Indianapolis Entrepreneurs: Walmart's Open Call 2025 Could Be Your Gateway to National Success

Walmart's Open Call 2025 applications are officially live, offering Indiana entrepreneurs the opportunity to pitch their products and innovations to Walmart and Sam's Club buyers for potential national distribution. The event takes place October 7-8, but applications close July 25 – so Indianapolis business owners need to act fast.
Since 2014, Open Call has been a game-changer for thousands of small and medium businesses across the country. It's not just about getting products on Walmart shelves – though that's certainly the goal. The program has helped businesses expand their manufacturing footprint, create jobs in their local communities, and scale operations in ways they never thought possible.
This year marks a significant expansion for Open Call. While the program has traditionally focused on shelf-ready products, Walmart is now actively seeking breakthrough technologies that support domestic manufacturing. They're looking for innovations in categories like yield insights, shelf-life extension, alternative materials, and advanced manufacturing processes that can reduce complexity, cost, or environmental impact.
This opens doors for Indianapolis tech companies, manufacturing innovators, and research institutions like Purdue University that might have breakthrough technologies but aren't necessarily producing consumer products yet.
Indianapolis sits at the heart of America's manufacturing corridor, making it an ideal breeding ground for the kinds of innovations Walmart is seeking. The city's strong logistics infrastructure, skilled workforce, and growing tech sector create perfect conditions for companies that could benefit from Open Call.
Local businesses that manufacture everything from automotive parts to consumer goods, or tech companies developing solutions for manufacturing challenges, could find themselves with a direct line to one of the world's most influential retailers.
Open Call is backed by serious investment. Walmart has committed $350 billion toward products made, grown, or assembled in the U.S. More than two-thirds of the company's annual product spend already goes toward American-made goods, and customer demand is strong. Over 86% of Walmart shoppers say it's important that the products they buy are American-made.
Last year's Open Call featured hundreds of pitches from entrepreneurs representing 48 states, with many walking away with distribution deals that changed their businesses forever.

How to Apply

The application process is straightforward but competitive. Indianapolis entrepreneurs can submit their applications through Walmart's online form, with separate tracks for product-based businesses and manufacturing innovation companies.
Key dates to remember:

• Applications close: July 25, 2025
• Event dates: October 7-8, 2025

A select group of companies will be invited to participate in the in-person Open Call experience, where they'll have the chance to pitch directly to Walmart and Sam's Club buyers.
For Indianapolis entrepreneurs with American-made products or breakthrough manufacturing innovations and applications closing in just a few months, now is the time to prepare pitches, gather materials, and take a shot at joining the thousands of businesses that have already benefited from this program.
Whether you're manufacturing consumer goods in a Fishers warehouse, developing cutting-edge technology at a downtown startup, or creating innovative products in your home workshop, Open Call could be the platform that takes your American-made idea to the next level.