Muncie Innovation Connector, Inc.

What Muncie Innovation Connector, Inc. does

Muncie Innovation Connector, Inc. operates the Capstone Connector program, a university-community collaboration established in 2018 that connects organizations in the Muncie, Indiana area with Ball State University Computer Science capstone student teams for custom software development. The program is industry-agnostic and accepts projects spanning full-stack applications, libraries, mobile applications, web applications, and other custom software, with partners free to specify their preferred technology stack. Leadership comprises Huseyin Ergin, PhD (Director of Capstone Connector) and Ted Baker (Executive Director of Innovation Connector, the parent organization). The program is structured around a recurring annual cadence: community partners propose projects via email, the Director evaluates and assigns student teams, and teams meet at least monthly with partners, delivering running software at each meeting. Intellectual property is respected and project continuity support is provided after student graduation.

The operating model is donation-based rather than commercial. Partners receive software development at no billed cost and are asked to donate to cover student team expenses (meeting costs, travel), software licensing, cloud costs, and monthly rewards for top student projects. The customer base spans companies, startups, non-profits, faculty members, and individuals in the Muncie region who lack budget or desire to hire professional developers, including named partners Betterflye (MVP development) and Full Court Analytics (custom software build). Over five years of operation the program has served more than 10 community partners, completed more than 25 projects, and involved more than 200 students, with a stated "Brain Retain" initiative to keep local talent in Muncie and create fast-hire pathways for partner organizations.

Marketing and distribution are low-cost: an informational website, Ball State University faculty and student networks, email outreach, and partner testimonials. Geographic scope is limited to the Muncie region in the Midwest USA, and the program is currently scoped to Computer Science students, with the source material explicitly noting "for now only Computer Science," indicating potential expansion to other disciplines.

Name

Muncie Innovation Connector, Inc.

Legal name

Capstone Connector

Website

https://capstoneconnector.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2018

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Muncie Innovation Connector, Inc. operates Capstone Connector, a 2018-established university-community collaboration pairing Ball State University Computer Science capstone teams with Muncie-area partners for free custom software development, supported by voluntary partner donations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Muncie

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Donations from Community Partners: Accepted projects have no development cost billed to partners. However, partners are asked to donate amounts to cover student team expenses (meeting costs, travel), software licensing, and cloud costs. Donations also fund student rewards for best monthly projects. This is a donation-based model rather than a fee-for-service commercial model.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Capstone Connector is an industry-agnostic program that connects local community partners (companies, startups, non-profits, faculty, and individuals) with Ball State University Computer Science capstone student teams to build custom software solutions. Partners propose projects, the director assigns student teams, and the teams deliver running software through monthly iteration meetings. No development cost is billed; partners are asked to donate to cover student expenses, software licensing, and cloud costs.

Product overview

Muncie Innovation Connector, Inc. operates Capstone Connector as its primary offering — a single program that connects community partners (companies, startups, non-profits, faculty, or individuals) with Ball State University Computer Science capstone student teams to develop custom software solutions. The program facilitates real-world software development projects where students apply theoretical knowledge while partners receive usable software products. Capstone Connector manages project solicitation, team assignment, monthly meetings, iterative development, and intellectual property considerations. No other distinct products, modules, or services are offered.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Capstone Connector A university-community collaboration program that assigns Ball State University Computer Science student capstone teams to local community partners (companies, startups, non-profits, faculty, and individuals) to build custom software solutions. Projects include full-stack applications, mobile applications, web applications, libraries, and other custom software development. No development cost is billed; partners are asked to donate to cover student expenses, software licensing, and cloud costs. The program spans a full academic year with monthly iteration meetings.

Quantifiable outcome

• >200 students trained over 5 years with real-world experience
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Innovation ConnectorcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInnovation Connector is the parent organization under which Capstone Connector operates. Capstone Connector is described as an industry-agnostic center under Innovation Connector, connecting the program to broader innovation ecosystem resources and support.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves4 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Market position

Strengths4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/innovation-connector-inc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Muncie Innovation Connector, Inc.