IT'S YOUR BUSINESS
Crossposted from the Herald-Times, this is The Mill’s regular column, written by Pat East, Executive Director.
The Mill Celebrates Significant Achievements in June
The Mill, Indiana’s premier non-profit entrepreneurship center, is thrilled to announce a series of accomplishments and milestones achieved by our startups and programs in June.
1. rScan Accepted into gBETA Program
We are proud to announce that Rod Baradaran’s company, rScan, has been accepted into gBETA which is a pre-accelerator. Rod’s journey through various programming at The Mill, including Startup Summer, has culminated in this significant milestone, showcasing the growth and potential of our entrepreneurs.
2. Therapprove Featured on Television
Therapprove, the recent winner of our Spring Crossroads competition, gained media attention with a feature on television. This recognition highlights their innovative work and the impact of our Crossroads program in fostering successful startups.
3. Amplified Science Shines at VCI’s Innovation Showcase
Amplified Science, the life sciences winner at Venture Capital of Indiana’s (VCI) Innovation Showcase, and one-third of the pitching companies were Mill or Flywheel Fund companies. This strong representation at the oldest venture club in the United States underscores the quality and innovation of our startups.
4. Activating the Trades District
We are actively working to transform The Forge and the Trades District into a thriving innovation hub. Studies indicate that startups in innovation hubs create more jobs and offer higher wages than those located outside of innovation hubs. Our focus group participants are essential in helping us shape this exciting initiative.
5. Dusty Boots Tours of The Forge
Our dusty boots tours provide an up-close look at the construction progress of The Forge. Visitors will be able see the development of amenities such as huddle rooms and the green roof, along with breathtaking views of downtown Bloomington from the rooftop of The Forge.
6. Record Participation in Lemonade Day
Our collaboration with the Boys and Girls Club for Lemonade Day and University resulted in 850 registrations, an all-time high for us. This partnership is crucial for driving our K-12 programming and ensuring that entrepreneurship becomes a dinner table topic in Bloomington.
7. Young Entrepreneurs Camp with Boys and Girls Club
Our fourth Young Entrepreneurs Camp, in partnership with the Boys and Girls Club, kicked off this month. This program provides kids with hands-on experience in business and pitching, nurturing the next generation of entrepreneurs.
8. Senator Todd Young Visits The Mill
We were honored to host Senator Todd Young at The Mill and The Forge. His 90-minute visit highlighted his support for our projects, including those funded through ARPA, which he voted for. We appreciate his attention and backing of our initiatives.
9. Collaboration with Applied Research Institute (ARI)
ARI has partnered with The Mill to build their Silicon Crossroads accelerator. This program aims to spin out more IP from the governmental level and create business-ready and technically proficient startups. We are excited to be part of this grant-funded initiative.
10. Uplands Accelerator Showcase Success
Our inaugural Uplands Accelerator is complete. This program featured companies from three different counties and demonstrated the potential for expansion next year. We thank IEDC and ROI for their support in making this program possible.
11. Startup Summer Meetup with Notre Dame’s Race to Revenue
Our Startup Summer cohort joined Notre Dame’s Race to Revenue program for a collaborative event in Indianapolis. The day was filled with mentor swarms, networking, and pitching, energizing our collegiate founders and opening possibilities for future conferences.
12. Founder Meetups and Go-to-Market Workshop
Our startup coach’s monthly founder meetups continue to provide valuable peer support. This month featured a Go-to-Market workshop facilitated by a startup entrepreneur who connected with us online. The session offered practical insights and strategies for our founders.
13. Code/IT AWS Cloud Practitioner Summer Cohort
Our Code/IT AWS Amazon Web Services cloud practitioner summer cohort has successfully launched across six counties. This is the second of four planned expansions, with future cohorts set to broaden our reach even further into Southern Indiana.
The Mill is proud of these achievements and remains committed to fostering innovation and entrepreneurship in our community. We look forward to sharing more exciting updates in the coming months.
For more information about our programs and initiatives, please visit The Mill’s website.
Pat East is the Executive Director of The Mill, a non-profit entrepreneurship center on a mission to build and nurture Bloomington’s startup ecosystem. Our vision is to become the center of tech entrepreneurship in Indiana.
