City of Bloomington, Ivy Tech to partner for entrepreneurship effort

FROM IDS REPORTS

The Bloomington Economic Development Corporation and the Gayle and Bill Cook Center for Entrepreneurship at Ivy Tech Community College joined together to launch an entrepreneurial ecosystem for Bloomington and Monroe County.

The effort is spearheaded by leaders of several local organizations that provide services to start-ups and small businesses. These leaders will review current programs and services, identify possible new programs and services based on best practices in other communities and develop recommendations for the community, according to a press release.

The initiative is funded by a $35,000 Community Impact Funding Grant from the Community Foundation of Bloomington and Monroe County.

“Entrepreneurship is not new to Bloomington,” Mayor Mark Kruzan said in a press release. “But entrepreneurs have new ideas every day that, in the right environment and with the right help, will be transformed into new businesses and new jobs. As a community, we have to make sure we’re providing the right support at the right time.”

Ivy Tech Chancellor John Whikehart said in a press release that the joint effort will help further the mission to ensure Bloomington and other Monroe County communities
provide a continuous service to entrepreneurs.

“Entrepreneurs take great personal risks which can return immense community rewards in terms of jobs and economic vitality,” Whikehart said in the release. “A community that is successful in helping entrepreneurs make sure those risks are calculated risks, by providing education, technical expertise, mentorship, financial capital and so on, will reap long-term economic benefits that are driven by home-grown innovation.”

The group will outline existing entrepreneurship and innovation programs, benchmark communities that have supportive services and gather ideas from local entrepreneurial leaders.

Final recommendations for entrepreneurs will be released in the spring.

— Matt Stefanski