The University of Notre Dame announced Tuesday (July 30) that it is transferring leadership and operations of IDEA Week to Startup South Bend-Elkhart. Moving forward, Notre Dame will participate on the event’s planning board and will also host a small number of programs during the event.

The transfer was first announced by Startup South Bend-Elkhart on July 25.

IDEA Week, which celebrates innovation, entrepreneurship and the regional community, was originally launched in 2017. In its first year, the Notre Dame IDEA Center led the event along with Startup South Bend-Elkhart, the City of South Bend, enFocus, RISE and more than 15 regional partners. By 2019, IDEA Week had expanded to feature more than 50 sub-events, two concerts, two comedic acts, the involvement of more than 20 regional organizations and over 20,000 attendees.

Startup South Bend-Elkhart, a division of the South Bend-Elkhart Regional Partnership that leads economic development across five counties in northern Indiana and southwest Michigan, will begin planning for IDEA Week 2025 immediately.

“IDEA Week has become a focal point to convene and celebrate the activities of the region’s strong culture of innovation and entrepreneurship,” said Shannon Cullinan, Notre Dame’s executive vice president. “Innovation thrives on collaboration, and IDEA Week would not be possible without the strong partnership with the community. That partnership, and the region’s broader innovation ecosystem, is poised to grow deeper with IDEA Week under the leadership of Startup South Bend-Elkhart.”

Bethany Hartley, president and CEO of Startup South Bend-Elkhart and the South Bend-Elkhart Regional Partnership, said that discussions about transitioning IDEA Week from Notre Dame to her organization began two years ago.

“We’ve been part of IDEA Week since its inception, planning and hosting many events,” Hartley said. “Startup South Bend-Elkhart is dedicated to advancing the South Bend-Elkhart region. One of the ways we aim to achieve this is through IDEA Week. We will build on the excellent work done by the IDEA Center and expand the event’s reach to new demographics and business types across our entire region.”

Notre Dame will continue to be involved with IDEA Week. In addition to serving on the event’s board and providing input, the University will also continue to manage the McCloskey New Venture Competition, which has been a part of the festival since the beginning. Notre Dame will also oversee at least two other events during the week, and all in full collaboration with Startup South Bend-Elkhart.

Hartley said that she plans to establish a CEO council and meet with local entrepreneurs to gather community input on future expectations for IDEA Week.

IDEA Week will also continue to host live concerts and comedy events, and its first major keynote speaker will be announced soon. Learn more at ideaweek.com.

Originally published by Nicholas Swisher at ideacenter.nd.edu on July 30, 2024.