BLOOMINGTON – Governor Mike Braun and the Gayle & Bill Cook Center for Entrepreneurship at Ivy Tech Community College Bloomington today announced a pilot program to provide business valuation support and practical follow-up assistance for small businesses in Orange and Martin counties.
Through an investment from the Indiana Office of Entrepreneurship and Innovation (OEI), the initiative will build on the Cook Center’s existing business valuation service. Participating businesses will be able to better understand their current value and consider the next steps they’ll need for sustainable growth or a potential sale.
“Main Street businesses are the backbone of communities across Indiana, and helping them plan for the future is a key focus,” said Gov. Braun. “Through this partnership with Ivy Tech Bloomington, we will connect those businesses to the tools they need, helping ensure they can continue to help our communities grow and thrive for generations to come.”
The pilot program is part of the Keep IN initiative that Gov. Braun launched in May, working to preserve local jobs and locally-rooted businesses by reducing preventable business closures and supporting smoother business ownership transitions.
“As local business owners look to stabilize their operations, a valuation can help them know where they stand and prepare for succession planning, even if they’re not ready to sell in the near term,” said Steve Bryant, executive director of the Cook Center for Entrepreneurship at Ivy Tech Bloomington. “By partnering with the state on this pilot, Ivy Tech Bloomington is better positioned to support the communities we serve.”
“Making Indiana the best place to start and grow a business also means helping our business owners plan their next steps,” said Indiana Secretary of Commerce Chuck Goodrich. “By supporting small businesses with information and resources, we’re keeping them rooted in Indiana, which creates conditions for sustained growth, quality jobs and long-term prosperity across the state.”
The Cook Center at Ivy Tech Bloomington will work with the Orange County Economic Development Partnership and the Martin County Alliance to pilot the program in both communities.
The pilot will include:
- Hosting workshops focused on business valuation and buy-sell solutions;
- Creating a network of providers that can offer post-valuation operational guidance;
- Launching tools and programming to help businesses assess sustainability, growth opportunities, and readiness for a future sale; and
- Coordinating with other initiatives statewide.
“Small business owners often need more than a valuation. They also need a clear understanding of what comes next,” said Office of Entrepreneurship and Innovation Director Brian Schutt. “By leveraging the Ivy Tech Cook Center’s valuation experience with OEI’s support, this program will give business owners access to tools, research and trusted expertise as they consider their next stage.”
The partners have begun implementing the work plan. Planning includes community information sessions, targeted outreach and recruitment in Orange and Martin counties, followed by valuations, business assessments and referrals to strategic partners based on each participant’s needs. Activities are expected to continue through the end of 2026.
