Hogsett: Indy Tech Secret No More

Indianapolis Mayor Joe Hogsett says recent major announcements from tech giants Salesforce and Infosys will mean more than jobs and investment for the Indy region. Hogsett believes it’s a coming of age for a city that has long flown under the technology radar screen. "I think in the span of one week, we’ve gone from the best kept secret to the tech capital of the Midwest," said Hogsett. "And I don’t think that is overstating it."

In an interview on Inside INdiana Business Television, Hogsett and Techpoint Chief Executive Officer Mike Langellier said workforce strategy will be key to maintaining momentum.

Tech companies have made announcements in recent weeks that could mean thousands of jobs and hundreds of millions of dollars in investment in Indianapolis. Among them:

• Salesforce christening the former Chase Tower in downtown Indy as Salesforce Tower. The San Francisco-based company has committed to adding 800 jobs to its Indianapolis workforce, which already tops 1,600. Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff also announced plans to train and help place 500 apprentices into the Hoosier tech economy;
• India-based Infosys selected One America Tower downtown as the initial location for its first U.S. tech and innovation hub. The investment includes a commitment to hire 2,000 workers in Indianapolis over five years;
• Woman-owned software company MyCOI, which earlier this year moved its headquarters to downtown Indianapolis, says it will expand and add 185 jobs over three years.

The news is getting around. On a recent trip to San Francisco, Techpoint CEO Mike Langellier was asked by a cabbie where he was from. "When I told him Indianapolis," he said "isn’t that where Salesforce just opened an office?"

Watch the full interview: