Braun launches Indiana Office of Entrepreneurship and Innovation to focus on small businesses

Indiana has a new state office dedicated to helping small businesses start and grow with the launch of the Office of Entrepreneurship and Innovation.

The new office is part of a larger effort from Gov. Mike Braun. The previous administration faced criticism that its economic development strategy seemed to focus more on luring big businesses to the state, rather than helping local companies.

Braun said that focus is changing under his administration.

"I just want to help them make it through the gauntlet of survival, where they don't get much attention presently," Braun said.

Running the new Office of Entrepreneurship and Innovation is Brian Schutt. Schutt co-founded an Indianapolis startup incubator called Refinery46 and a local HVAC company.

Lawmakers put $1 million a year in the new state budget for the office.

Brandon is our Statehouse bureau chief. Contact him at bsmith@ipbs.org or follow him on Twitter at @brandonjsmith5.