Indy-Biz

IBM (NYSE: IBM) today introduced new functionality across its security product portfolio to help clients simplify their security infrastructure and slash security costs. From a local perspective Pat O’Day, Chief Technology Officer at BlueLock, LLC, is looking forward to the launch. He said:

“We are eager to get our hands on the Proventia Network Virtual Intrusion Prevention System (VIPS) Appliance from IBM Internet Security Systems. The VIPS fits right into our virtual cloud computing strategy and will be a great opportunity for our clients that wish to significantly improve the security of their environments.”

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Monday, Sept. 29, 2008 9:00am-10:30am

INDIANPOLIS, Ind. - Local entrepreneur and sales expert April Morris will share easy, how-to tips on how to increase retail sales and work less hours. Specifically designed for retail owners/managers or anyone selling retail products on a commission basis. These proven strategies help you feel confident and achieve maximum results. The seminar will be held at Old National Bank at 4805 E 96th Street in Indianapolis, Indiana. Continue Reading »

Congrats to Amy Woodall for a great first program on Fox News.  Hope they make you a regular.

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LAS VEGAS, September 16, 2008 - F5 Networks, Inc. (NASDAQ: FFIV), the global leader in Application Delivery Networking, today announced that BlueLock, LLC is using the F5^® BIG-IP^® Local Traffic Manager^™ (LTM^™) solution with VMware virtualization solutions to provide clients with its unique virtual cloud computing platform. Using an infrastructure-as-a-service (IaaS) model, virtual cloud computing enables BlueLock’s clients to rapidly scale their IT infrastructure as business needs fluctuate, while also scaling the associated costs.

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INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. – Custom software company, Higher Symmetry released an updated version of their successful note-taking software NoteScribe. The software was designed to organize information and notes, specifically for students and researchers. The popular software product cross references notes and information by category, source and key words.  Users can retrieve critical information by searching under any of the three organizational strategies. 

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This weeks IBJ unveils the latest focus of the Mayor’s scruntiny:  The TIF’s (Tax Increment Financing Districts)

These districts (many created by republican mayor Stephen Goldsmith) have received tax breaks and loans to create incentives for economic development.  Ideally as these areas develop the increased tax revenue will be used to repay the loans.

Does the process work?  Fall Creek, the new Airport and Harding Street clearly have seen significant improvements, enhancing the image of the overall city, and their assessed value which means more taxes paid to the city.   Two other districts on the NW side of the city have not performed as well.

So lets take a look at what works and what doesn’t rather then making an across the board decision that TIFs are bad.

Jennifer Wagner - one of my favorite political writers sums up the situation very well:

But when you’ve been in office for nine months with no vision and no clue, you have to look busy, and reviewing “stuff” and looking into “things” accomplishes that goal.

Sadly, the Mayor’s tendency to wave his cheap plastic sword in the air and destroy the nearest forward-thinking idea is costing Indianapolis valuable time and progress as we compete with other cities for new jobs and new blood.

As a marketing professional, I know when business slows down you keep marketing so you are ready for the upswing.  it should be the same for economic development!  Come on Mayor Ballard, lets try investing in growth instead of cutting back..  the tax revenues will come!

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind - Integrated Security Solutions purchased the intellectual assets of Amerilink, LLC’s American Sentry Guard on August 27, 2008. Indianapolis based American Sentry Guard was amongst the nation’s fastest growing private companies and recognized in the Inc, 500 list in 2006 and 2007. The acquisition includes the American Sentry Guard name, websites, electronic content and other intellectual assets of the former security distribution giant. Integrated also acquired a sizable portion of the inventory.

Integrated has committed to offering free phone support to any former clients of American Sentry Guard, even though the acquisition did not include any commitments held by the old American Sentry Guard.

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Howard Anderson wrote a great post today, about why companies should consider moving their tech start ups out of Silicon Valley.   I think two of is five reasons to move out are also  good reasons for them to move here!

1. The weather sucks so your people will actually work instead of bugging out at 5:15 to train for a marathon, triathlon or Ultimate Frisbee.  ( Ok, so our weather doesn’t suck all the time)

2. You can recruit better outside the fishbowl. Every technology company hits the wall — some multiple times. In the Valley your employees will bail at the first sign of trouble and jump to a better job in the next parking lot.  (I think Hoosiers are a little more patient, we hang in there, and lets face it, as a smaller city, we don’t yet have enough interesting companies.  If you land a gig with a cool start up you are more likely to stay. )

But there are other things to attract these high tech firms:

• Low cost of living - Where else can you buy a 3 bedroom house in a nice, really nice neighborhood for under $175,000?
• Great Informatics Programs at IU, Purdue and IUPUI
• Smaller Indiana -  a great resource for smart creative people to come together.
  
• Vibrant theater, art, music culture
• Sports, if you like that kind of thing

So to all of you out in Silicon Valley, when you are ready for a change… Indy is ready for you!

Late last month, Smaller Indiana passed an important milestone - 3,000 members!  But growing membership is only the beginning.   More and more, members of this unusual network are impacting life in Indy.  Check out the content generated by members for Indy Fringe.

And now their attention turns to politics.  An informal pole regarding the upcoming election was quoted in today’s Indy Star as a credible source of information. With more than 500 of their 3,000 members voting in a 24 hour period, political analysts took notice.