McCorkle: Talent is Job One
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As a subscriber you can listen to articles at work, in the car, or while you work out. Subscribe NowThe new board chair for Indiana’s tech sector initiative says talent will be his initial focus. Scott McCorkle says working to develop and attract top talent is a continuation of TechPoint’s efforts to grow the tech scene in the state. The former Salesforce Marketing Cloud chief executive officer says he will work to expand TechPoint’s extern program and reach out to universities throughout the country to help attract the "substantial number of technologists" that Indiana’s growing tech sector needs.
In an interview with Inside INdiana Business, McCorkle said he’s happy to be in Indiana, adding the quality of tech companies in the state are on the same level as those on the coasts or in places like Austin, Texas. Because of that, he says Indiana’s growing slate of direct flights is also important. "Because it’s not just us on an island competing, and what are our numbers versus everyone else’s numbers," says McCorkle, "it is a community, and we need to connect to those other parts of the community, and they need to connect to us."
He says one of the main challenges for tech companies is access to capital in order to scale up their businesses. He says, while funding sources to start a company in Indiana are "plentiful," sources of capital are more scarce when it comes to companies looking to grow. He points to Indiana’s recently-approved Next Level Indiana Fund, which includes up to $250 million over the next several years to support venture capital in Indiana.
"Not everything is going to work," says McCorkle. "What does work, we’ll continue to advance and push forward. What doesn’t work, we’ll learn from and grow. Failure is a part of innovation. We look forward to a very bright future."
TechPoint announced Tuesday morning that McCorkle would serve as board chair. The state’s technology initiative also announced Salesforce Marketing Cloud Chief Operating Officer Glenda Akers and Kronos Inc. Vice President of Global Professional Services Kristina Lengyel will also join the board.