More than 90 companies join newly formed organization to advocate for public policy at the statehouse

INDIANAPOLIS, IN – In the South Atrium of the Indiana State Capitol on the General Assembly’s Organization Day, more than ninety technology company leaders and representatives joined to announce the launch of the Indiana Technology & Innovation Association (ITIA). ITIA seeks to build consensus and have a consistent presence advocating for state public policy priorities critical to the success of Indiana’s technology industry. The organization is comprised of technology and innovation companies ranging from startups to Salesforce.

Indiana is home to Salesforce’s largest office outside of its San Francisco global headquarters. In a statement, Bob Stutz, CEO, Marketing Cloud & Chief Analytics Officer at Salesforce, stated, “Salesforce is a founding member of the Indiana Technology & Innovation Association because we want to be proactive in working with state leaders to ensure Indiana continues to be a thriving environment for our industry to grow. With over 1,800 employees in Indiana and plans to continue growing here, this is an investment in our ability to attract and retain talent.”

Longtime Indiana tech pioneer David Becker, who founded multiple successful tech companies and is the CEO of First Internet Bank which he started in 1999, is the Chairman of the Board of the Indiana Technology & Innovation Association (ITIA). “Forming an association with a laser focus on public policy advocacy is critical as Indiana’s technology sector prepares for significant growth. We are committed to outreach across the state, which is already underway. With a broad-based structure we will be able to educate and give voice to many companies that haven’t been engaged in this way before.”

Becker was joined by more than a dozen Board members, some of whom spoke about their interest in launching the organization.

ClearObject CEO John McDonald, who serves on the ITIA Board and co-chairs the Policy Committee, said, “Working alongside others on issues like the Next Level Fund and SaaS taxation over the last couple years, it became clear to me that our industry needs to have a consistent presence at the Statehouse and have ongoing conversations with executive and legislative branch policymakers as they work to navigate our new and complex issues.”

Megan Glover, CoFounder and CEO of 120WaterAudit, winner of Indy’s first Rise of the Rest and ITIA Board Member, explained, “I’ve been in the Indiana tech scene for 15 years and our company plans to double in staff over the next couple years. I joined the ITIA Board because I want to do everything I can to help state leaders continue to foster an environment for investment and growth in technology companies.”

Creator of the Indiana IoT Lab and Launch Fishers, ITIA Board Member John Wechsler underscored the importance for the organization to include tech leaders all across the state. “Our goal is for ITIA to provide value and a seat at the table for the “backpack and an idea” entrepreneurs and the tech giants. As I’ve traveled the state meeting with tech entrepreneurs over the last few years, there’s a real interest in becoming more engaged in policy discussions that impact their ability to succeed.”

Citing his inspiration for joining the ITIA leadership, DemandJump CoFounder and CEO, and ITIA Board Treasurer, Christopher Day, proclaimed, “Indiana is on the verge of being the epicenter of a great economic productivity boom. We are positioned to be the nation’s nucleus because the economy of the future will be the convergence of technology in all industries. With our infrastructure, talent, mission- critical industries, technology, lifestyle, cost of living and regulatory environment, Indiana can seize the opportunity that is coming.”

TechPoint CEO Mike Langellier articulates ITIA’s unique role in the state’s tech community. “TechPoint focuses on being the source of tech community executive leadership, industry intel, and programs that will accelerate the growth of Indiana’s tech ecosystem. In cases where advancing Indiana’s tech ecosystem requires public policy lobbying, we lean on partners. We had success in recent years with the Next Level Fund and the clarification of sales tax on SaaS, but even more industry and government collaboration will be required to navigate Indiana toward long-term prosperity in our digital economy. We are glad to have another partner in ITIA to help facilitate the required conversations and collaboration with legislators.”

