It’s common knowledge that the East and West Coasts are the kings of tech, startups and investment capital. However, all good things come to an end and Indiana is working hard to make the idea of flyover country a myth.
What does Indiana have going for it? For starters, three great research universities: Purdue, Indiana and a growing 
powerhouse, particularly in the area of computing, Notre Dame. I follow the Purdue Foundry and Notre Dame’s IDEA Center and am blown away by the activity being generated by faculty, staff and student entrepreneurs and startups. If you’re an angel investor or VC, you need to plug into these communities.
The state also has incredible advocates like the Venture Club of Indiana. On August 22, the Venture Club is hosting the 11th Annual Innovation Showcase in Indianapolis featuring 20 Indiana startup companies that will vie for prizes and investor funding. The Venture Club prides itself on carefully curating its pitch competition. This year board members traveled to nine cities across Indiana to find the state’s most investable startups. Learn more here. For a preview of The Innovation Showcase program and to reserve your spot, click here>
New this year is the Next Level Fund Summit, which will be held the morning of The Innovation Showcase. The Next Level Fund is a $250 million fund established by the State of Indiana to spark more venture capital investments in the state. The Summit, hosted by fund manager 50 South Capital, will introduce the Next Level Fund, its VC partners, activities, investments, and how to engage with them. The Summit is open to investors, startups, and other stakeholders. Learn more here>
VisionTech Angels closes out the month with Pitch Week, its bi-monthly road show that travels to it angel investor 
chapters in Lafayette, Dayton, Ohio; Fort Wayne, Bloomington, and Indianapolis. Currently, one startup is scheduled for Pitch Week, Onboard Dynamics, whose portable natural gas compressor enables fleets to go green affordably. A second pitch company will be announced shortly. It’s been a big summer for VisionTech Angels – nearly $1 million in capital deployed and two quick exits! Find details on Pitch Week here> Accredited investors are welcome to attend.
Lux-Writes is proud to support Indiana’s innovation community with strategic communications, brand consulting, content marketing, and freelance writing. Learn more about what we do here and let’s connect soon. I’ll also be attending the Next Level Fund Summit, The Innovation Showcase and VisionTech Angels August Pitch Week so look for me there.