IU Ventures

IU alumnus Evan Burns is Co-Founder & CEO of State Affairs, an AI-powered intelligence platform that has raised $70M to expand its mission of helping institutions navigate the policy and regulatory economy. Prior to founding State Affairs, Evan co-founded The Long Drink Company in 2018, which was acquired by The Mark Anthony Group (maker of White Claw) in April 2026. Hear how he navigated not getting into Kelley, how to build a beverage brand or CPG company, how to leverage AI while keeping the human element, how to raise money for your startup, and his favorite entrepreneurship lessons from fellow founders. Learn...

IU alumnus Tom Ruff is the Founder & CEO of Orange Bike Brewing Company, a Certified B Corporation®, member of 1% for the Planet, and award-winning gluten-free craft brewery in Portland, Maine. Backed by the Maine Venture Fund, the State of Maine, and IU Ventures, Orange Bike has grown into a nationally recognized social enterprise now entering its fourth stage of growth, recently launching the nation's first and only dedicated non-alcoholic, gluten-free craft beer program. Hear about his dad's time as an IU professor, how to start a business with personal ties, how to create strategic partnerships for your business, how t...

IU alumnus Shayne Veramallay is a seasoned executive with a comprehensive background of alternative investments spanning private placements, venture capital, startup operations, and impact investing. His current endeavor, CARBON, focuses on capital solutions for modular infrastructure systems and services encompassing The Vital FEW (Food, Energy, Water) in the commercial, municipal, and residential built environments. Hear about his dad's time as a professor at IU East, how Shayne became interested in the energy space, his thoughts on the future of data centers, the projects he's most excited about, and the Bloomington pizza place he still craves. Learn more about Shayne...

IU alumna Abby Nawrocki is the Founder & CEO of Stock, a marketplace that helps brands and 3PLs seamlessly move excess & returned inventory to vetted nonprofits. With a background leading U.S. distribution for global brands like ZARA, Apple, SKIMS, and Deliverr (acquired by Shopify for $2.3B), she has deep expertise in supply chain & logistics at scale. Hear what blew her away when she first visited IU, what she learned about supply chain during her trip to China, her approach to managing a warehouse right out of college, the importance of networking & relationships in your career, and how she's building...

IU alumnus Daniel Caridi is the Co-Founder & CEO of Kibu, a modern EHR and engagement platform purpose-built for intellectual and developmental disability (IDD) service providers. He is a 2026 Forbes 30 Under 30 honoree in Social Impact and a graduate of Indiana University's Kelley School of Business. Hear what drew him to IU from Connecticut, how Kibu is drastically changing the game for IDD service providers, how to persevere throughout the fundraising process, his best advice for aspiring founders, and a little bit of Mike Tyson. Learn more about Daniel at Kibu.com and on LinkedIn, and learn more about IU Ventures...

IU Indy alum Anna Dorris is the Founder & CEO of Everewear, an AI-powered shopping platform that helps people find the secondhand clothes they love in minutes instead of hours. She's also the Entrepreneurship Program Manager at IU Innovates Indianapolis, where she helps the next generation of entrepreneurs connect with the funding & mentorship resources necessary for them to succeed. Hear how she became the Indiana Honey Queen, what stands out from her time at IU Indy, how to pivot your business, the pros & cons of working in fast fashion, and the value IU Innovates Indianapolis brings to Hoosier Nation. Learn...

IU alum, lifelong IU fan, and Indiana native Connor Hitchcock founded Homefield in 2018 alongside his wife and co-founder Christa out of their Broad Ripple basement. What began as a passion project to create thoughtful collegiate apparel has grown into a premium collegiate apparel brand, with over 180 university licenses and distribution through 100+ retail locations. Today, the 30 members of the Homefield team operate out of their facility in Speedway, as they work to become the world's most thoughtful collegiate apparel brand. Hear the IU football moment that inspired him to start Homefield, why he would not exist without Kirkwood Avenue, how...

Stephen H. Simon is a Co-Owner and the Alternate Governor for the Indiana Pacers. He is also the Founder of Simon Equity Partners, LLC and has been a Managing Member since January 2007. From February 1997 to December 2006, Mr. Simon served as President & Chief Executive Officer of Melvin Simon & Associates, Inc., a privately held real estate and investment company. Hear his stories celebrating IU championships over the years, lessons from his career in investing, how to build a great culture as a leader, what separates leaders who scale their business, and his all-time favorite bands to see at The Bluebird. Learn...

