The ESTEEM Class of 2026, accompanied by several faculty members, traded in the familiar Golden Dome for the busy streets of Indianapolis this past Friday. The goal of this class trip was simple: to move outside the classroom and see the thriving Indiana innovation ecosystem up close. By visiting three distinct pillars of the city’s entrepreneurial landscape–16 Tech Innovation District, healthcare software firm Remodel Health, and the venture studio Alloy Partners (formerly High Alpha)–we gained a first-hand glimpse at how ideas are born, funded, and scaled into market-ready companies.

Our day began at 16 Tech, a centrally located 50-acre innovation district on the edge of downtown. It was immediately clear this wasn't just another office park or shared working space. 16 Tech is an intentional community built to connect researchers, entrepreneurs, and corporations in the fields of life sciences, technology, and advanced manufacturing. Its central location in the Indianapolis area provides companies of all sizes the opportunity to connect with every aspect of Indy’s innovative landscape.

The sheer scale of the project, including the new arrival of the Indiana Biosciences Research Institute (IBRI) and community resources like the co-working spaces, a makerspace, and artisan food hall, underscored a clear lesson: innovation doesn't happen in a vacuum. It requires a dedicated physical space designed for spontaneous collaboration. For 50 future entrepreneurs and innovators, seeing the infrastructure being constructed to support this kind of cross-sector work was a powerful illustration of the state’s commitment to its economic future. It showed us that a robust ecosystem is a necessary foundation for disruptive ventures.

Our next stop was Remodel Health, a high-growth B2B SaaS (Business-to-Business Software as a Service) company tackling the costly confusing world of employee health benefits. The company's focus is helping organizations, particularly churches and mid-sized businesses, transition from expensive traditional group plans to Individual Coverage Health Reimbursement Arrangements (ICHRA).

Remodel Health showed us how technology can bring clarity at a company-wide level while also impacting individual lives. Their software, paired with expert consulting, allows employers to control costs while giving employees more personalized choices. What stood out was the company’s commitment to an in-person, Indianapolis-based workforce, a deliberate strategy they credit for fostering a unique culture and delivering "white-glove" customer service. Our discussion with their leadership team provided an excellent case study on the importance of product-market fit and using scalable software to solve a deeply frustrating problem, all while being people-focused.

The finale of our tour was Alloy Partners, a prominent venture studio and venture capital firm located in the vibrant Bottleworks District. This visit offered a deep dive into the engine driving many of Indiana’s newest tech ventures.

Alloy Partners uses the venture studio model, meaning they don’t just fund existing companies: they conceive, launch, and scale B2B SaaS ideas from scratch. Their team of entrepreneurs and operators provides the necessary blend of capital, product development, and operational support to accelerate a startup's growth. The energy in their creative modern office in a busy location was palpable, reflecting their mission of rapidly building scalable enterprise companies. Our group learned about the entire process, from ideation sprints to securing venture funding, reinforcing the ESTEEM curriculum on the rigorous process of company creation.

The day ended with the class recognizing that Indianapolis is much more than a regional hub in the Midwest, or just Indiana’s Capital; it is a meticulously engineered environment where collaboration, focused technology solutions, and high-velocity company creation all converge. It was an invaluable experience that connected our academic learning directly to the real-world pursuit of innovation.

About the ESTEEM Graduate Program:

Over the course of this 11-month Master of Science degree (in Innovation, Technology and Entrepreneurship) program at the University of Notre Dame, students from technical backgrounds are equipped with the skills and experience to launch new businesses, become innovators within large corporations, and be leaders of dynamic, innovative teams. Students are immersed in an entrepreneurial sandbox, where they get their hands dirty with entrepreneurship and innovation through a cutting-edge curriculum, a capstone commercialization project for an emerging technology, and outstanding out-of-the-classroom experiences.

To learn more about the ESTEEM Graduate Program or to apply please go to our website.

Originally published by Reilly Granger at esteem.nd.edu on October 03, 2025.