Indiana’s innovation ecosystem on the world’s stage
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Over the last decade, Indiana has been very intentionally building an “innovation ecosystem” capable of both growing and attracting companies that are working on the most advanced technologies, including energy storage, microelectronics, artificial intelligence and automation, Internet-of-Things, hypersonics, and more.
What is special about Indiana’s innovation ecosystem is its capacity to foster cross-industry collaboration and partnerships such as the automotive and energy industries working on electric and alternative fuel vehicle technology or the defense aerospace and advanced manufacturing sectors working on trusted microelectronics.
While we can point to the convergence of technology trends leading to the breakdown of traditional industry barriers, the proactive industry partnerships occurring across Indiana haven’t happen by accident. They have been convened, fostered, and supported by policy makers at the state level, most notably Gov. Eric Holcomb, Secretary of Commerce Brad Chambers, and the staff at the Indiana Economic Development Corp. (IEDC), who have committed to building the economy of the future and making investments strategic sectors and the innovation ecosystem that supports them for the last several years.
This strategy is paying off with Indiana attracting a record $22.2 billion in capital investment in 2022, including strategic wins like the Stellantis-Samsung SDI battery plant coming to Kokomo or SkyWater Technologies choosing West Lafayette for a semiconductor production factory.
The Indiana innovation ecosystem and our economy of the future will be on full display the first week of 2023 as the IEDC and Indy Autonomous Challenge return to Las Vegas for CES 2023. CES is the largest technology conference in the U.S., if not the world, and Indiana’s own Indy Autonomous Challenge is a featured exhibitor alongside the likes of Google, Amazon, Microsoft and Samsung, and Caterpillar.
In addition to running a race of fully-autonomous Indy Lights-style racecars in partnership with CES at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway on Jan. 7, the Indy Autonomous Challenge and IEDC are co-exhibitors and brining a delegation of more than 100 Hoosier business, academic, and community leaders who will share the story of Indiana’s innovation ecosystem with industry leaders, entrepreneurs, tech influencers, and government leaders from around the globe. And thanks to the hard work over the last decade we have a great story to share!