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IEDC boasts businesses moving to Indiana, eyes supercomputer and Space Academy

WFYI Public Media | By Benjamin Thorp

Published September 29, 2026 at 5:08 AM EDT

Commerce Secretary Chuck Goodrich discusses the state's positive economic outlook at Monday's IEDC meeting at the Indiana State Library September, 28th.

State officials are touting major business investments that have brought jobs and higher wages to Indiana.

The Indiana Economic Development Corporation met for a quarterly meeting Monday and delivered a largely positive outlook on the state's investments, efforts to attract businesses and bolster job growth.

IEDC officials highlighted the 69 companies moving business to the state, including Amazon.

They say it will bring over 5,000 new jobs that pay well above the state's national average wage. A press release noted that those jobs would ultimately create $437 million in new payroll for residents.

Governor Mike Braun said he's been clear about what economic development under his administration needs to accomplish.

"Create more opportunities for Hoosiers, grow wages, and make Indiana the best place in the country to start a business, grow a business, and get a good job," he said.

State officials also approved a $5-million grant for a state-of-the-art supercomputer to bolster investment in research and artificial intelligence.

The Governor said the effort, a joint venture between Indiana University and tech giant NVIDIA, is aimed at making the state a leader in artificial intelligence research and innovation.

"Whatever they're [NVIDIA] doing, they're going to be looking at Indiana to be a place to do it, and we're working with all companies that are on the leading edge," Braun said.

Braun noted the project was tied to data centers, an issue that has been met with public outcry across the state. He told reporters Monday that data center companies need to be willing to meaningfully invest in communities.

"I've been very clear. If you want a data center in this state, quit asking local governments for any abatements," he said. "Show how you're going to improve the community, build the electricity you're going to need, and put more electrons onto the grid."

The state is also hoping to become the location of the U.S. Space Academy proposed by President Donald Trump in August.

U.S. Sen. Jim Banks (R-Ind) released a statement Monday calling for Grissom Air Reserve Base in northwest Indiana to be considered as a location for the Academy.

"The state offers a low cost of living, leading STEM and research universities, and a growing aerospace, defense, and advanced-manufacturing workforce," Banks said in a letter to the chairman of the Presidential Commission on the United States Space Academy.

Braun echoed Banks' statements but noted there is nothing concrete yet.

"That's just out there as something we're interested in because we're leading in all of the other arenas as well," he said.

Braun said the work of the IEDC was aimed at attracting businesses to create a "quantum corridor" that stretches between West Lafayette's Purdue University, Indianapolis, and Bloomington's Indiana University, leading in areas of tech, bioscience, energy, and aerospace.