EVANSVILLE — This year's Entrepreneurship Indiana yearbook includes quite a few Southern Indiana residents, including several from right here in Evansville.
The yearbook, produced by the Indiana Economic Development Corp, features Hoosiers from all around the state who are established or just-starting-out entrepreneurs.
In its second year, the publication breaks down projects and their leads into four milestones: idea, early, growth and established.
Here's where some locals found themselves for 2023.
Bedford Collab: Deandre Wilson, Merrick Korach - Idea
Featuring Deandre Wilson and Merrick Korach the writeup on the Bedford Collab highlights their found need for a space for entrepreneurs in Evansville.
It highlights the fundraising efforts that made the project possible, from donations from large corporations like CenterPoint and Republic Services to crowdfunding of $50,000 for a mural and greenspace.
The city of Evansville has also allocated funds to the project.
Read more about the efforts here:
More: Local chef wants to turn historic building into collaboration spot for 'foodpreneurs'
Eric Xiao - Idea
Now located in Evansville after leaving California, Eric Xiao has developed an AI meeting tool called Laxis.
According to the Laxis website, there are a variety of functions that work with multiple video apps like Zoom and Microsoft Teams.
These includes LaxisChat, which can answer messages passed on previous interactions, and Laxis AI Writer can develop agendas, action items and more from the meeting.
In his feature from the IEDC, Xiao said he is a big fan of the low cost to have a business operate in Indiana.
Scott Massey - Early
Anu is a seed pod for indoor gardening, where "anyone can be a farmer," according to the product's site.
In the Entrepreneur Yearbook Scott Massey describes the system as "nespresso for plants" referring to the pod shape.
Massey started the project while a student at Purdue University with cofounder Ivan Ball.
The company was recently awarded a IDEC Manufacturing Readiness Grant, to help mass manufacture the seed pods.
Kerry Ao - Early
Interwined is a software platform meant to help teach young people about financial literacy.
According to its website, the software has a educators across 30 states using it. Outside of the United States, it works with teachers in Canada, England, Spain, Poland, Brazil, Tunis, Argentina and China.
Kerry Ao and his collaborators won the 2022 University of Evansville Changemaker Challenge. They were state finalists in the 2022 Innovate WithIN Pitch Competition.