Jennifer Holmes is CEO of PrecisionCare AI, a Boomerang Ventures portfolio company. She brings 30 years of senior executive experience in the medical device and MedTech sector. Hear her experience at the Peach Bowl, her career in figure skating, how PrecisionCare AI is differentiating in the MedTech industry, their top use cases, and why you need a Plan B & Plan C. Learn more about Jennifer at PrecisionCare-AI.com and on LinkedIn, and learn more about IU Ventures at IUVentures.com. This podcast is presented by Kelley Direct Programs. Learn more at Kelley.IU.edu

Richard DiMarchi is a Distinguished Professor of Chemistry and Gill Chair in Biomolecular Sciences at Indiana University. He's a member of the National Academy of Medicine and the National Inventors Hall of Fame, and is a former Group Vice President at Eli Lilly and later at Novo Nordisk. He's co-inventor on more than 100 U.S. patents, co-author to more than 250 peer-reviewed scientific publications, was identified as a top 5 translation researcher by Nature Biotechnology, and has co-founded 8 successful biotech companies since 2003. Hear what he loves about Bloomington, how to transition from the lab to the boardroom, what's next for GLP-1...

Paul Caine is the President of premium experiential hospitality leader On Location, part of TKO Group Holdings (NYSE: TKO). In this role, Paul oversees a diverse and global portfolio of consumer experiences, hospitality, and brand partnerships. He previously served as Global Chief Revenue Officer (CRO) of Bloomberg Media, as Chief Executive Officer of Westwood One, and in numerous roles at Time Inc. over a span of 23 years, including Publisher of People, Entertainment Weekly, Executive Vice President, CRO, and Group President. Hear how Breaking Away inspired him to attend Indiana University, how On Location provides the most incredible live experiences...

Benton Miller is the Founder & CEO of RetrievAir, an innovative public charter operator focused on improving the pet travel experience. His vision is to create air travel that prioritizes pets, offering safe, comfortable, and convenient flights for both pets and their owners. Hear how his Kelley Direct Online MBA experience shaped the trajectory of his company, how he navigates the complicated worlds of airports & pets, how to differentiate your offering, the behind-the-scenes of his appearance on Shark Tank, and the number of flights he's taken to ensure RetrievAir is a pleasant experience for humans & pets. Learn more about Benton...

Indiana Women's Volleyball Head Coach Steve Aird is in his 8th year in Bloomington. Aird signed a contract extension through the 2029 season on January 1, 2024 after guiding the Hoosiers to one of the best years in program history. A 2-time NCAA Champion as an assistant coach at Penn State, Aird is an elite recruiter and has brought new energy into the Indiana Women's Volleyball program. Hear how he's built an incredible home-court advantage, how he takes a business approach to coaching, how to differentiate your business or program, how to best allocate resources, and how to be both the coach...

Darius Willis is the Founder & CEO of ScoutSync, a sports-tech company transforming global athletic scouting & recruitment. A former Indiana University football standout and Under Armour High School All-American from Indianapolis, he attended NFL camp with the New York Jets before playing and coaching internationally for over a decade. Hear his favorite on-field & off-the-field memories from IU, how the ScoutSync platform works, the top lessons he's learned as a founder, the growing presence of Indianapolis as a sports-tech hub, and his experience starting a business in Switzerland. Learn more about Darius at ScoutSync.com and on LinkedIn, and learn more...

Anthony Leal, a former Indiana University basketball player and MBA in Finance from the Kelley School of Business, co-founded Motion. Motion is a tech platform designed to streamline communication, scheduling, and management for coaches, athletes, and athletic departments in college athletics. Hear his biggest pinch me moment playing basketball for the Hoosiers, the Entrepreneurship course that inspired Motion, how to keep the voice of the customer in mind, lessons from basketball that apply to entrepreneurship, and what the future of college sports will look like. Learn more about Anthony at MotionSports.io and on LinkedIn, and learn more about...

Rachel Zhao is Principal at PayPal Ventures, where she's tapping into her passion for helping tech companies & founders. Previously, she had been focusing on growth-stage Enterprise and Fintech investment. She's interested in infrastructure, cyber, privacy, SMB & Vertical SaaS, and ecommerce enablement. Hear her love for the jazz concerts at IU, how she pivoted her career to more closely align with her interests, the fascinating world of cybersecurity, how PayPal Ventures surrounds founders with support, and the Kelley class it's most important to pay attention in. Learn more about Rachel at PayPal.VC and on LinkedIn, and learn more about...

