Innovation Connector to Serve Pineapple Chili at Soup Crawl on October 1st

Innovation Connector is getting ready to take part in this year’s Soup Crawl in Downtown Muncie on Thursday, October 1st. The event is sold out, but if you have a ticket, be sure to stop by our station during the evening!

Soup Crawl, presented by PrimeTrust Federal Credit Union and Second Harvest Food Bank, brings together local restaurants, caterers and nonprofits for an evening of soup tasting throughout Downtown Muncie. Attendees can visit participating locations, sample different soups and cast their vote for the People’s Choice award.

Innovation Connector will be serving Pineapple Chili inside MadJax. Ticket holders can use the event map to find our station and plan their stops throughout the evening.

Beyond the food and friendly competition, the Soup Crawl supports Second Harvest Food Bank and its work to provide food and resources to people throughout our community. Since the event began over a decade ago, Soup Crawl has helped provide more than 467,000 meals. This year, proceeds will benefit The Big Idea, a Second Harvest initiative focused on helping families build a stronger foundation for their children and future.

We’re proud to be part of an event that brings local organizations and the community together for a great cause. We look forward to seeing everyone downtown on October 1st!

 

Innovation Connector’s Business Impact Masterclass Helps Businesses Put Technology to Work

By: Ted A. Baker, CEO, Muncie Innovation Connector

Technology is changing nearly every aspect of running a business. For many business owners, however, the challenge is no longer recognizing that change is happening. The challenge is determining which technologies matter, where to invest limited time and resources, and how to use new tools to achieve meaningful business results. On October 22, Technology That Grows Your Business brings together regional and statewide experts to help business owners use technology, automation, AI, and cybersecurity more effectively.

The Innovation Connector is addressing those questions at its upcoming Business Impact Masterclass: Technology That Grows Your Business, scheduled for Thursday, October 22, from 9:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. at the Innovation Connector, 1208 W. White River Blvd., Muncie. The program aims to move the technology conversation beyond buzzwords and toward practical application. Throughout the day, participants will explore emerging technology trends, artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, technology purchasing decisions, and real-world experiences from business leaders who are using these tools. 

Technology in Business Today and Tomorrow

The day begins with welcome and opening remarks from Ted Baker, CEO of the Muncie Innovation Connector, followed by “Technology in Business Today and Tomorrow,” presented by John Wechsler, founder of Launch Fishers and Fishers IoT Lab, and founder and President/CEO of Spokenote in Fishers. Wechsler will explore how technology is reshaping how businesses operate, compete, and connect with their customers. The session will also look ahead, helping business owners better understand today’s key technology trends and what to consider now as they prepare their companies for what comes next. 

Technology Tools – The Role of AI

Artificial intelligence has quickly become one of the most talked-about technologies in business, yet many owners are still determining where it can deliver genuine value.
David Colgan, founder of Colgan Technology Services, and Ryan Hunter, Technology & Education Director for the Innovation Connector, will lead a session on AI’s role in business. Participants will learn how AI can save time, increase productivity, enhance customer experiences, and support better decision-making. The session will also explore how these tools can help businesses identify and create new growth opportunities, rather than simply adopting AI as a trend. 

IT & Business Systems Security and Protection

As businesses grow more dependent on technology, protecting it becomes increasingly important. Sara Turner, Chief Technology Officer at First Merchants Bank, will lead a session on securing IT and business systems. Turner will focus on practical steps businesses can take to safeguard their data, systems, customers, and day-to-day operations. The discussion will address cybersecurity threats, technology failures, and other risks that can disrupt operations and undermine the value of technology investments. 

Following the morning sessions, participants will have an opportunity to continue conversations and build relationships during a lunch and networking period from 12:30 to 1:00 p.m.

Peer Perspective Panel Discussion

The day’s final major session will bring the technology conversation down to a real-world level through a Peer Perspective Panel Discussion. Panelists include Dr. Huseyin Ergin, a Computer Science Professor at Ball State University; Remal Salim, an Independent AI Specialist; and Brian Bunner, retired from the Indiana State Police Forensics Investigation Division. The panel will share the technologies they use, lessons learned, and challenges encountered along the way. The candid discussion aims to give participants practical insights into what has worked, what has not, and what the panelists wish they had known before making technology investments. 

Building Your Business Technology Stack

With thousands of technology products competing for a business owner’s attention and budget, deciding what to buy is a challenge in itself. John McDonald, President & CEO of the Northeast Indiana Innovation Community in Fort Wayne, will present “Building Your Business Technology Stack: What Should I Buy & What Should I Skip?” Rather than treating technology as a collection of individual purchases, the session will encourage participants to think strategically about building a technology stack that fits their businesses. McDonald will emphasize selecting tools that work well together, support future growth, and avoid unnecessary costs and complexity. 

Together, the five sessions are designed to help business owners view technology not as an isolated IT issue, but as an increasingly important part of business strategy.

