By Ikenna Asomba
(FISHERS, IND.) – On December 4, 2017, the City of Fishers, in Hamilton County, the United States, announced a record year for economic development with 2,185 new jobs and $64.5 million in capital investment committed by firms in 2017.
The announcement in a statement on the city’s official website, culminates with several Fishers-based companies announcing growth plans in the tech and engineering industries, creating 511 new jobs through 2021.
“The type of economic growth we’re seeing in Fishers is the result of the intentional vision to make Fishers a smart, vibrant, and entrepreneurial community,” said Fishers Mayor Scott Fadness.
“To see the numbers of homegrown and Fishers-based companies being celebrated today shows that the momentum of initiatives such as Launch Fishers and the upcoming Fishers IoT Lab are critical to the future of entrepreneurship and economic growth for our city. These companies announced today come alongside the more than dozen companies whose growth we celebrated this year.”
In 2017, most new job growth came from Fishers-based or Fishers-grown companies, pointing to the success of the city’s open and supportive business climate. The total average wage for all new jobs announced in 2017 exceeds the county average at nearly $66,000.
The “entrepreneurial spirit” of Fishers was identified as one of the top reasons for the community to be named the #1 place to live in America by Money Magazine in 2017.
Companies announcing growth plans today include:
Fishers-based Aggressively Organic, an ag tech company dedicated to ending food insecurity through innovative agriculture practices, announced its plans to add 200 net new jobs and $734,250 in capital investment by 2021. The IEDC has offered the company $2.5 million in conditional tax credits and up to $200,000 in training grants based on the firm’s job-creation plans. [KSM]
“As strategic design focused company, we see things in systems instead of silos and that includes where we are located and the community, support, and vision of the future beyond the words but the actions,” said Jonathan Partlow, CEO of Aggressively Organic.
“This company was born in the basement of a Library in Fishers in the space of possibilities created by Launch. Our mission is a large one and is bigger than ourselves. To end food insecurity in our lifetime it is not sufficient to simply create a product, it requires support from a community that is forward thinking and understands it is systems that are required from education, space, tools, and funding. That is key to creating new ways think about the problem. We have found that here. We were born in Fishers and it is home.”
Fishers-based BrainForest, a technology-based brain health and wellness firm, plans to add 185 new jobs and $7.4 million in capital investment by 2021. The IEDC has offered the company $1.8 million in tax credits and $100,000 in training grants based on the firm’s job creation plans.
“BrainForest Centers is a forward thinking, high-tech company utilizing the technologies of tomorrow today, to pinpoint and address the root cause of mental health conditions,” said Julie Cloud, president/CEO of BrainForest Centers. “We’re excited to be part of the Fishers community and continue to raise the bar in concussion detection and mitigation strategies!”
Clarke Solutions plans to expand its workforce by 60 net new employees and $440,000 in capital investment by 2020. The company will receive incentives from the Indiana Economic Development Corporation. Clarke Solutions specializes in engineering services for the life science, medical device, and food manufacturing industries. The IEDC has offered the company $575,000 in tax credits and $70,000 in training grants based on the firm’s job-creation plans.
“We are thrilled to be a part of the growth and development in Fishers,” said John Duffin, president and CEO. “It continues to be an excellent region to recruit top talent as we expand our national footprint and service thereof out of our premiere headquarters in Fishers.”
Complete Structural Consulting (CSC) plans to expand its workforce by 30 net new engineering positions along with $1.5 million in capital investment. CSC provides innovative engineering services to steel fabricators, general contractors, architects, and steel detailers around the country. The IEDC has offered the company $285,000 in tax credits and $75,000 in training grants based on the firm’s job-creation plans. CSC is currently looking for three additional structural engineers, one drafter, and as well as three engineers for summer internships.
“I am very encouraged by this partnership with the City of Fishers and for CSC’s future,” said Michael Roach, president and founder of CSC. “The vibrant Fishers community aligns perfectly with the company’s culture and growth strategies. We’re very excited to be part of this announcement today.”
Launch Fishers-based In Search of Technology, an IT firm that specializes in staffing, strategy, and mobile app development for business announced its plans to add 36 new jobs and $236,500 in capital investment. The IEDC has offered the company $472,000 in tax credits over 10 years and $50,000 in training grants based on the firm’s job-creation plans.
“As a fast-growing startup, it’s critical to our success to be surrounded by a supportive, business friendly environment that makes running our business as seamless as possible,” said ISOT founder Justin Bryant. “The entrepreneurial support here in Fishers combined with Central Indiana’s tech momentum, this is the ideal location for developing top talent for our clients.”
The Indiana Economic Development Corp. (IEDC) offered conditional tax credits based on the companies’ job creation plans. The incentives are performance-based, meaning until Hoosiers are hired, the company is not eligible to claim incentives. The City of Fishers supports the projects but did not provide additional incentives beyond the IEDC’s tax credits.
“We have seen tremendous momentum in economic development this year as companies across the state are committing to locate or grow their operations in Indiana,” said Indiana Secretary of Commerce Jim Schellinger. “Businesses both large and small are choosing to create jobs in Indiana because we have worked collaboratively with communities across the state like Fishers to build a pro-growth business environment. We look forward to watching companies like Aggressively Organic, BrainForest, Clarke Engineering, Complete Structural Consulting and In Search of Technology expand and find success here in the Hoosier state.”
About Fishers
The City of Fishers is a suburb of Indianapolis, Indiana, located in Hamilton County. Under the leadership of Mayor Scott Fadness, Fishers is known as a smart, vibrant, and entrepreneurial city through its neighborhood development, dedication to supporting high-growth companies, and innovative city processes. With a population of 86,459 (2016), Fishers is one of the fastest growing communities in Indiana and has received national accolades for entrepreneurship, livability, and safety.
