Powderkeg Launches Indianapolis Tech Profile

Matt Hunckler is the founder and CEO of Powderkeg. (IIB Photo)

Indianapolis-based tech networking platform Powderkeg has launched a tool designed to bring more national attention to the Indianapolis tech scene.  Powderkeg says the Indianapolis Tech Profile has a particular focus on tech workers outside of Indiana who are looking elsewhere to advance their careers. Powderkeg Chief Executive Officer Matt Hunckler says now more than ever, people are looking to areas in the middle of the country such as Indianapolis to move into the tech space.

In an interview with Inside INdiana Business, Hunckler said Indy has become a target for tech professionals looking to move.

“With everything kind of moving remote from a virtual job standpoint and with the expense of more traditional tech hubs like Silicon Valley and New York City, cities like Indianapolis who have a long track record of growth in the tech industry have become a lot more attractive to people outside of that area,” said Hunckler.

Hunckler says additionally, other industries are being disrupted and people who have been furloughed or laid off may be looking for opportunities in the tech industry, but don’t have a place to go to plug into a tech community to find those opportunities.

Powderkeg says the Indianapolis Tech Profile features an overview of the Indy tech community, what it’s like to work in tech in Indianapolis, what it’s like to live in the Indianapolis area, as well as career opportunities in the sector.

Hunckler says the tech profile is a natural extension of initiatives it had already undertaken.

“One thing that we were doing, even pre-pandemic, was helping match people to tech jobs that they love. And of course, we had the launch of our culture profiles and our tech directory showing the various company cultures in tech in the state of Indiana. We’ve since kind of grown that to now thousands of companies where people can plug in and learn more about the tech companies. But what we were hearing from more and more people coming into our talent network is that they wanted to better understand the landscape.”

The tech profile features various sections, including specific industries such as health tech, marketing tech, or nonprofit tech, as well as company profiles or educational opportunities. 

“A lot of it is really treating it as a hub and the spokes are some Powderkeg resources, but the majority of it is other things that already exist in Indy,” says Hunckler. “Whether that’s TechPoint and their job board or it’s High Alpha and their investment portfolio on their website, really what we’re trying to do here is…raise the profile of Indy tech.”

Hunckler says the ultimate goal is to create similar tech profiles in other markets such as Cincinnati, Nashville, Denver or Raleigh-Durham. 

Powderkeg says several local companies and organizations are partnering on the Indianapolis Tech Profile, including the Indy Partnership, Ginovus, and the Indiana University Kelley School of Business.

You can connect to the Indianapolis Tech Profile by clicking here.