The October program is one of four Business Impact Masterclasses powered by the Muncie Innovation Connector. Each Masterclass is a standalone program, allowing business owners to choose the topics most relevant to their needs or attend all four for a broader business-growth experience. The series addresses four areas that directly influence business performance: Marketing, Technology, Financial Intelligence, and Business Resiliency. In addition to Technology That Grows Your Business, the series includes Marketing Mastery: Marketing That Drives Growth; Financial Intelligence for Business Owners; and Growing a Resilient Business. 

The programs also support the Innovation Connector’s broader emphasis on equipping entrepreneurs with the knowledge, resources, and connections needed to build and grow successful businesses.

Registration Information

Technology That Grows Your Business will be held Thursday, October 22, from 9:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. at the Innovation Connector, 1208 W. White River Blvd., Muncie. Registration is $49 per Masterclass and includes lunch, Masterclass materials, business tools and resources, take-home templates and guides, and a certificate of completion. First Merchants Bank is the title partner for the Business Impact Masterclasses. Register at BusinessImpactMasterclasses.com.

Sign Up Early! First 15 Secure a Spot for Just $29!

Innovation Connector CEO Ted Baker Guests on WMUN’s Taking Flight: Chapter 2 with Dr. Jeff Bird

This September, Innovation Connector CEO & Executive Director Ted Baker joined Dr. Jeff Bird as a guest on Taking Flight: Chapter 2, a local weekly radio show on Woof Boom’s WMUN Radio (92.5 FM). During the conversation, Ted shared insight into his role at Innovation Connector, the organization’s history and growth, and the work happening today to support entrepreneurs and growing businesses across East Central Indiana.

Ted also reflected on his childhood in Decatur, Indiana, his experiences growing up in a close-knit community, and the path that led him to a career in business and entrepreneurship. The conversation provides a look at both Ted’s personal journey and the evolution of Innovation Connector over the years.

Want to hear more about Ted’s journey and the story behind Innovation Connector? Tune in to the full episode below for the complete conversation with Dr. Jeff Bird. And be sure to check out Dr. Jeff Bird’s recent Muncie Journal article, which highlights key points from the conversation.

Dr. Jeff Bird: The Innovation Connector Fuels Business Growth and Entrepreneurship

By Dr. Jeff Bird—

MUNCIE, IN—The Innovation Connector plays a vital role in supporting business and entrepreneurial endeavors in Muncie and East Central Indiana. Its mission and vision are to support and assist new entrepreneurs with truly unique business ideas to turn their dreams into reality.  The IC supports these efforts in a variety of ways with ongoing education, workshops, physical space, legal and financial support, and a collegial atmosphere of support and networking. 

The Innovation Connector is led by Ted Baker, who serves as the Executive Director and CEO of the Center. Baker has been with the IC since 2010.  The IC originally grew out of a relationship with William Skinner in 2002 and was originally located in a house on Marsh Street in Muncie adjacent to and donated by Ball State University.  The first business moved into the IC in 2004, and the facilities grew to 3 houses on Marsh.  An integral, parallel and associated occurrence in 2004 was the property that was the former Aero Forge becoming designated as a Certified Tech Park by the State of Indiana. 

That property was developed over the next several years as the Forge was demolished, and Pathologists Associated and Whitinger and Company built new facilities in the Tech Park.  Meanwhile, the IC moved to an interim facility in downtown Muncie in 2006 and soon thereafter the IC board of directors approved plans for the construction of a 15,000-square-ft facility to be located at the Ontario Place Certified Tech Park.  The new facility was ready in 2009, and Baker came on board as the Executive Director in 2010.  The building expanded in 2013 by adding The Landing Zone as a dedicated co-working space.  This expansion was supported by the Community Foundation.  The IC now serves hundreds of businesses annually with a staff of 5. 

The Innovation Connector has special programs to support local schools in its TechWise program, and support STEM learning for grades K-12.  These students learn skills applicable to today’s work environment in high-tech subjects, preparing the students for college and the new job markets.  Multiple partners support the work of the IC, including Ball State University and local philanthropic foundations. 

Baker grew up in Decatur, IN as one of several siblings.  His father was a businessman.  He was active in many activities in high school, including swimming, and when he graduated from high school, he matriculated to Ball State to study business and marketing and joined the swimming team.  He recalls his college years fondly and had a great experience at BSU.   

After graduation, he held many jobs in business, first with American Design and Engineering, where he met and was mentored by a hero in his professional life, James Amos.  Baker stayed in that company for 15 years in multiple roles.  He then transitioned to a role with Ray Boltz Music for 8 years and concurrently founded Worldwide Technologies LLC and also began the Baker Business Group, eventually owning 4 Sports Clip franchises in Muncie, Fishers, and Ft. Wayne.  He transitioned to the East Central Small Business Development Center in Muncie in 2008 and moved to the Innovation Connector in 2010 to become its Executive Director. Baker has also been an Instructor of Entrepreneurship at Ball State University since 2011 in the Miller College of Business. He is also involved in many local boards. 

Baker and the Innovation Connector offer a unique opportunity to grow small businesses and entrepreneurship locally with innovative approaches and a support network to help our economy grow and flourish.