Neil Powell has almost 35 years of corporate finance experience in the banking and high-tech industries. He is currently the Director of Finance, Cloud and AI Supply Chain at Microsoft and has served as the VP of Finance and Corporate Controller at Lattice Semiconductor, as well as numerous roles at Intel, including Senior Director at Intel Capital's venture capital fund and as the CFO of Intel Japan. Neil spent 5 years teaching finance at Indiana University, where he also earned his MBA. Hear what business & life lessons you can learn from running marathons, what the future of supply chain will look...

Kenzie Weston Mucci is a member of the investment team at Takeda Digital Ventures, focused on virtual-first care and PharmaTech investments. Previously, she worked in strategy on the Digital Health Sciences team within Takeda's Data Sciences Institute. Prior to her time at Takeda, she managed the Beiwe digital health platform at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and worked in the Health and Public Service Operating Group at Accenture. Hear how she got engaged at IU, the top trends in digital health, how AI will change healthcare, what to look for in a founder as an...

Drushya Musham is a senior at Indiana University, triple majoring in Management, Entrepreneurship, and International Business, and serves as a client manager for IU Innovates' Sparklab Incubator program. She is the Founder & CEO of Taptic, an app enhancing accessibility for Deaf individuals by transforming audio alerts into tactile and visual notifications, and NiCE: Name on Rice, a micro-art jewelry business specializing in personalized designs. Hear her thoughts as graduation nears, how to develop your startup & entrepreneurship mindset, how to find a problem & solution to build a business around, how to build your confidence as an entrepreneur, and one of...

Amy Brown is the Founder & CEO of Authenticx, the conversational intelligence platform that analyzes and activates customers' voices at scale to reveal transformational opportunities in healthcare. She built her career as a rising executive in the healthcare industry, during which time she advocated for underserved populations, led and mobilized teams to expand healthcare coverage to thousands of Indiana residents, and learned the nuance of corporate operations. Hear why IU is in her blood, how to launch your own startup, how to develop your leadership style, the proprietary AI (Artificial Intelligence) that drives Authenticx, and the band her brother was...

IU alum Emily Atkinson, PhD is an analytical thinker with deep technical expertise and a well-connected figure in the life sciences community and the startup ecosystem. She joined BioCrossroads as the Senior Director of Innovation in July of 2024, where she runs initiatives to advance innovations in Indiana's life sciences sector. Prior to joining BioCrossroads, she served as a venture analyst for IU Ventures, where she focused on strategic investments towards promising life sciences and B2B SaaS companies. Hear why her dream of being a physical therapist didn't come true, what she discovered working with mice, how to transition...

Mike Farah is a producer of film & television. A 3-time Emmy winner, select credits include Weird: The Al Yankovic Story, @fter Midnight with Taylor Tomlinson, Between Two Ferns with Zach Galifianakis, Billy on the Street, Drunk History, and American Vandal. Mike recently embarked on a new phase of his career as an independent producer after leaving Funny Or Die, where he started as its first producer in 2008, later rising to CEO. Hear what drew him from Ann Arbor to Bloomington, how he got his start producing, what Will Ferrell & Zach Galifianakis are like in person, how to bring joy...

David Krane is the CEO & Managing Partner at GV (Google Ventures - Google's venture capital fund) and balances his time between directing GV's global activities & leading investments. His portfolio includes Uber, StockX, Mill, NOTHING, Nest, Bored Ape Yacht Club, and Blue Bottle Coffee. His Google career began nearly 25 years ago, where he helped grow the company from a small startup to a multi-billion dollar global enterprise. Hear the most important pitch of his life, what the early days of Google were like as employee 84, the moment he knew Google would be a massive success, how he decides what companies...

Julie Heath serves as Executive Director of IU Innovates, a new initiative that advances entrepreneurship at Indiana University. She co-chairs the Ecosystem Building Leadership Network (EBLN), a fiscally sponsored project of Community Initiatives, catalyzed by a series of initiatives funded by the Kauffman Foundation. Hear about her upbringing in a family of public servants, her memories from working at the Smithsonian, the magic that comes from bringing entrepreneurs together, the story behind IU Innovates, and the role of the Von Lee in supporting IU entrepreneurs. Learn more about Julie on LinkedIn and learn more about IU Ventures at IUVentures...

