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INDIANAPOLIS (July 20, 2017) – Mimir, a developer of an education technology platform for computer science classrooms, announced plans today to expand its operations in Indiana to support the growth of its software that is now used at more than 80 universities worldwide.
“Innovators that get their start in Indiana have a way of growing in Indiana,” said Jim Schellinger, Indiana Secretary of Commerce. “With its connections in Silicon Valley, Mimir could easily have landed in another major tech hub, but Indiana provides exactly what companies need to innovate and create new jobs – a business-friendly environment, a growing tech sector and a skilled workforce supported by world-class universities. We look forward to seeing Mimir continue to grow right here at home.”
The company’s flagship product, Mimir Classroom, was developed while its founders were students at Purdue University. In 2015, they took their newly-developed software platform, which automates computer science grading and checks for plagiarism, and turned it into a business while participating in Y-Combinator, a Silicon Valley startup accelerator. They then moved their new company back to Indiana, locating in The Anvil coworking space in West Lafayette before growing into their new office in Market Tower last month.
“The Midwest is a perfect place to scale a startup like Mimir,” said Prahasith Veluvolu, chief executive officer of Mimir. “Indianapolis remains one of the most affordable cities in the nation and continues to evolve into a tech hub. That’s translating to additional funding opportunities from investors and more robust employee pools for companies like ours.”
The company, which moved into Market Tower in downtown Indianapolis in June, will expand its 3,200-square-foot office in the building later this summer to cover 4,500 square feet. With its expanded space, Mimir will have room for its quickly-growing team.
Mimir employs 14 full-time Hoosiers and is currently hiring for sales and engineering positions, with plans to expand its team to 20 employees by the end of the summer and to create up to 102 new, high-wage jobs by 2021. These positions are expected to pay an average wage that is nearly 50 percent higher than the state average wage. Interested applicants may apply online at www.mimirhq.com/careers.
In addition to automating the grading of computer science classwork, Mimir Classroom helps instructors analyze classroom performance and determine students’ strengths and weaknesses. With the platform, students will soon have the option to have their computer coding strengths matched to companies looking to recruit future employees with similar skills. By the end of 2017, Mimir plans to launch an additional software platform that companies can use during the interview process to evaluate prospective employees’ computer science skills.
The Indiana Economic Development Corporation offered Mimir Corporation up to $1,000,000 in conditional tax credits and up to $200,000 in training grants based on the company’s job creation plans. These incentives are performance based, meaning until Hoosiers are hired, the company is not eligible to claim incentives. The city of Indianapolis supports the project in partnership with Develop Indy, a business unit of the Indy Chamber.
“The city of Indianapolis is proud to partner with Mimir as they seek to employ even more Indianapolis residents and further advance our growing tech community,” Indianapolis Mayor Joe Hogsett said. “Their plan to create 102 new, high-wage positions is great news for Indianapolis, and a testament to the incredible local talent that our business and tech leaders continue to foster.”
Earlier this summer, commercial real estate firm Cushman & Wakefield named Indianapolis one of 25 Tech Cities to Watch in its new Tech Cities 1.0 study. The new ranking complements Indiana’s continued momentum in the technology sector, with CBRE’s annual Tech Thirty Report showing that Indianapolis’ tech job growth ranks fifth in the nation. Today, tech jobs in central Indiana are growing at a rate of nearly 30 percent.
About Mimir
Mimir is a tech company located in Indianapolis, Ind., with a cloud-based platform that empowers instructors to efficiently teach computer science of any scale. Mimir Classroom, the company’s core product, is an automation tool for computer science and programming courses that has been deployed in more than 80 universities. The company’s goals are to reduce grading times and plagiarism for educators teaching computer sciences while pairing students with internships and jobs that align with their unique skills. For more information about Mimir or services offered call (317) 449-3517 or visit www.mimirhq.com.
About IEDC
The Indiana Economic Development Corporation (IEDC) leads the state of Indiana’s economic development efforts, helping businesses launch, grow and locate in the state. Governed by a 15-member board chaired by Governor Eric J. Holcomb, the IEDC manages many initiatives, including performance-based tax credits, workforce training grants, innovation and entrepreneurship resources, public infrastructure assistance, and talent attraction and retention efforts. For more information about the IEDC, visit www.iedc.in.gov.
