About the NIIC
From Center to Community
The NIIC began as a place — but today it’s a connected community of innovators shaping what’s next for Northeast Indiana.
For more than two decades, the NIIC has been a trusted home for entrepreneurs, innovators, and corporate pioneers.
What started as the Northeast Indiana Innovation Center has evolved into the Northeast Indiana Innovation Community— a network that links people, programs, and partnerships to accelerate innovation across our region.
We don’t just make things – we make things possible.
Who We Are
Our Purpose
To empower people, companies, and communities to thrive through innovation.
Our Vision
A region where every business — from startup to industry leader — innovates, grows, and prospers through a connected innovation community.
Our Mission
We are committed to building an inclusive, innovation-driven economy that empowers people, strengthens communities, and fuels long-term regional prosperity by supporting entrepreneurs, enabling corporate innovation, expanding research capacity, and activating collaborative infrastructure.
Our Values
Inclusive by Design.
Entrepreneurship and innovation are for everyone.
Collaborative.
We succeed by building together.
Regionally Rooted.
Our work reflects and uplifts all of Northeast Indiana.
Innovation Driven.
We embrace experimentation, learning, and bold thinking.
Education Focused.
We empower growth through learning, coaching, and shared experience.
Impact Oriented.
Everything we do is in service of real, measurable progress.
Our History
A Legacy of Building
Founded in Fort Wayne, the NIIC helped launch hundreds of companies and create thousands of jobs in its first two decades. Today, that legacy continues — not just as a center, but as a region-wide movement to make innovation accessible to all.
A Vision Takes Root (1999–2001)
At the turn of the millennium, Fort Wayne’s civic and business leaders united around a shared vision: to make entrepreneurship a central driver of Northeast Indiana’s economy. In December 1999, the City of Fort Wayne, Allen County, Indiana University–Purdue University Fort Wayne (IPFW), and the Fort Wayne Chamber of Commerce came together to form the Northeast Indiana Innovation Center (NIIC) as a nonprofit organization dedicated to nurturing new ventures and building an innovation economy.
In September 2000, Indiana Governor Frank O’Bannon authorized the transfer of 55 acres of state-owned land to the IP Foundation for the creation of the NIIC campus — a physical home for innovation. After an extensive national search, Karl R. LaPan was appointed the NIIC’s founding President and CEO in October 2000, marking the start of a new era for entrepreneurship in the region.
Building the Foundation (2001–2004)
With support from the 21st Century Research and Technology Fund, the NIIC secured nearly $800,000 to launch its operations and invest in Centerfield Capital, establishing access to private equity and financial literacy as cornerstones of its mission.
To better understand the needs of local entrepreneurs, NIIC opened a temporary incubator at Raytheon in August 2001, expanding five times before moving into its first permanent facility. Soon after, a gift from the Olive B. Cole Foundation funded the creation of the Center for Entrepreneurial Excellence (CEE) — NIIC’s educational and outreach arm.
By 2003, NIIC had secured $6.5 million in state funding for its first building, breaking ground later that year and earning designation as Indiana’s fifth Certified Technology Park. Federal partners soon followed: in 2004, U.S. Senator Evan Bayh and Congressman Mark Souder secured $2.3 million in federal appropriations to expand NIIC’s facilities and programs.
A Model of Excellence (2005–2009)
In 2005, NIIC became the first business incubation program in North America to achieve ISO 9001:2000 certification, recognizing its commitment to quality and accountability in every aspect of operations.
Over the next several years, NIIC expanded dramatically. Through bipartisan state support, it secured an additional $5 million in 2008 to construct a second building for growth-stage companies and add an 8,200-square-foot Conference & Training Center, again supported by the Cole Foundation.
By 2009, the 33,000-square-foot Expansion and Growth Center (EGC) opened, hosting more than 5,500 guests annually for workshops, strategy sessions, and community events.
That same year, NIIC launched two new initiatives: the Destination: Your Future (DYF) coworking space and the Student Venture Lab, supported by Lincoln Financial Foundation and others, helping hundreds of students launch ventures.
Regional Recognition and Academic Partnerships (2010–2014)
By the early 2010s, NIIC had become a nationally recognized model for innovation-driven economic development. In 2013, Entrepreneur Magazine named NIIC one of the “Top Four Under-the-Radar Business Incubators” in the United States.
In 2014, NIIC partnered with Huntington University to launch the Fast Forward entrepreneurial certificate program — an interdisciplinary, experiential program designed to help students apply entrepreneurial thinking across disciplines.
That same year, NIIC celebrated its 15th anniversary, marking over 125 resident ventures, 675 new jobs, and a $9.5 million annual payroll among companies on campus — transforming what was once empty state land into a vibrant hub of innovation and opportunity.
An Evolving Legacy
From its founding vision in 1999 to today, the NIIC has been more than a building — it’s been a catalyst. The organization’s evolution from Innovation Center to Innovation Community reflects both a broader mission and a simple truth: innovation doesn’t happen in one place — it happens wherever people come together to build something new.
We are for innovators. And we always have been.
Board of Directors
Leadership That Reflects Our Community
Behind the NIIC’s mission is a board of directors representing the diversity, expertise, and regional reach of Northeast Indiana.
Our board members bring experience from business, education, philanthropy, and public service — working together to guide the NIIC’s vision and ensure that innovation remains a shared regional priority.
The NIIC’s board provides strategic oversight, financial stewardship, and long-term vision for our organization. Their collective insight keeps the NIIC connected to the needs of entrepreneurs, industry partners, and the communities we serve.
Aaron Robles
Serial Entrepreneur
Brian Avery
Chief Technology Officer at STAR Bank
David Long
President Pro Tempore of the Indiana State Senate (2006-2018)
Dr. Andrea Robinson
Director of Community Development at the City of Fort Wayne
Dr. Michael Mirro
Chief Academic and Research Officer at Parkview Health (Ex Officio)
Hon. Nelson Peters
Commissioner at Allen County Indiana (Retired)
John Niederman
Regional Director for Entrepreneurship at the Fortitude Fund
Josh Macy
Serial Entrepreneur
Larry Rowland
President of Swiss Re Life and Health North America (Retired)
Maclyn Parker
Attorney at Faegre Drinker (Retired)
Mark Michael
President and Chief Operating Officer at Fort Wayne Metals (Retired)
Patrick Buesching
Vice President of Strategic Initiatives at the Don Wood Foundation
Ron Double
Chief Information Officer Emeritus at Parkview Health
Tabitha Ervin
Chief Operating Officer at YMCA of Greater Fort Wayne
Our Team
The Magic Behind the Movement
Our staff, coaches, and partners bring decades of experience in entrepreneurship, technology, and community-building. Together, they support innovators at every stage — from first idea to market success.
