State announces Keep IN program to help Indiana small businesses plan ownership transitions

The Indiana Economic Development Corp. (IEDC) posted a notice dated 2026-05-06 saying Gov. Mike Braun launched the Keep IN initiative to provide planning resources for small-business owners. The IEDC announcement describes the effort as led by the Office of Entrepreneurship and Innovation (OEI), which the notice characterizes as a new state agency focused on supporting entrepreneurs and small businesses.

According to OEI materials cited in the announcement, the program includes partnerships with the Indiana Chamber of Commerce for a series of free workshops and a pilot of the SMB.co platform in three READI economic regions — Northwest, South Central and Southwest Indiana — offering tools such as business valuations, transition-readiness assessments and exit-planning resources. The IEDC notice says OEI worked with the Indiana Business Research Center for localized data informing the initiative's design. The Giant.fm local report additionally says a one-hour, Keep IN webinar is scheduled for 2026-11-02 and that OEI commissioned an IBRC 'Silver Tsunami' report earlier in the year to highlight risks from insufficient owner planning.

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