of business backers in Zionsville is lining up support for a similar initiative there.
Gary Brackett, a popular Colt, tackles second act as restaurateur
Gary Brackett’s personal credo—be humble, be hungry and work harder than everybody else—has served him well. Now he hopes to parlay his success on the gridiron into his restaurant operations.
Startup car wash chain aims for high-end splash
There’s no shortage of car washes around Indianapolis. But the owners of Prime Car Wash think the competition has missed a spot—both here and around the country.
Upstart advertising agency attracting national notice
The Basement boasts a client list that includes K-Mart, Kentucky Fried Chicken, Procter & Gamble, NCAA and Simon Property Group Inc. The firm’s year-over-year revenue in 2014 has grown at better than 25 percent, hitting $2 million.
After victory in London, cake baker opens local shop
Gwendolyn Rogers achieved her goal last month of owning a bakery by opening the Cake Bake Shop in Broad Ripple. The former Little House gift shop space now sports cases full of tasty treats that include her popular cakes, as well as pies, eclairs and other goodies.
Veteran Indy convention planner launches new division
One of the city’s best-known corporate meeting and convention planners, Meeting Services Unlimited Inc., is launching a division focused on smaller, high-end private parties.
Self-compacting garbage bin has myriad uses–thanks to Internet
Entrepreneur Grant Jenkins’ PowerBin can hold three times the amount of the average public trash bin, and can transmit data to municipal and other managers about when it’s full. It can also serve as a Wi-Fi hot spot, relay information about reported crimes, and display advertisements.
Electronic rubber duckie boasts smartphone smarts
Two Carmel-based entrepreneurs created Edwin the Duck, which they bill as the world’s first interactive rubber duck. The prototype has already piqued the interest of Amazon, Bed Bath & Beyond and other retailers, the inventors said.
Investors find value in entrepreneurs who fail
While Midwest venture capitalists are still relatively conservative compared to those on the coasts, failure is increasingly carrying more of an edge and less of a stigma.
Up-and-coming app elbows way into noisy music field
West Lafayette-based Caktus Music Inc. has developed a smartphone application that allows access to music content from multiple sources, including streaming services and personal music libraries, all integrated into one place.
Online retailer helps mom-and-pop running-shoe stores compete
To address a troubling trend he noticed while operating running retailer Blue Mile, Bob Kennedy launched Indianapolis-based eRun Solutions LLC to help the mom-and-pops of the running world go toe-to-toe with their larger retail rivals.