WARSAW, Ind. (May 23, 2023) – The Kosciusko Economic Development Corporation (KEDCO), Fort Wayne’s Summit City Entrepreneur & Enterprise District (SEED), the Don Wood Foundation, and the Northeast Indiana Innovation Center (NIIC) will host a Catalyze NEI Innovator Call-Out + Entrepreneur Social event on Wednesday, May 31 at 4:30 p.m. at Ledgeview Brewing Company (975 Warren St, Warsaw, IN).
“We’re bringing together local entrepreneurs to make connections and build community,” said KEDCO CEO Alan Tio. “These events are a great opportunity to showcase the startup activity in K-County and to learn more about what additional support local entrepreneurs need to start, grow, and innovate within their businesses.”
Catalyze NEI is a callout event designed to expand access to entrepreneurs in their own backyards. It focuses on three components: community-based and led collaboration, startup access to workshops, events, innovative tactics, and it’s designed to be customized to the community with listening sessions that will help identify specific innovation and entrepreneurial needs.
The event format on May 31 will blend the Catalyze NEI listening events and the recurring Entrepreneur Social events that KEDCO hosts in partnership with Fortitude Fund in Kosciusko County every other month.
“We are hosting an Entrepreneur and Innovator Call-Out in Kosciusko County to hear from the business community, and KEDCO already brings together local entrepreneurs every other month, so it made perfect sense to bring the two events together,” said Rhonda Ladig, Director of Strategic Initiatives at The NIIC.
The event is geared toward business owners and aspiring entrepreneurs, innovators within companies (“intrapreneurs”), business students, and entrepreneurial support organizations. NEXT Studios Managing Entrepreneur, John McDonald will lead discussion and a listening session focused on resources needed for the entrepreneurial community, problems to be solved, and innovative thinking.
The event is free to attend and will be held outdoors on the patio at Ledgeview, weather permitting. Refreshments will be provided. To RSVP for the event visit bit.ly/KEDCOSocial531.
“This event will be a unique opportunity to meet with other entrepreneurs from K-County and Northeast Indiana, as well as contacts from organizations that support entrepreneurs,” said Tio, “We encourage anyone interested in entrepreneurship and innovation to attend, whether you have started a business, are thinking about it, or are interested in learning more about the entrepreneurial journey.”
Need help growing or getting your business off the ground? As part of its Entrepreneurship Initiative, KEDCO offers one-on-one business coaching, and partners with additional local, regional, and state organizations such as AcceLINX, Elevate Ventures, the Indiana Small Business Development Center (ISBDC) and SCORE.
Stay connected with KEDCO at www.kosciuskoedc.com and via Facebook, Linkedin and Instagram @kosciuskoedc.
About Kosciusko Economic Development Corporation
Kosciusko Economic Development Corporation (KEDCO) was formed in 1984 as Kosciusko Development, Inc. to promote economic and community development throughout Kosciusko County. Today, KEDCO is serves as a single point of contact for economic development in Kosciusko County. KEDCO’s mission is to convene, build, and show Kosciusko County’s talent, ideas, and capital. For more information visit: www.kosciuskoedc.com.
