Amplify Bloomington

Today is the last day to apply to Startup Summer 2026 ☀️ If you’re a collegiate founder who wants to spend this summer building full-time, in person, with real structure and support, this is your deadline. Startup Summer runs June 1 to July 31 in Bloomington. Selected founders receive a $6,000 stipend, workspace at The Mill, hands-on mentorship, and the chance to pitch what you built at Demo Day. Apply today: https://lnkd.in/gZzXyRgC If you know a student founder who should see this, please share it with them today #amplifybloomington #startupsummer

Bloomington has real strengths, but strengths only matter if we turn them into strategy. In this edition of Ambition in Bloom, John Fernandez connects the dots between talent, economic competitiveness, public funding, and the creative economy, and makes the case that this moment calls for urgency, not drift. Subscribe to the newsletter below to get future columns in your LinkedIn feed.

Fewer than 5 spots remain for tomorrow's Bloomington Breakfast Club. This month’s session with Tatiana Kolovou is going to be a good one. See event details and RSVP below.

This is a meaningful step forward for the Trades District, and for City of Bloomington, IN. This isn’t just a hotel. It’s part of building a district where founders, researchers, partners, and visitors can stay, connect, and do real work together. As the Trades District grows, so does the need for the kind of infrastructure that supports it, places to gather, host, and build relationships. This project helps close that gap. It also signals something bigger. Private investment follows momentum, and momentum follows alignment. The partnership between the City, Indiana University, and Amplify Bloomington is what makes this possible, turning long-term vision into something tangible. We’re proud to have helped move this forward, and excited about what it unlocks next. More connection. More activity. More reasons to build and stay in Bloomington.

Last night, we hosted the first AMP Creatives session at FAR Gallery, bringing together artists, cultural leaders, and creative community builders to talk about how #BloomingtonIN can better support creatives and build a stronger, more connected creative ecosystem. The evening included a roundtable conversation and a performance by a Indiana University Jacobs School of Music woodwind quintet with a visualization component. What stood out most was the shared sense that this should be the beginning, not the whole conversation. A key part of the discussion was how to bring in more voices and build something more open, connected, and useful over time. If you’re a creative, organizer, or leader working in this space and want to help shape what comes next, we’d love to hear from you. A good first step. More to come. #AmplifyBloomington

Startup Summer applications close in one week! If you’re an Indiana-based collegiate founder ready to spend this summer building full-time, in person, this program is for you. Selected founders receive: ✔️ $6,000 stipend ✔️ 9 weeks of workspace at The Mill in Bloomington ✔️ Hands-on mentorship and weekly support ✔️ A Demo Day pitch to investors, partners, and community leaders ✔️ A cohort and network that lasts beyond the summer The program runs June 1 to July 31. It’s built for founders at the idea, MVP, or early revenue stage who want a focused build season with real structure. If you have have student-founders in your network, please tag them or reshare this post. Apply here: https://lnkd.in/gZzXyRgC

A small glimpse into Bloomington’s AI and GovTech work and collaboration in practice. Members Ned and Derek testing a robotics system this morning. One example of the kind of applied work emerging across AI, automation, defense, and public sector technology right here in #bloomingtonindiana. The cluster story matters because it is becoming tangible, not just aspirational. More builders, more experimentation, more signs of real momentum.

Indiana college students who want to work on their own startups instead of an unrelated summer job, it is time to apply to Startup Summer. #startup #student #entrepreneurship https://lnkd.in/g7eUp_dd

We’re excited to support the #BloomingtonBreakfastClub, a growing gathering of people who care about ideas, connection, and the future of this community. Join Chelsea Sanders and others for a thoughtful morning of conversation, connection, and practical ideas you can carry into your work. This month’s session with Tatiana Kolovou will focus on a skill many of us are still learning: how to make stronger, more strategic asks in our professional lives. If you’ve been the last couple months, you already know the energy in the room. If you haven’t yet, this is a great one to join. View event details below.

We appreciate the IU K+M Collective shout. We’ve officially become Amplify Bloomington, and we’re building a clearer front door to Bloomington’s startup and innovation ecosystem. If you’re a founder, builder, employer, or partner, start here: amplifybloomington.org