technology agenda for a vibrant indiana (techpoint)

Talent Attraction and Development + “Placemaking”and Place MarketingVenture Capital Investment + Startup AccelerationDigital EconomyDigital Infrastructure

2015Technology Agendafor a vibrant Indiana

TechPoint is a non-partisan,private non-profit with amission to create anecosystem in Indiana wheretechnology companies,entrepreneurs, employeesand innovation thrive.

This mission is critical for the state’s job andwealth creation because, per KauffmanFoundation research, net new job creationcomes not from large companies but fromstartups, which are bringing new technologyand business models to market and growingquickly.

This rapid growth and innovation is often fundedby venture capital investment, and half of allventure capital investment nationwide goes intoinformation technology companies, far surpassingother industries.

Even large companies areincreasingly dependent oncomputer technology togrow and compete,

Jobs created by startups to build new technologyand those employed by existing companies toservice technology are high-skill, high-wage jobs,which Indiana needs more of. Thus, a thrivingtechnology ecosystem is critical for our state.

Here are the policy prioritiesthat would help our statenurture this critical ecosystem.TechPoint calls on the Pence Administration andthe 119th Indiana General Assembly to adopt theprogressive, transformational public policiesnecessary to achieve our common goal of makingIndiana a global leader in entrepreneur-driven,technology-based economic development thatwill create high-wage jobs.

Talent Attraction andDevelopment + “Placemaking”and Place MarketingBecome the destination for a highly skilledworkforce.

PRIORITY: Increase Efforts to Attract, Developand Retain Talent

Increasingly, technology skills are becomingimportant to every company, and all over thecountry companies are experiencing a criticalshortage of tech-skilled talent for high-wage jobs. We need more computer programming andteacher proficiency in the K-12 system and greaterconnectivity between our universities and our techcompanies. Consider economic developmentincentives to attract, retain and repatriate students,tech workers, and successful entrepreneurs.

Talent Attraction & Development

SUPPORT: Support Efforts that Focus onRegional City “Placemaking” and PlaceMarketing

Regional city development and marketing arecritical to attracting resources in a tech company,and tech workers are increasingly clustering inmetro areas. We need to ensure that our metroareas have the amenities to be competitive againstother cities in attracting talent and can havesufficient funds to market those virtues to bothcompany execs and employees.

Talent Attraction & Development

Venture Capital Investment +Startup AccelerationBecome the destination for a highly skilledworkforce.

PRIORITY: Make the Venture Capital Tax CreditTransferrable

Less than 0.01% of venture capital nationallyflowed into Indiana companies in 2013, while 70%flowed into CA, MA and NY alone. Capitalinvestment is often a requirement for startups’growth, and the Indiana Venture Capital Tax Creditis an important instrument for steering the flow ofprivate investment dollars from outside the stateinto Indiana companies. (more ... )

Venture Capital Investment

(Priority Continued ... )

Also, we encourage increasing the Venture CapitalTax Credit or otherwise incentivizing the flow ofcapital to startups in Indiana instead of other statesor alternative investment vehicles.

SUPPORT: Streamline Elevate Venture’s approvalprocess and mitigate conflicts of interest forEntrepreneurs in Residence

Venture Capital Investment

Digital EconomySustain and nurture tax policies to growour economy.

PRIORITY: Oppose Attempts to Apply Indiana’sSales Tax to Computing Services

Increasingly, technology companies are deliveringtheir products to customers as a service via theinternet (Software as a Service or SaaS model),enabling customers to subscribe instead ofshipping a physical product.

Also, tech companies are increasingly servingcustomers all around the world, not just in Indiana. Thus, their competitors can be anywhere in theworld as well.

Digital Economy

A sales tax on services couldmake Indiana-based techproducts more costly, lesscompetitive, and create anundue administrative andcompliance burden foryoung companies.

Digital Economy

Digital InfrastructureDeliver innovative public and private services onblazing fast networks.

SUPPORT: Encourage and Enable LocalGovernments to Utilize Open Data

Open data is the idea that certain data should befreely available for everyone to use and republishas they wish. The philosophy behind open datahas been long established, but the term itself isrelatively new and it is gaining popularity. Just asopening up federal government weather and GPSdata created significant value and commercialenterprises, opening standardizing access to stateand local data could as well.

Digital Infrastructure

SUPPORT: Streamline Approvals Needed to BuildFiber and Wireless Broadband

The speed, reliability and affordability of ourInternet infrastructure is as critical as roads forcompetitive advantage. For attracting and growingInternet-dependent businesses and making anational statement about Indiana's innovativeness,we need high-speed fiber-based wired and 4Gwireless infrastructure readily accessible andnationally cost-competitive where tech companiesand tech workers are starting and living.

Digital Infrastructure

For More Information Contact:Mr. Mike Langellier President & CEO | TechPoint111 Monument Circlesuite 1800 Indianapolis, IN 46204 (317) 275-2083 mike@techpoint.org

Mark I. Shublak Esq. Partner | Ice Miller LLP One American Squaresuite 2900 Indianapolis, IN 46282-0200 (317) 236-5981 Shublak@icemiller.com

techpoint.org