Ninety-Two Counties, One Story across the state

If you want to understand Indiana, don't start with Indianapolis's skyline or Elkhart's assembly lines. Start with something simpler: drive through any county in this state and watch how people build. From Lake County down to the Ohio River, you'll see the same thing everywhere you look. People putting their heads down and creating something from what they have. That's entrepreneurship in Indiana and probably a description of what can be seen across the Midwest; It's not confined to one city or limited to one industry. It's just how we do things here.

The Numbers Tell a Story

Last year, IU Innovates released data showing the GDP driven by entrepreneurs across all 92 Indiana counties over a six year period. The numbers are impressive, but more than that, they tell you everything you need to know about how this state actually works.

Some counties are clearly the engines. Marion County, home to Indianapolis, leads with more than $6 billion in entrepreneurial GDP. Hamilton County follows at $2.6 billion, which makes sense if you've watched that suburban corridor explode over the past decade. Elkhart contributes over $1 billion, and anyone who knows the RV industry understands why. Lake and Allen Counties add $1.7 billion and $1.4 billion respectively, built on industrial foundations that keep evolving.

But here's what catches your attention when you really look at these numbers: every single county contributes. Benton County shows $11 million. Perry County adds $40 million. Ohio County contributes $6 million. These might look small next to Marion County's billions, but they're not small to the people who live there. They represent the family-owned shop that's been on Main Street for three generations, the farmer experimenting with new crops, the mechanic who figured out how to fix something nobody else could touch, the manufacturer making parts for companies you've never heard of but definitely use their products.

Different Places, Same Playbook

What makes this work, and what makes it distinctly Midwestern, is that every county builds with what it has. Elkhart doesn't try to be Silicon Valley; it doubles down on advanced manufacturing and does it better than almost anywhere else. Tippecanoe and Monroe Counties leverage Purdue and IU to spin research into startups. Lake and Porter Counties use their proximity to Chicago's logistics networks. The counties along the Ohio River keep small-town businesses alive through pure grit and community support.

This isn't inefficient. It's the opposite. It's 92 different communities figuring out their strengths and putting them to work. That's the Midwest DNA: make the most of what you have and make it count for your people.

Why It All Adds Up

The beauty of this approach is that these different strategies don't compete with each other. They strengthen the whole. The result is a statewide economy that's more stable and more resilient than if everything were concentrated in Indianapolis. When one industry hits a rough patch, others keep moving. When one region faces challenges, the rest of the state keeps building.

I've spent time working across Central Indiana, and I've seen how the density of resources in places like Indianapolis creates real momentum. But I've also learned that the further you get from those hubs, the more important it becomes for communities to create their own heartbeat. Whether it's through a chamber of commerce, a coworking space, or just strong local leadership, someone needs to be organizing, connecting, and pushing things forward.

When that heartbeat exists, even the smallest counties punch above their weight. When it doesn't, you can feel the energy drain away. That's as important as any of the numbers in understanding why entrepreneurship works here.

The map of entrepreneurial GDP across Indiana isn't just an economic breakdown. It's proof that this state is strongest when all 92 counties are in the game. Innovation belongs just as much to the business owner keeping the lights on in a town of 2,000 as it does to the startup founder pitching investors in downtown Indianapolis.

Every contribution counts. Some are measured in billions, others in tens of millions, but they're all part of the same story. Indiana's entrepreneurial economy isn't one narrative. It's 92 different stories told in different voices, with different strengths, but all playing from the same playbook. That's what makes it powerful.

‍Sebastian Penix is the Entrepreneur Ecosystem Navigator for the Central Indiana SBDC, based at Butler University’s Lacy School of Business. He is also the founder of Heartland Valley, a platform spotlighting startups and innovation across the Midwest. His work focuses on building connection, visibility, and momentum within the region’s entrepreneurial ecosystem.