Nevertheless – First Session

Nevertheless, a Business Sisterhood, was nothing short of an amazing business and connection gaining experience for the women who participated in the first program at Innovation Connector. Nevertheless is an opportunity for women business owners to connect and meet with other women entrepreneurs to discuss their experiences and learn from each other. These successful women met every other week to learn, challenge and share with one another.

While at Nevertheless, the women were not only able to share their goals and successes but their stresses and frustrations with women who may have the same experiences. It was an opportunity to listen to other professionals share about their business, branding, the enneagram and much more. The sisterhood met at the Innovation Connector but also had meetings at Rosebud Coffee House and Re/Max in Yorktown.

The first Nevertheless recently ended and there is no doubt the next group of women will benefit from participating in this experience.  Since the first session ended, the group has already met again to have a cooking demonstration and looks to continue to meet as a group once a month to maintain those relationships created in Nevertheless. We are looking forward to the future of Nevertheless, A Business Sisterhood, at Innovation Connector.  

Meet our New Team Member

The Innovation Connector is pleased to announce a new team member, Natalie Smith. Smith will serve as the Program and Events Coordinator. In this role, she will be coordinating events, program operations, and have administrative responsibilities as well. The first face you see when you walk into the building will be this one!

Smith was born and raised in Muncie, IN and graduated from Muncie Central High School in 2018. She is currently in her last semester at Ball State University, graduating this May with a bachelor’s degree in Public Relations with a concentration in Event Management. 

Smith has previously worked in event management through a local wedding venue as well as a women’s networking group based out of Indianapolis. Smith loves the high energy and ever-changing environment. “I cannot wait to start planning and attending the events here at Innovation Connector. I’ve always worked for small businesses and have always been drawn to them, so it will be a great combination of my experiences,” Smith says. 

Entrepreneurship is right up Smith’s alley, as she has created her own Instagram account repurposing clothes and selling products that she makes with her Cricut machine. In her free time, she enjoys making cups with her Cricut and spending time with friends and family. She loves the Muncie community and wants to see it thrive as best as it can.

The Innovation Connector is Muncie/Delaware County’s only full-service business incubator. The Innovation Connector’s mission is to see job creation by providing guidance and entrepreneurial resources for individuals seeking to start or grow businesses in East Central Indiana.  Our passion is to see that each person who has a dream to start or grow a business has every resource to be successful and the economy of East Central Indiana flourishes. The services offered at IC include networking and connections, financial and accounting assistance, marketing help, and business consulting and coaching services, as well as providing office space for businesses.  

1208 WEST WHITE RIVER BLVD | MUNCIE, IN 47303 | PHONE: 765-285-4900 

Resident Client Spotlight – Josh Mathews

Josh Mathews, Regional Vice President of Primerica, is located in Suite 106 at the Innovation Connector.

Josh has been helping families save and invest since 2008 and has been renting space at the Innovation Connector for many of those years.

Josh works with adults of all ages and stages of their savings and retirement process.

We’re Hiring!

The Innovation Connector is Hiring:


The Muncie Innovation Connector, Inc., east-central Indiana’s only full-service Entrepreneurship Support Organization and Business Incubator, is expanding its team by adding a PROGRAM AND EVENTS COORDINATOR. Part of the responsibilities of this position includes serving as the Innovation Connector’s Administrative Assistant. The right candidate will possess excellent communication skills (written and verbal) and experience with Microsoft Office. Experience with non-profit programming and events coordination is preferred.

The Innovation Connector is located in the heart of Muncie, IN, at the corner of West White River Blvd. and Jackson Street. The Innovation Connector offers a professional and beautiful office environment. This position is full-time with a compensation range starting at $18.00 – $20.00/hr., and will be 100% in-person at the Innovation Connector. Regular office hours are 8 am – 4 pm M-F, but may require some evenings and weekends. Some benefits are included depending on experience, skillsets, and availability. Employment is to begin as soon as possible.

Resumes are being accepted now only by email to tbaker@innovationconnector.com. Please no phone calls or other inquiries. 

Resident Client Spotlight – Bill Walters

Bill Walters, a longtime advocate for the Innovation Connector, is the Executive Director of East Central Indiana Regional Planning District.

Their mission is to serve the local governments of Blackford, Delaware and Grant Counties along with the City of Portland by fostering a vision for regional economic growth through grant writing, facilitating, infrastructure improvements, supporting economic development and promoting quality of life and community enhancements.

Resident Client Spotlight – Brad Bookout

As an employee of Augusta Consulting, Brad Bookout assists Delaware County and the ECI Regional Planning District with various economic development and redevelopment-related projects. These projects often consist of new business and industry attraction to infrastructure, road, and trail development.

Brad Bookout has been an Innovation Connector Resident for 9 years! We appreciate your loyalty and hope for many more years with you!

New Program Announcement: ADVANCE

Are you ready to take your business to the next level? Advance is a 4-month cohort program designed to move your business forward in a purposeful way! Over the 4 months, you’ll connect with other business owners, work with industry experts, and reach business goals. 

Each month we’ll have a new guest speaker cover a particular topic relating to business. The leaders will also take time to discuss the content covered in the session and discuss upcoming goals with the cohort! 

Wondering if this program is for you? We encourage all entrepreneurial-minded people to join, no matter if you have a dream of starting a venture in the future or if you already have your own operating business. 

Find more information about program dates and how to sign up, click here!

Big Idea Pitch 2021

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Coding Club

Techwise Academy is bringing you Coding Club, where education meets passion for technology. If your child loves coding, accelerate their learning by signing them up for an entire semester of fun! Coding Club provides 12 weekly sessions to learn more about various coding topics and practices like programming, robotics, game design, and more. The first nine sessions provide more structure as we dive into specific skills or topics, and the final three sessions allow students to adopt Passion Projects to work on and build a creative outcome on their own!

Kindergarten through 2nd Grade students learn by direct experimentation. Club members will get hands-on experience building robots, coding with tablets and computers, and problem-solving. K-2nd Grade Members will meet weekly on Thursdays from 5:30-6:30 p.m. during the semester.

We guide Club Members by diving deeper into computer science that supports critical thinking and problem-solving. Coding Club for 3rd – 5th Graders will meet weekly on Thursdays from 7-8 p.m. during the semester.

Our 12 sessions will run from January 27 to the end of April, with a short spring break based on local school schedules. Join us for a one-time fee, and students will gain access to the Coding Club for the entire semester and receive a t-shirt to wear on Thursdays when the Club is in session!

We hope to see you there! For more information on how to sign up, go to techwiseacademy.com/coding-club/.

Big Idea Pitch Announcement

It’s the official kick off to the Big Idea Pitch Season!
Ted Baker & Carter Anderson have all the info you need to learn more and apply for this year’s Big Idea Pitch.