IU alum Dan Hanrahan is the Founder of Neighbor Serve, which helps Indy neighbors care for their homes by finding vetted, local-owned contractors. An experienced entrepreneur in tech, marketing, and the trades, Dan also founded and co-owns Haulstr (home services), Sigstr (marketing tech acquired by Terminus), and iGoDigital (ecommerce tech acquired by ExactTarget/Salesforce). Hear how his showdown with Antwaan Randle El went at the HPER, his favorite part of launching startups, the most valuable skill set for a startup founder, how to keep going when times are tough, and the Bloomington restaurant he misses the most. Learn more...

IU student Matt Gacek is a first-generation entrepreneur and a rising senior at the Luddy School of Informatics, Computing, and Engineering at Indiana University. As a sophomore, Matt created Theia, an AI-driven therapy and personal growth app designed to encourage more men and marginalized groups to seek mental health and self-care treatment. Hear the perks of being a digital nomad in Bali, his journey building and selling Theia, how to prepare for an exit, how to turn rejection inside out, and the best pizza and ice cream in Bloomington. Learn more about Matt on LinkedIn, and learn more about I...

Vince Wong brings significant valuable multinational and startup company experience to BioCrossroads, a catalyst for Indiana's diverse and growing life sciences industry. Before becoming CEO, he was most recently Chief Commercial Officer at Geneoscopy, a venture-backed start-up company focused on developing gastrointestinal diagnostics. Hear his experience in Bloomington for law school, what he learned from his gap year in China, how to grow a startup in a highly-regulated environment, what the life sciences ecosystem looks like today and in the future, and how we can further support Indiana University as a leader in life sciences. Learn more about Vince o...

Megan Caldwell recently helped sell Elevate Security to Mimecast. Previous to the sale, Megan spent 5 years at Elevate Security, leading at different times the customer, sales, and operations teams. Hear her memories racing in the Little 500, stories of famous phishing scams, lessons from leading multiple exits, how to develop an exit strategy, and her secret spot to hang out on campus. Learn more about Megan on LinkedIn, ElevateSecurity.com, and Mimecast.com, and learn more about IU Ventures at IUVentures.com. This podcast is presented by Kelley Direct Online MBA. Learn more at Kelley.IU.edu

Jean Ross, RN is the Co-Founder and CEO of Primary Record, an app designed to provide families with a secure platform to organize, collaborate, and share health data. As a second-degree nurse, Jean's career began in critical care before she expanded her focus to the community - driven by her passion for supporting older adults and family caregivers. Hear her unlikely path to IU, how to focus on families with your business, how to build a business with a business partner, how to iterate your pitch deck along the way, and Jean's memories on the court at HPER. Learn...

Thomason "Tommy" Chan is a Serial Entrepreneur and the CEO of ACwise. He's been at the forefront of innovation in FoodTech, online marketplace, FinTech, and sustainability, and has over 15 years of experience building and scaling startups in Asia. Hear how he got his first number at Nick's, how ACwise is leading accessible sustainability, how to keep your entrepreneurial spirit as a founder, why it's so important to fail, and the funding environment in Singapore. Learn more about Tommy on LinkedIn and at ACwise.com, and learn more about IU Ventures at IUVentures.com. This podcast is presented by Kelley D...

Max Yoder is the Co-Founder and Former CEO of Lessonly, which was acquired by Seismic in 2021. He's the Author of Do Better Work, an Amazon #1 Bestseller about communication and teamwork. Hear why he initially thought he got rejected by IU, how to find mentors and gain support from others, the pivot that shaped the trajectory of Lessonly, how to show your humanity as an entrepreneur, and how his book helped him and his business. Learn more about Max on LinkedIn, check out his book on Amazon, and learn more about IU Ventures at IUVentures.com. This podcast is presented...

Brian DeKemper is an Enterprise Account Executive in AWS's Higher Education practice, helping research universities develop strategies for leveraging cloud computing. He's spent the last 20 years working in different parts of the education technology (EdTech) market segment, including his start as employee #35 at ANGEL Learning (acquired by Blackboard). Hear his memories coming to IU football games as a kid, his favorite classes at IU, what happens when you get acquired by a competitor, his favorite projects to work on at AWS, and his top resources for entrepreneurs. Learn more about Brian on LinkedIn, and learn more about IU Ventures...

