BLOOMINGTON, Ind.–The cities of Columbus and Bloomington are coming together to grow early-stage companies in both communities and the region. Columbus Mayor Jim Lienhoop and Bloomington Mayor John Hamilton met Tuesday in Bloomington to announce the partnership between their cities.
The joint venture agreement, signed in September, links Dimension Mill, Inc. (The Mill) and the Columbus Area Chamber of Commerce, Inc., as regional partners working toward obtaining funding from Indianapolis-based Elevate Ventures, an organization that encourages and develops coworking and entrepreneurship in early-stage companies in Columbus and Bloomington.
The regional partnership is in the process of raising $1 million with the goal of leveraging a matching $1.5 million grant from Elevate. Upon reaching the fundraising goal, Elevate would not only support the partnership’s operations but also provide expertise to entrepreneurs, provide networking opportunities and resources, and otherwise nurture startups and innovation in the two cities.
Dimension Mill, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that will operate The Mill, a revamped facility that will function as a community coworking space, business incubator, and innovation hub. After a ribbon-cutting ceremony on October 31, The Mill is slated to launch on November 15.
The public is invited for the official introduction of the Columbus-Bloomington partnership on December 6, at 5 p.m., at Big Woods at Hard Truth Hills, in Nashville. The joint venture will be overseen by a joint committee consisting of two representatives each from Bloomington and Columbus, plus one from Elevate Ventures.