South Bend – Elkhart Regional Partnership leading IDEA Week starting in 2025, brings community leaders together for “Rally the Region”

The South Bend – Elkhart Regional Partnership announced it will be taking the lead on operations and execution for IDEA Week 2025 during its annual “Rally the Region” event held July 23 at the Four Winds Hotel and Casino.

“In the spirit of true collaboration, there has been no greater opportunity to engage across industry, inventors, investors, and students than IDEA Week,” said Bethany Hartley, President & CEO of the South Bend – Elkhart Regional Partnership. “Since 2017, this celebration of entrepreneurship and innovation has been held the third week of April. Startup South Bend – Elkhart has been involved since its inception and we are thrilled to be taking a leadership role in managing the operations and execution for IDEA Week 2025. This is a great opportunity for us to engage more regional businesses and showcase our region on a global stage. We will continue to work closely with the IDEA Center on the week and look forward to a fresh take on an incredible week.”

The Regional Partnership also revealed the keynote speaker for Founder Factory, happening on November 20. Caterina Fake, co-founder of Flickr and former chair of global online marketplace Etsy, will headline the annual entrepreneurship summit. Fake has been included on the Time 100 list and is currently on the board of trustees for the Sundance Institute. She is also the host of the Should This Exist podcast. Guests can sign up for notification of Founder Factory early bird registration here.

The Regional Partnership and iNDustry Labs at the University of Notre Dame celebrated five years since the founding of the LIFT Initiative. The Labs for Industry Futures and Transformation – or LIFT – Initiative brings together business, community and educational partners to focus on creating a diversified economy of the future based on technology and advanced manufacturing. Funded via a Lilly Endowment Inc. grant, the LIFT Initiative supports programs such as the Regional Internship Program, Regional Skills Accelerator, and career exploration, among others.

Hartley, along with Amish Shah, CEO of Kem Krest and Vice Chair of the Conexus Indiana Board of Directors, and Maria Gibbs, Senior Director of iNDustry Labs, presented Gage Bagwell, CEO and Automation Engineer of Innovated Manufacturing with the inaugural McCloskey Regional Manufacturing Award. Given to a business that demonstrates excellence in responding to challenges in the broader South Bend – Elkhart region’s manufacturing industry, the $15,000 award is given in partnership between Conexus Indiana, the IDEA Center, iNDustry Labs, and Startup South Bend – Elkhart, the entrepreneurship initiative of the South Bend – Elkhart Regional Partnership.

The event closed with a panel discussion featuring Susan Ford of Graham Allen Partners and Chair of the Regional Partnership’s Entrepreneurship Committee, Kristin Pruitt, President of Lake City Bank and treasurer of the Northern Indiana Regional Development Authority, and Lauren Thomas, Manager of Talent Initiatives at the South Bend – Elkhart Regional Partnership. The discussion centered on the importance of regionalism and collaboration and shifting the story of our region to celebrate the area’s strengths.

“I challenge any resident who might be disheartened by past challenges to reconnect with the South Bend-Elkhart region,” said Thomas. “Take the region on a first date: visit a new spot, attend a festival, or try a restaurant you haven’t been to before. Get involved in your community - research what exists and, if you don't find it, create it. Engage in conversations with new people. These steps can help us grow, instill pride, and build stronger connections among all residents.”

Rally the Region brings together partners and stakeholders from the five-county South Bend – Elkhart region – Elkhart, Marshall and St. Joseph counties in Indiana and Berrien and Cass counties in Michigan – for updates on area activities, news, and to celebrate regional successes.