IEDC recognizes eight Indiana small businesses – Inside INdiana Business

Eight small businesses received Indiana Economic Development Corp. awards this week for their achievements and contributions to the state’s economy. The honorees come from seven Indiana counties, and include one company founded by a pair of elementary school children.

“Indiana’s economic momentum is incredibly robust today, thanks in large part to the commitment, the work ethic and the spirit of our entrepreneurial community,” Gov. Eric Holcomb said in a news release recognizing Small Business Week. “Across the state, Hoosier entrepreneurs and small businesses are creating new solutions, providing critical services, and contributing to the vibrancy and prosperity of their neighborhoods.”

The following are the 2024 award winners:

Woman-Owned Small Business of the Year: Maverick Electrical Solutions in the Owen County community of Quincy is owned by master electrician Stacey Shipley and offers commercial, residential and project management services.

Innovative Small Business of the Year: Tactile Engineering in Lafayette has created a tablet that displays tactile graphics for users with blindness or visual impairments. The technology provides pop-up highlights and labels, graphs that update in real time, live camera feeds and entertainment apps. 

Family-Owned Small Business of the Year: A third generation has joined Owings Patterns in Sellersburg, which was founded in 1975 and now provides tooling and plastic fabrication services.

Community Impact Small Business of the Year: BUN’s Soapbox in Valparaiso, founded by Jamie Fankhauser, hires young adults on the spectrum to work in the soap-making business. Fankhauser was inspired by her own family member with autism.

Small Business of the Year: Primary Record in Fishers, founded by neighbors Jean Ross and Jim McIntosh, is an app where family members can organize, collaborate and share health information with one another and health care providers.

Minority-Owned Small Business of the Year: Precision Aerial Services in Evansville is led by John Carter and provides drone-based aerial imaging and data capturing services to land surveyors, engineers, utilities, construction firms and project developers.

Start-Up of the Year: Cotton Candy University in Bargersville sells cotton candy at local retail stores, farmers markets, festivals and special events. It was founded in April 2023 by a pair of 9-year-old best friends.

Rural Small Business of the Year: Davis Farms in Underwood, led by Alex and Molly Davis, is known locally for its produce, melons, honey, eggs and chicken and applying a technical expertise to the family farm.

The IEDC awards were presented in conjunction with the U.S. Small Business Administration’s National Small Business Week, April 28 – May 4.

Indiana is home to more than 534,000 small businesses that support more than 1.2 million Hoosier jobs, the news release said. Companies under 5 years of age account for most net new job growth in Indiana and contributed an estimated $11.5 billion to the state’s gross domestic product in 2022.

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