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Carroll County hopes to bring innovation center to Delphi

CARROLL COUNTY, Ind. (WLFI) — Leaders in Carroll County hope an old building in downtown Delphi can transform into a hub for innovation.

The change would all be possible with the help from a grant through the Wabash Heartland Innovation Network or WHIN. Essentially, WHIN’s goal is to help small communities prosper.

Delphi Community High School senior Jonas Brown is excited about the possibility. 

“I had a lot of pushback, I have a learning disability. People said I can’t do anything.”

Now Brown has successfully pitched his drone business to a room full of people.

“If I hadn’t met Neil, I wouldn’t be doing what I’m doing now,” said Brown. 

“It’s a missing piece of Carroll County and communities across America,” said Neil Mylet. 

Mylet is a Carroll County farmer and entrepreneur whose passion is to help kids like Brown.

“You don’t have exposure to people who are starting technology companies or who are filing for patents, you’re not going to be at the same level of opportunity as someone from Carmel or Indianapolis,” said Mylet. 

Mylet is among several other community leaders working to bring an innovation center to downtown Delphi. County Council president Josh Plue is on board too. 

“Carroll County would be down to 17,000 residents by the year 2050 if we didn’t do anything and this among many other efforts that we are working on is directly focused on giving people opportunities that they are seeking in other communities,” said Plue. 

The center would be located in the heart of downtown on Washington Street. It will offer a space for young people to learn things like how to start a business or how to code.

Mylet knows it will offer much more than that. 

“Helping inspire them, giving them just that confidence to go out there and that they are just as capable as someone from a big city.”