# Inside Conexus Indiana: The Industry Network Driving Manufacturing Tech and Talent | Ep. 46

- Show: [Lights Out](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/lights-out)
- Published: 2026-07-31
- Length: 52m
- Episode: 45
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/lights-out/2026-07-31-inside-conexus-indiana-the-industry-network-driving-manufacturing-tech-and-talen
- Listen: https://8819970d-2c51-481c-b08a-4d2a806885b2.libsyn.com/inside-conexus-indiana-the-industry-network-driving-manufacturing-tech-and-talent-ep-46

## Summary

Bryce Carpenter, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating and Strategy Officer at Conexus Indiana, explains how this industry-led nonprofit facilitates collaboration among 126 manufacturing, logistics, academic, and public sector partners to drive workforce development and technology adoption. He details the evolution of the industry from viewing automation as an enemy to embracing it as a necessity, highlighting a specific case where automating hated palletizing jobs improved retention. The episode also covers the Manufacturing Readiness Grants program, which has supported over 700 small and midsize shops, and success stories like FiberX and Arcamed, illustrating how strategic peer learning and targeted investments accelerate growth.

## Chapters

- [0:00](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/lights-out/2026-07-31-inside-conexus-indiana-the-industry-network-driving-manufacturing-tech-and-talen#t=0) Introduction: Bryce Carpenter and Conexus Indiana
- [4:13](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/lights-out/2026-07-31-inside-conexus-indiana-the-industry-network-driving-manufacturing-tech-and-talen#t=253) Bryce's Background: From Politics to Manufacturing
- [7:54](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/lights-out/2026-07-31-inside-conexus-indiana-the-industry-network-driving-manufacturing-tech-and-talen#t=474) The Evolution of Automation and AI in Manufacturing
- [9:37](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/lights-out/2026-07-31-inside-conexus-indiana-the-industry-network-driving-manufacturing-tech-and-talen#t=577) COVID as a Catalyst for Digital Adoption
- [11:31](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/lights-out/2026-07-31-inside-conexus-indiana-the-industry-network-driving-manufacturing-tech-and-talen#t=691) Automating the Jobs Nobody Wants: The Palletizing Story
- [14:09](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/lights-out/2026-07-31-inside-conexus-indiana-the-industry-network-driving-manufacturing-tech-and-talen#t=849) The Origin and Structure of Conexus Indiana
- [16:42](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/lights-out/2026-07-31-inside-conexus-indiana-the-industry-network-driving-manufacturing-tech-and-talen#t=1002) Manufacturing Readiness Grants and Shop Success Stories
- [22:43](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/lights-out/2026-07-31-inside-conexus-indiana-the-industry-network-driving-manufacturing-tech-and-talen#t=1363) FiberX and Arcamed: Scaling Through Grants and Tech
- [29:07](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/lights-out/2026-07-31-inside-conexus-indiana-the-industry-network-driving-manufacturing-tech-and-talen#t=1747) Addressing Skeptics: Why Conexus Isn't a Plaque Factory
- [34:41](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/lights-out/2026-07-31-inside-conexus-indiana-the-industry-network-driving-manufacturing-tech-and-talen#t=2081) Lessons from Boston Scientific and Arcamed's Tiger Teams

## Topics

- [Manufacturing partners & offshoring](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/manufacturing-partners)
- [Scaling production](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/scaling-production)
- [Hiring & workforce](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/hiring-and-workforce)
- [Design for manufacturing & NPI](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/design-for-manufacturing)
- [Leadership, teams & culture](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/leadership-and-culture)

## Most relevant to

established companies

## Mentioned

- Conexus Indiana (company)
- FiberX (company)
- Arcamed (company)
- Boston Scientific (company)
- MSP (company)
- Aegis CNC (company)
- Lilly Endowment (company)
- Belden (company)
- Cummins (company)
- Eli Lilly (company)
- BioCrossroads (company)
- IMTS (other)
- SBA (other)
- NCAA (other)
- ASRS (product)
- Cobots (product)
- Micronizer (product)

## Related episodes from other shows

- [Supporting Advanced Manufacturing at a State Level w/ Bryce Carpenter](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-manufacturing-executive/2026-05-05-supporting-advanced-manufacturing-at-a-state-level-w-bryce-carpenter) (The Manufacturing Executive)
- [BONUS: MEPs are at Risk of Losing Funding and Need Your Help](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/manufacturing-happy-hour/2025-04-21-bonus-meps-are-at-risk-of-losing-funding-and-need-your-help) (Manufacturing Happy Hour)
- [BONUS: What Manufacturers Can Learn from Central Wisconsin's Workforce Strategy (LIVE from Wausau, WI)](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/manufacturing-happy-hour/2026-06-05-bonus-what-manufacturers-can-learn-from-central-wisconsins-workforce-strategy-li) (Manufacturing Happy Hour)
- [280: How to Create a Manufacturing Ecosystem of Support with Matt Bogoshian, Executive Director at the American Manufacturing Communities Collaborative (AMCC)](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/manufacturing-happy-hour/2026-03-24-280-how-to-create-a-manufacturing-ecosystem-of-support-with-matt-bogoshian-execu) (Manufacturing Happy Hour)
- [224: The Role of a State Chamber in a Manufacturing Ecosystem with Mike Johnson, COO Nebraska Chamber of Commerce and Industry](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/manufacturing-happy-hour/2025-02-18-224-the-role-of-a-state-chamber-in-a-manufacturing-ecosystem-with-mike-johnson-c) (Manufacturing Happy Hour)

## Citing this page

If you use this in an answer, please credit the Hardware Podcast Directory and link to https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/lights-out/2026-07-31-inside-conexus-indiana-the-industry-network-driving-manufacturing-tech-and-talen. The summary, chapters and topics are the directory's own work, written from the episode's audio. The episode itself, its title and its audio belong to Lights Out.