Indiana Launches Office Led by Schutt to Boost Entrepreneurship

Indiana Governor Mike Braun has officially launched the Office of Entrepreneurship and Innovation, aimed at helping Main Street entrepreneurs start, grow, and scale their businesses to boost the state's economy and support workers. The office will be led by Brian Schutt, an Indianapolis business owner and co-founder of Refinery46, a co-working space and startup incubator, as well as Homesense Heating and Cooling. The office’s mission is to develop and administer programs supporting small business growth, entrepreneurship, and innovation, while coordinating efforts across state agencies to align services for business development. Schutt emphasized the importance of sharing inspiring stories of successful local startups to motivate others, noting that the office seeks to support businesses by complementing existing programs rather than imposing prescriptive measures. The office was established by Senate Bill 516, signed into law earlier in 2025, and will take over certain entrepreneurship functions from the Indiana Economic Development Corporation. Governor Braun highlighted his personal experience growing Main Street businesses and expressed his goal of making Indiana the best state in the country to start and build a business.