2021 Newsmaker: Robert Laikin, entrepreneur, investor
What drives Laikin is the urge to find the next important thing and get enough people excited to put their money in a deal. He wants them to dream big with him.
Entrepreneurship
Articles
The Freedom Forum podcast: Lamont Hatcher, founder of tech firm AIS
Hatcher talks to host Angela B. Freeman about the challenges of being an entrepreneur and how he’s had to push through his introverted nature to become a leader.
IEDC works with accelerator to bring startups to Indiana
Gener8tor is launching four industry-specific programs within its gBETA accelerator for early-stage startups from both Indiana and around the United States, hoping some will move here.
IEDC hires consultant to study state’s entrepreneurial ecosystem
The IEDC has agreed to pay $150,000 to San Francisco-based consultant Startup Genome to generate a snapshot report of the state’s entrepreneurial climate. Based on the results of that report, the IEDC will decide whether to contract with the consultant for additional work.
Black-led financial institution looks to create access to capital
Work is underway to determine what kind of support services Black-owned businesses will need to complement the loan fund.
Carroll Award winner: Bill Oesterle succeeds big time, bridges cultural divides
The founder of Angie’s List and TMap, in recognition of his years of service as a community leader and entrepreneurial force, is the 28th recipient of the Michael A. Carroll Award.
High Alpha launches company that helps culinary artisans
Castiron has operated in stealth mode since late last year and already has hundreds of users of its beta program.
High Alpha launches Pillar, which aims to help clients do better interviews
According to High Alpha, Pillar uses artificial intelligence and provides in-interview coaching to help companies assess a candidate’s fit for a job during the interview process.
Telamon founder Albert Chen launches firm to put ‘cobots’ in factories
Retired from Telamon Corp., Chen founded Telamon Robotics, which sells collaborative robots and helps companies integrate the technology into their operations.
High Alpha raises $18M to launch third venture studio
High Alpha Studio III will concentrate on funding, launching and growing enterprise cloud companies.
Q&A: Jace Swims on the business of exotic sea creatures
Jace Swims built a tech career on the West Coast, but the pandemic brought him back to Indianapolis. He since has turned his passion for tropical fish into an entrepreneurial venture.
Upcoming AT&T hackathon to offer $100,000 in prizes for 5G projects
This year’s hackathon, to take place Oct. 22-24 at Butler University, will focus on sports-related applications for 5G wireless technology.
IUPUI’s BOSS program helps students learn to think like entrepreneurs
About 20 teens from across Indianapolis Public Schools spent a week this summer learning about entrepreneurship and business development, guided by professors and small-business owners who helped them conceive products and services as well as business plans to execute them.
Q&A with Rose-Hulman’s Craig Downing: Giving students a jump-start on entrepreneurial ideas
The school’s “ventureship” program gives students the chance to explore an idea for a company or product during a summer at the school, with financial and mentorship support.
Pandemic leads three couples to launch rock-music school
Opening a physical location for a collaboration-based company might appear risky during the peak months of the pandemic. But for Indianapolis-based Rock Garage, it seemed like the only way to go.
Korean barbecue restaurant leaving Fishers Test Kitchen for new location in Castleton
Korave Korean BBQ, which opened at the restaurant accelerator in 2019, plans to exit the nest in September. The brothers who own the restaurant are also eyeing spots for another Indy-area location.
How to decide when to exit coworking space
Startups in anything from incubators to shared workspaces generally fly the coop when the facility can’t physically accommodate their growing space requirements or employee headcount, or their host entity can no longer supply value through its services.
Artisan marketplace at 16 Tech adds tenants, amps up for grand opening
About half of the 20 vendors so far are already open at The AMP, which has its grand opening later this month. The AMP, a food-and-drink-based artisan marketplace, is on the campus of 16 Tech on the western edge of downtown.
Milo leaving state job to launch entrepreneurship center for women, minorities
Blair Milo, who in 2017 was named the state’s first secretary of career connections and talent, will step down June 7, Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb announced Friday.
Digital health startup aims to create personalized medical dispensing devices
Zig Therapeutics Inc. wants to raise about $100 million to build a health-digital system that would allow doctors to monitor and adjust the dosing of drugs for patients based on their real-time therapeutic response to a drug.