Your Guiding Light

Founded by Russ Kirchner in 1984, High Performance (HP) Alloys Inc. manufactures and distributes superalloys and super stainless steels to serve the needs of the aerospace, chemical processing, oil-gas, medical and food processing industries. With locations in the rural communities of Tipton and Windfall, the company employs more than 60 Hoosiers and serves a global customer base, including space! HP Alloys was recognized as the 2021 Indiana SBDC Rural Small Business of the Year.

Donte Wilburn, owner and operator of Premier Detailing and Wash LLC, founded his business in 2011 with the goal of providing high-quality services built on servanthood and trust. The company expanded operations to a second location in Kokomo in 2020, and in 2021, Donte and managing partners purchased Legacy Courts, a sports facility that has been in operation for six years, to build a safe space for Lafayette youth. Donte was recognized as the 2021 Indiana SBDC Entrepreneur of the Year.

creative entrepreneurs served through the On-Ramp Creative Entrepreneur Accelerator Program, a partnership with the Indiana Arts Commission

The Indiana SBDC recognized 16 small businesses from across the state on completing the Export Indiana Accelerator Program. This statewide initiative assists Indiana companies with creating ready-to-execute export plans to position their products or services in the international marketplace. With 2020's celebration canceled due to the pandemic, this year's ceremony included participants from the program's 2020 and 2021 cohorts.

Zion and Xavier Dunaway, students of Salem High School, won the 2021 Innovate WithIN business pitch competition, the largest high school pitch competition in the nation. Their business, Southern Indiana Bait Co., uses quality ingredients and innovative processes to manufacture top-notch fishing bait. The brother duo received $10,000 cash prize to grow their business and scholarships for top Indiana colleges and universities to further their education.

Founded by Anna Haldewang in 2017, InsightTRAC provides on-site robotic pest removal and data tracking services to help almond growers better manage and optimize their yields. The product provides real-time orchard insights and provides growers with an autonomous winter sanitation solution for what is currently a manual process. InsightTRAC was recognized as the 2021 Indiana SBDC Innovative Small Business of the Year.

small business websites created or optimized through Project HOPE, a partnership with the Indiana University Kelley School of Business

Founded by Jeff Klump in 2017, MidAmerica Safety Solutions is a traffic control safety company providing on-site traffic management for work sites in the Evansville, Bloomington, Indianapolis and Cincinnati areas, and will be expanding to Florida in 2022. As a U.S. Marine Corps veteran, Jeff and his team are committed to hiring veterans, retirees and veteran spouses through local organizations. MidAmerica Safety Solutions was recognized as the 2021 Indiana SBDC Veteran-Owned Small Business of the Year.

A minority- and woman-owned business founded by Joy Thompkins and later joined by Carol Podolak, bNutty Peanut Butter is a gourmet peanut butter producer offering a variety of flavors and gift baskets. What started as a fundraiser for youth soccer in 2014 has grown into a robust manufacturing operation with multiple production lines and an international customer base. bNutty Peanut Butter was recognized as the 2021 Indiana SBDC Minority-Owned Small Business of the Year.