More than 700 people signed up for the 2026 IDEA Week, which featured 30 speakers and workshop leaders.
“A highlight of IDEA Week 2026 was the connections and what those connections make possible,” said Liz Folkerts, marketing and communications director at the South Bend – Elkhart Regional Partnership. “Entrepreneurship can be a lonely road. Seeing people from across our region come together reinforced that when we build relationships, we unlock real economic momentum and shared opportunity.”
From April 20-24, participants explored ideas, skills and connections during workshops, keynote addresses and hands-on learning.
The week included several new features. Events on April 21 were hosted by Elkhart County. The RV Hall of Fame in Elkhart was the site of a session focused on manufacturing, and the Midwest Museum of American Art in Elkhart was the site of the Creative Economy Summit.
The week culminated at The City is a Stage – A Singer-Songwriter pub crawl April 24 in downtown South Bend.
Speakers included:
- Kate Biberdorf, professor for the public understanding of science at the University of Notre Dame, also known as Kate the Chemist
- Priscilla Loomis, on air host, 106.3 Coast Country WKOE
- Christopher Day, CEO of Elevate Ventures
- Brian Schutt, direct of the Indiana Office of Entrepreneurship and Innovation
- Aprille Ericsson, a NASA aerospace engineer
Find a full list of speakers and event information here.