Grace Hahn is Senior Associate at Edison Partners who has spent her entire career at the intersection of financial services and technology. At Edison, Grace focuses on evaluating and executing investments in Software, Fintech, and Healthcare IT, as well as new investment origination and existing portfolio company support. Hear whether AI is at an inflection point, how to position your company for investment, the value of your network and a strong support system, Grace's experience marching in the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, and her go-to order at The Chocolate Moose. Learn more about Grace on LinkedIn and at EdisonPartners.c...

Jim Fielding is a respected retail and media industry veteran whose expertise combines storytelling, product innovation, merchandising, and consumer experiences. He currently serves as a Partner at Archer Gray, an independent media company, and President of its Co-Lab Division. Hear his favorite memories from Disney, Dreamworks, Twentieth Century Fox, and Claire's, his leadership philosophy, career-shaping meetings with Steve Jobs, the importance of knowing the team you invest in, and the top lessons from his book, All Pride, No Ego. Learn more about Jim on LinkedIn, check out his book on Amazon, and learn more about IU Ventures at IUVentures.c...

Kim Saxton is a Clinical Professor of Marketing and Todd Saxton is an Associate Professor of Strategy and Entrepreneurship - both at the Kelley School of Business. They've advised and helped launch hundreds of startups and also worked with large corporations and medium-sized businesses. Hear why research is like entrepreneurship, the entrepreneurial resources available in Bloomington and to IU alumni, why fundraising for your startup is such a challenge, how to build a vibrant startup community, and the best reason to start a business. Learn more about Kim and Todd at Kelley.IU.edu and learn more about IU...

Brennan Woodruff is the Co-Founder and Chief Business Officer of GoCharlie.AI, your new AI marketing assistant. After a decade working in finance, Brennan was drawn to the power of generative AI to allow entrepreneurs, brands, and businesses tell their stories in new ways through top quality marketing content. Hear the game-winning moment that sold him on attending IU, the potential of AI in marketing and beyond, aspects of AI we should be concerned about, the most mind-blowing elements of AI, and his favorite item at Jiffy Treet. Learn more about Brennan at GoCharlie.AI and on LinkedIn and...

Haley Zollo is a Partner at Starting Line, an early stage consumer focused fund based in Chicago. Prior to her transition to the VC (Venture Capital) side of things, Haley spent a majority of her career scaling retail startups and leading strategy, data analytics, and business operations at Trunk Club (acquired by Nordstrom) and Mac & Mia (acquired by Stitch Fix). Hear how to get into the VC world, raise your first fund, Starting Line's investment strategy, the current landscape for women in the VC world, and Haley's favorite concert she saw at IU. Learn more about Haley at StartingLine...

Jori Davis is the Founder & CEO of WEVOLV, an all-in-one sports management app revolutionizing the athlete's journey through a unique data strategy. She's one of the most distinguished basketball players in Indiana University history and recently completed her 12th season as a professional basketball player. Hear her favorite memories on and off the court at IU, the moment she got drafted to the WNBA, how playing and living in different countries across the globe improves your business skills, what career athletes can learn from each other, and her favorite spots in Bloomington. Learn more about Jori at WEVOLV.net...

Jake Miller is a highly experienced and accomplished technologist who is the Founder & CEO of The Engineered Innovation Group. Hear how his time at IUPUI shaped his career, the impact AI (Artificial Intelligence) will have on the future of business, how to create a company that celebrates diversity, creativity, and insatiable curiosity, how to take projects from idea through commercialization, and his excitement for the future of Indianapolis and IU Indy. Learn more about Jake at EngineeredInnovationGroup.com and on LinkedIn and learn more about IU Ventures at IUVentures.com. This podcast is presented by Kelley Direct Online MBA...

Justin Delaney is a serial entrepreneur and Managing Partner at Wabi Capital who has grown companies explosively fast with notable exits, including Menguin and Buff City Soap. Hear his favorite memories from Bloomington, how his time getting his Kelley MBA transformed his life, his investors Scott Dorsey and Mark Cuban, fun stories about his friend and partner George Zimmer of Men's Wearhouse, and his best advice for aspiring IU entrepreneurs. Connect with Justin on LinkedIn and learn more about IU Ventures at IUVentures.com. This podcast is presented by Kelley Direct Online MBA. Learn more at Kelley.IU.edu<...