{"id":849,"date":"2026-03-05T15:00:13","date_gmt":"2026-03-05T15:00:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.butler.edu\/lacybusiness\/?p=849"},"modified":"2026-03-05T15:00:41","modified_gmt":"2026-03-05T15:00:41","slug":"building-indianas-next-generation-of-innovators-first-collegiate-entrepreneurs-summit","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.butler.edu\/lacybusiness\/2026\/03\/05\/building-indianas-next-generation-of-innovators-first-collegiate-entrepreneurs-summit\/","title":{"rendered":"Building Indiana\u2019s Next Generation of Innovators: First Collegiate Entrepreneurs Summit"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

On Friday, February 27, more than 250 students from 17 universities arrived at the 16 Tech Innovation District in Indianapolis for the inaugural Collegiate Entrepreneurs Summit<\/a>, a statewide gathering created to bring student innovators together, spark new collaborations, and strengthen Indiana\u2019s entrepreneurial network.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The summit was more than an event \u2013 it was the result of a multi-organization planning committee led by Butler University\u2019s Lacy School of Business, 16 Tech, CICP, and INtercollegiate Entrepreneurs<\/a>. For months, these four groups worked together to design a student-centered experience that could bring Indiana\u2019s entrepreneurial community closer and create a truly statewide ecosystem.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What began as a simple idea among a small group of campus leaders grew into one of the largest student entrepreneurship events the state has hosted, marking a significant milestone for both Indiana\u2019s innovation community and for LSB, which served as a co\u2011host, challenge partner, and event sponsor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Throughout the day, The AMP at 16 Tech transformed into a hub of activity as students participated in workshops, founder conversations, peer discussions, and hands on sessions that explored the many pathways available to those interested in building, creating, or problem solving.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt was one of the few spaces where everyone shared the same drive to build something new,\u201d said Preston Asher, a finance and entrepreneurship & innovation double major. \u201cYou could walk up to any table and immediately start talking ideas.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A central component of the day was the Anchor & Accelerate Innovation Challenge. More than 40 intercollegiate teams formed quickly to analyze a structured business problem, develop a market-ready concept, and present their ideas under tight deadlines. The challenge emphasized creative problem solving over polished prototypes, encouraging students to focus on clarity, feasibility, and real world application.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