Indiana Technology & Innovation Association Board Members include:

• David Becker, First Internet Bank – Board Chair
• Christopher Day, DemandJump – Board Treasurer
• Pat East, Hanapin Marketing
• Erin Eberly, Katz, Sapper & Miller
• Megan Glover, 120 Water Audit
• Darye Henry, AfterSchool HQ
• Shelley Klingerman, Launch Terre Haute
• Kristin Marcuccilli, STAR Financial Bank
• John McDonald, Clear Object
• Brent Oakley, Vibenomics – Board Secretary
• Ade Olonoh, angel investor
• Bill Soards, AT&T
• Amy Waggoner, Salesforce
• John Wechsler, Launch Fishers – Board Vice Chair

Member and Associate Member companies include:

• 120 Water Audit, Zionsville
• 3oe Scientific , Carmel
• Ade Olonoh, Indianapolis
• AfterSchool HQ, Fishers
• Allos Ventures, Indianapolis
• Ambition in Motion, Bloomington
• Amplify Technology Consulting, Indianapolis
• Apprentice University, Brownsburg
• AT&T Indiana, Indianapolis
• BitLoft, Indianapolis
• BlackInk IT, Indianapolis
• BLASTmedia, Fishers
• Blue Horseshoe, Carmel
• Boardable , Indianapolis
• Bolstra, Carmel
• Brite Systems, Indianapolis
• Clear Software, Zionsville
• ClearObject, Fishers
• Corydon Group, Indianapolis
• Counterpart, Fishers
• Crossroads Education, Indianapolis
• Cylon Technologies, Inc., Fishers
• DemandJump, Indianapolis
• DeveloperTown, Indianapolis
• DeveloperTown Starts, Indianapolis
• dot Staff / Knowledge Services, Indianapolis
• Eleven Fifty Academy, Fishers
• Emarsys, Indianapolis
• Emplify, Fishers
• FairWinds Advisors, LLC, Fishers
• First Internet Bank, Fishers
• FullStack, Indianapolis
• gener8tor, Indianapolis
• Glassboard, Indianapolis
• Greenlight Guru, Indianapolis
• Hanapin Marketing, Bloomington
• Healthcare of Tomorrow, Indiana
• Healthstatus.com, Indianapolis
• HustonTech, Westfield
• Indiana IoT Lab Fishers, Fishers
• InGen Technologies, Inc., Indianapolis
• Insperity, Indianapolis
• Jane Martin, Bloomington
• Katz, Sapper & Miller, Indianapolis
• KSM Consulting, LLC, Indianapolis
• Launch Fishers, Fishers
• Launch Terre Haute, Terre Haute
• LifeOmic, Indianapolis
• Liven, Fishers
• Lumanox LLC, Indianapolis
• M25, Chicago
• M3 Ultimate Solutions , Indianapolis
• MatchBOX Coworking Studio, Lafayette
• Matthew Nunley, Indianapolis
• McGowan Insurance Group, Inc., Indianapolis
• Memory Ventures, Indianapolis
• Mimir , Indianapolis
• MyCOI, Indianapolis
• Ontario Systems, Muncie
• Passageways, Lafayette
• Pierce Aerospace, Carmel
• Pondurance LLC, Indianapolis
• Printing Resources, Inc., Indianapolis
• Recovery Force, Fishers
• RICS Software, Inc., Indianapolis
• Rook Security, Carmel
• Sales Tuners, Fishers
• Salesforce, Indianapolis
• Salesvue, Indianapolis
• Selfless.ly Inc., Indianapolis
• Slane Capital, Bloomington
• SmarterHQ, Indianapolis
• Springbuk, Indianapolis
• STAR Financial Bank, Fort Wayne
• StartedUP Innovation, Noblesville
• SupplyKick, Indianapolis
• Rook Security, Carmel
• The Bee Corp, Bloomington
• The Brookfield Group, Carmel
• The Mill, Bloomington
• The Union 525, Indianapolis
• Thomas P. Miller and Associates, Indianapolis
• Tilson, Greenwood
• Tmap, Indianapolis
• Ultimate Technologies Group, Fishers
• VendorJump, Fishers
• Vertex Intelligence , Zionsville
• Vibenomics, Fishers
• WhatFriendsDo, Indianapolis
• WHIN, Lafayette
• WorkHere, Indianapolis
• Woven, Indianapolis
• Zennove, Crown Point