Indiana’s Innovation Momentum: From RALLY to Bolt

This fall, Indianapolis proved again why it’s becoming a national hub for innovation, entrepreneurship, and technology. Two powerhouse events: the third annual RALLY, organized by Elevate Ventures, and the inaugural Bolt Conference, hosted by gener8tor, brought together founders, investors, corporate leaders, and innovators from across the globe to turn big ideas into real-world impact.

Technology works best when it connects people, and these events showed exactly what that looks like in action.

RALLY: Global Innovation with Local Impact

Held annually in Indianapolis and organized by Elevate Ventures, RALLY is a global cross-sector innovation conference built to forge industry connections and celebrate new ideas. With its focus on collaboration, investment, and community, RALLY has quickly become a cornerstone of Indiana’s innovation ecosystem.

Key features of this year’s event included:

• Keynotes and Content Sessions: Thought-provoking talks and discussions from entrepreneurship, science, and industry leaders, including Shark Tank’s Kevin O’Leary, AKA AI Wonderful.
• Innovation Studios: Focused tracks in AgTech, Healthcare, SportsTech, Software, HardTech, and Entrepreneurship, giving attendees a front-row seat to sector-specific trends.
• Creative Collisions: One-on-one investor meetups designed to turn introductions into opportunities.
• The $5M IN-Prize Pitch Competition: A high-stakes competition offering up to $1 million per studio winner, attracting top startups and investors to Indiana.

RALLY isn’t just a conference, it’s a catalyst. The week was full of conversations that sparked new ideas, partnerships that took shape on the spot, and a shared commitment to strengthening Indiana’s role in the global innovation economy.

Bolt Conference: Fast-Paced, Founder-Focused

Immediately following RALLY, the Bolt Conference 2025 kept the energy high with a two-day start-up-focused format built for results. Hosted by gener8tor and supported by the Indiana Economic Development Corporation (IEDC), the conference focused on one thing: creating real opportunities for growth.

Bolt traded long panels for lightning rounds, “Hot Takes”, and one-on-one investor meetings that helped startups and corporate leaders connect quickly and meaningfully.

Some standout moments included:

• Tony Wilkins on founder-investor relationships: a reminder that commitment and empathy drive great partnerships.
• Jeannette Renshaw sharing a startup sales playbook rooted in intentional, consistent action, not chance.
• Devin Bhushan discussing innovation in manufacturing and how AI is transforming traditional industries.

Bolt proved that innovation doesn’t just come from big ideas; it comes from well-designed connections and shared momentum.

Why Events Like RALLY and Bolt Matter

Both RALLY and Bolt demonstrated the power of bringing different parts of the innovation ecosystem together: founders and funders, corporations and startups, local leaders and global players. This convergence is exactly what fuels scalable solutions and lasting impact.

Participating in these events isn’t just about networking; it’s about showing up for Indiana’s innovators. Innovation doesn’t happen in isolation. We’re committed to helping ideas take shape, technologies scale, and partnerships grow. Every spark of innovation deserves a clear path forward.

From Inspiration to Action

The conversations that start at conferences like RALLY and Bolt are just the beginning. Turning ideas into scalable solutions takes clarity, creativity, and the right partners.

That’s where we come in. We help startups and growing companies move from inspiration to implementation to accelerate what’s next.

Ready to bring your next big idea to life? Let’s talk about how strategy, technology, and experience can move it forward.