Steve Case: Startup Momentum Building in Indianapolis
(Image of Steve Case courtesy of Rise of the Rest)
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As a subscriber you can listen to articles at work, in the car, or while you work out. Subscribe NowAOL co-founder Steve Case says there’s a "sense of possibility" surrounding the startup community in Indianapolis. The comment comes with Monday morning’s announcement that the city will be part of a Case-led national tour highlighting communities that receive less attention for their entrepreneurial prowess than traditional hubs like the Silicon Valley and Boston. Rise of the Rest is in its third year and involves Case investing $100,000 into five startups located in Indianapolis, central Pennsylvania, Ann Arbor, Green Bay and Columbus, Ohio.
The tour begins October 10th and will hit Indianapolis October 12th. He says Indy was chosen to participate because of its momentum in the startup community. He says the past success of ExactTarget, later acquired by Salesforce, which has located a regional headquarters downtown, demonstrates there’s an "anchor" for innovation in the city.
He says the attributes of a good innovation ecosystem include an "interconnectedness" among the startups themselves, governmental and educational institutions and investors to create "almost fearlessness" that change is possible and the community isn’t as risk-averse. Case says another critical dynamic is successful entrepreneurs supporting the next generation of entrepreneurs. He used ExactTarget co-founder Scott Dorsey as an example. Since leaving the email marketing company he helped launch, Dorsey has co-founded Indianapolis-based venture studio High Alpha and become a global advocate for the city’s tech scene.
Case is co-founder of Washington D.C.-based Revolution LLC, a venture capital firm focusing on young companies "that are attacking large, traditional industries with innovative new products and services."
You can find out more about Rise of the Rest by clicking here.
Revolution LLC co-founder Steve Case says Indy was chosen to participate because of its momentum in the startup community.