Tech Companies Adding High-Wage Jobs in Central Indiana

Indy Chamber News Archives

Virginia-based Innolance picks Fishers for first Midwest Office; Women-Owned Matchbook Creative expanding, renovating Old Northside building

INDIANAPOLIS (March 23, 2016) – Two technology companies announced plans today to expand their operations in Central Indiana, creating more than 50 new high-wage jobs over the next few years and continuing a trend of tech growth in the Hoosier state.

“Indiana’s tech industry is on the move, and the nation is taking notice,” said Jim Schellinger, president of the Indiana Economic Development Corporation. “The Indianapolis area was recently ranked second in the nation for tech grads and fifth in the nation for women in technology. Today’s news from Innolance and Matchbook Creative further solidifies our prominence as a leader in technology, and we’re proud that these innovators and entrepreneurs continue to choose Indiana for growth and high-paying job creation.”

Innolance, a Sterling, Virginia-based tech company, will invest $301,700 to locate its first Midwest office in Fishers within the next three months. The mobile application developer is opening its new Indiana office in the co-working space Launch Fishers, which recently relocated to a new 52,000-square-foot facility. Innolance is experiencing a rapid growth of clients in the Midwest, along with an overall increase in demand for information technology services in the current market. With clients including National Geographic and Rosetta Stone, the company plans to base product design, development and maintenance operations in Fishers, in addition to its office in Virginia. 

“Our team is very grateful to the Indiana Economic Development Corporation (IEDC) for helping us make this expansion to Fishers possible," said Abhi VK, chief executive officer of Innolance. "With the incredible growth the state of Indiana has seen in technology over the past few years, we are excited to add Fishers as a strategic geography for the expansion of our company. We look forward to partnering with the city of Fishers as we establish a local presence here in the great Hoosier state."

Innolance employs more than 50 full-time associates at its offices in Virginia and plans to create up to 31 new jobs in Indiana by 2020. With its expanded team, the company will help its clients through the application development process including building wireframes, coding and quality assurance, as well as maintenance after applications have been released. Innolance is currently hiring developers, project managers and user experience design and user interface experts, with positions expected to pay an average wage nearly double the state average. Interested applicants can apply by sending a resume to [email protected], including the position sought in the subject line.

Matchbook Creative, a registered Women Business Enterprise, will invest $581,000 to expand its Indianapolis-based headquarters, renovating a new two-story building at 1317 N. Pennsylvania St. on the Old Northside. The new facility will more than double the strategic branding and advertising firm’s office space to 7,000 square feet, and will also include 5,000 square feet of rental space for commercial tenants. The new layout will include open areas to advance collaboration and creativity, a photography studio, an area dedicated to sound and music, and a fitness room to encourage employee health and wellness.

“Our success is only as strong as the success of our clients, and this partnership with the state will help provide the support we need to retain and recruit the top talent in our industry to better serve our current and future partners,"  said Donna Gray, chief executive officer and president of Matchbook Creative. "We love being able to contribute both value and employment opportunities in our community, and we hope to bring this previously vacant building to life and help attract new business to the Old Northside Neighborhood District."

Matchbook Creative employs 12 full-time associates in Indiana and plans to add 20 new jobs by 2019 to increase its strategic, creative and multimedia production offerings for clients across the country, which include Rev Racing, McGraw Hill, Indy Eleven and USA Track & Field. The company is currently hiring for account management, design, public relations and web positions as well as summer interns. New full-time positions will offer salaries above the state’s average wage. Interested applicants can apply online. 

Innolance and Matchbook Creative continue a trend of tech companies choosing to locate and expand their operations in the Hoosier state. According to TechPoint, Indiana’s technology initiative, Central Indiana added more than 5,000 new computer and technology jobs between 2009 and 2014, with positions paying an average annual salary of upwards of $75,000 a year. Tech jobs are growing in the region at a rate of 17 percent, which is more than double the growth rate of all occupations over the same period.

The Indiana Economic Development Corporation (IEDC) offered Innolance Inc. up to $415,000 in conditional tax credits grants based on the company’s job creation plans. In addition, the IEDC has offered Matchbook Creative Inc. up to $100,000 in conditional tax credits and up to $45,000 in training grants also based on its job creation plans. These incentives are performance-based, meaning until Hoosiers are hired, the company is not eligible to claim incentives. The city of Fishers supports Innolance’s project and the city of Indianapolis supports Matchbook Creative’s project at the request of Develop Indy, a business unit of the Indy Chamber. 

"We are thrilled to welcome Innolance to our city and to Launch Fishers. As a growing tech company, Innolance fits nicely into the culture of innovation and entrepreneurism that has become synonymous with Fishers," said Fishers Mayor Scott Fadness.

"Seeing women and minority owned businesses like Matchbook Creative thrive proves that Indianapolis is the best city in the nation to start a company. The work Matchbook Creative has done for clients across our community is a testament to the talent within the agency. Indianapolis looks forward to their continued growth,"said Maxine Russell, Indianapolis Office of Minority and Women Business Development Director.

In 2015, 59 technology companies worked with the state on plans to expand their businesses in Indiana. Those 59 companies plan to create 4,622 new tech jobs in Indiana within the next few years, which represents an 89 percent increase in planned tech jobs from 2014.

About Innolance

Innolance Inc. was formed by a group of enthusiastic and experienced professionals with a vision to create amazing products. Based in the Washington, DC area, Innolance focuses on delivering agile product development services for mobile and the web using the latest technologies. For more information: www.Innolance.com. 

About Matchbook Creative

Matchbook Creative is a strategic branding and advertising firm based in Indianapolis that offers a unique approach to marketing partnerships. Through Matchbook’s brand discovery process, we take the time to truly know a client’s vision and align our tactics and creative with that goal. This process allows a comprehensive understanding of who the client is and what they offer. Only until these things are realized, can effective strategy and results be delivered to the client. 

About IEDC

The Indiana Economic Development Corporation (IEDC) leads the state of Indiana’s economic development efforts, focusing on helping companies grow in and locate to the state. Governed by a 12-member board chaired by Governor Mike Pence, the IEDC manages many initiatives, including performance-based tax credits, workforce training grants, public infrastructure assistance and talent attraction and retention efforts. For more information about the IEDC, visit www.iedc.in.gov.

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Media Contacts: 

Teresa Becker (Innolance) – 317.730.6105 or [email protected]

Christy Gormal (Matchbook Creative) – 317.920.1200 or [email protected]

Abby Gras (IEDC) – 317.232.8845 or [email protected]