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Braun, Ivy Tech Bloomington launch pilot to help Main Street small businesses in Orange and Martin counties

On Oct. 12, 2026, Gov. Mike Braun and Ivy Tech Bloomington’s Gayle & Bill Cook Center for Entrepreneurship announced a pilot to provide business valuation support and practical follow-up assistance for small businesses in Orange and Martin counties, with activities expected through the end of 2026.

News BriefBy BusinessIndy News DeskCommentsPublished October 12, 2026 at 6:03 PM EDT

AI-generated illustration of the topic: Braun, Ivy Tech Bloomington launch pilot to help Main Street small businesses in Orange and Martin counties — AI illustration · Not a photograph of the reported event.

On Oct. 12, 2026, Governor Mike Braun and the Gayle & Bill Cook Center for Entrepreneurship at Ivy Tech Community College Bloomington announced a pilot program to provide business valuation support and practical follow-up assistance for small businesses in Orange and Martin counties. The partners said they have begun implementing the work plan and expect activities to continue through the end of 2026. (Source: Giant FM)

Planned activities described in the announcement include creating a network of providers to offer post-valuation operational guidance, hosting workshops focused on business valuation and buy-sell solutions, and launching tools and programming to help businesses assess sustainability, growth opportunities and readiness for a future sale. (Source: Giant FM)

WHY IT MATTERS

The pilot bundles valuation support with hands-on follow-up help and is aimed at small, locally rooted businesses in two southern Indiana counties. Rather than a single report, the program combines three things the announcement highlights: a valuation step, a network of providers for operational guidance after the valuation, and workshops and tools to assess whether a business is ready to grow or sell. That matters because owners weighing long-term plans — succession, a sale, or investments to grow — often need both an estimate of business value and practical next steps. For example: a business could use the pilot’s valuation support to see where it stands financially, then use the provider network or workshops to address gaps before pursuing a sale. The partners said they’ve started work and expect activities through the end of 2026; readers should watch for specific workshop dates, tool launches and local provider listings as those are announced. (Source: Giant FM)

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Sources

Giant FM — Marshall County — local news: Governor Braun strengthens Indiana Main Street Businesses with Ivy Tech Bloomington partnership ↗

Linked source published October 12, 2026 at 6:00 PM EDT. A sourced news brief; no independent staff reporting is implied. Prepared with AI assistance from the linked research; material claims remain attributed in the article.

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