LSB delivered a standout showing. Eight Butler teams participated in the challenge, and LSB students secured both first and second place overall \u2013 a major accomplishment given the number of competing institutions. First place was awarded to Jenna Burd and Lily Laffond, whose concept impressed judges for its innovation and practical potential. Second place went to Trevor Storm and Preston Asher, offering Butler a clean sweep of the top two positions and reinforcing the strength of LSB\u2019s experiential learning approach.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe challenge pushed us to think fast, communicate clearly, and trust our instincts,\u201d Preston said. \u201cEverything we\u2019ve learned at LSB showed up in those moments, and it felt like we were genuinely prepared.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lily described the challenge as eye opening, especially around the problem her team tackled. \u201cOur team was tasked with solving the problem of lost tribal knowledge and workforce productivity within the manufacturing sector,\u201d she said. \u201cWe created LeanLens, an AI software tool built into industrial grade goggles. Before this, I had no idea that manufacturing makes up 27% of Indiana\u2019s GDP. Given how archaic many systems still are, the industry is well suited for AI disruption.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Beyond the competition, the summit offered a rare opportunity for students to connect across campuses in a way that had never existed before. For Lily, these conversations became a highlight of the entire day. \u201cI left the conference feeling energized with ideas,\u201d she said. \u201cTalking to students all over the Hoosier state about what they\u2019re building was inspiring. The best part of a network like this is the shared commitment to helping one another succeed.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She also noted a clear difference in how Butler students showed up: \u201cGiven that out of 40+ teams, the top two were from Butler \u2013 that\u2019s a testament to the program. One key distinction I noticed was the strong emphasis Butler students place on soft skills and relationship building. Rather than simply presenting financials and metrics, they prioritize building genuine rapport and connecting meaningfully with judges.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Leadership from INtercollegiate Entrepreneurs \u2013 the student run organization that helped spearhead the event \u2013 echoed this sentiment<\/a>, emphasizing the importance of building statewide community rather than isolated campus level efforts. With students attending from Indiana, Illinois, and Virginia, the summit highlighted just how quickly this network is expanding and how crucial collaboration will be in supporting student founders in the years ahead.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI\u2019ve been watching Butler\u2019s presence in the ecosystem grow \u2013 the building of partnerships, the credibility compounding \u2013 and the summit was the moment all of it became visible at once,\u201d Iman Noor D. Braham, an MBA candidate concentrating in finance and entrepreneurship & innovation, said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cMeeting students from other universities was eye opening,\u201d Preston added. \u201cIt helped me see how strong Butler\u2019s entrepreneurship culture really is. People kept saying they could tell we were well supported and well prepared.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Students left the summit carrying new ideas, new relationships, and a stronger sense of what entrepreneurship can look like in any field, whether launching a startup or driving innovation within an existing organization. \u201cI walked away with a better understanding of entrepreneurial storytelling,\u201d Lily said. \u201cVenture capitalists invest in businesses, but they also invest in founders. Being able to articulate my purpose, positioning, and vision is a key differentiator.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The inaugural Collegiate Entrepreneurs Summit represented the beginning of something larger: a shared effort to empower student founders, elevate Indiana\u2019s entrepreneurial ecosystem, and build a statewide community grounded in collaboration rather than competition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For Iman, the summit confirmed a broader shift already underway in Indiana. \u201cIndiana is at a genuinely exciting moment,\u201d she shared. \u201cI\u2019ve seen what emerging ecosystems look like in different markets, and this feels like the window where the people showing up now will shape what it becomes.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI walked away with more confidence \u2013 not just in my ideas, but in the direction Indiana\u2019s innovation ecosystem is heading,\u201d Preston said. \u201cIt feels like there\u2019s real momentum, and Butler is right in the middle of it.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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On Friday, February 27, more than 250 students from 17 universities arrived at the 16 Tech Innovation District in Indianapolis for the inaugural Collegiate Entrepreneurs Summit, a statewide gathering created to bring student innovators together, spark new collaborations, and strengthen Indiana\u2019s entrepreneurial network.<\/p>\n

The summit was more than an event \u2013 it was the result of a multi-organization planning committee led by Butler University\u2019s Lacy School of Business, 16 Tech, CICP, and INtercollegiate Entrepreneurs. For months, these four groups worked together to design a student-centered experience that could bring Indiana\u2019s entrepreneurial community closer and create a truly statewide ecosystem.<\/p>\n

What began as a simple idea among a small group of campus leaders grew into one of the largest student entrepreneurship events the state has hosted, marking a significant milestone for both Indiana\u2019s innovation community and for LSB, which served as a co\u2011host, challenge partner, and event sponsor.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2812,"featured_media":851,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[33,31,29],"tags":[],"coauthors":[38],"class_list":["post-849","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-careers-connections","category-innovation-enterprise-innovation-enterprise","category-innovation-enterprise"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.butler.edu\/lacybusiness\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/849","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.butler.edu\/lacybusiness\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.butler.edu\/lacybusiness\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.butler.edu\/lacybusiness\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2812"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.butler.edu\/lacybusiness\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=849"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.butler.edu\/lacybusiness\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/849\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":857,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.butler.edu\/lacybusiness\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/849\/revisions\/857"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.butler.edu\/lacybusiness\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/851"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blogs.butler.edu\/lacybusiness\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=849"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.butler.edu\/lacybusiness\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=849"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.butler.edu\/lacybusiness\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=849"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blogs.butler.edu\/lacybusiness\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/coauthors?post=849"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}