Three IU economic development programs were recognized on Oct. 18 during the University Economic Development Association’s (UEDA) Annual Summit in Roanoke, Va.

Among 20 finalists for UEDA’s Awards of Excellence was IU Bloomington, which was selected for its partnership with the Bloomington Economic Development Corp. to launch the B-Start pre-accelerator. B-Start seeks to provide entrepreneurial mentors from the Bloomington business community to advise student-run ventures at IU Bloomington and Ivy Tech Community College.

Also recognized was the DIVE program at IUPUI and an IU Kokomo initiative known as “Steward of Place: How IU-Kokomo Engages with the North Central Indiana Region to Support Economic Development.”

DIVE (Discovery, Innovation and Ventures Enterprise) brings IUPUI students in contact with entrepreneurs, equity investors and service providers who help young companies grow. DIVE is offered through IUPUI’s evening MBA program.

At IU Kokomo, serving as a “Steward of Place” is a key strategic priority, as IU Kokomo has created advisory boards in seven of 12 communities it serves. These boards help the campus learn about community challenges and provide strategies for how the campus and community can partner to solve them. In addition, IU Kokomo Chancellor Susan Sciame-Giesecke serves on UEDA’s National Board of Directors and chairs the Greater Kokomo Economic Development Alliance.