IU Ventures

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Jun 2026

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About the show

Inside the 750,000-strong Indiana University alumni community is the IU Founders and Funders Network, a world-class startup community with IU "DNA." Each month, hear Hoosier founders and funders share the problems they're solving, advice for aspiring IU innovators, and most importantly, hard-hitting questions like Mother Bear's or Pizza Express? Little 500 or Homecoming? Sample Gates or Showalter Foundation? Hosted by Jon Barada, VP - Engagement at IU Ventures, and presented by nationally ranked Kelley Direct Programs. Go Hoosiers!

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36 recent

June 9, 2026Episode 3644 min

Anna Dorris, IU Indy BS '22 – Founder & CEO, Everewear

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 more about Anna at Indianapolis.IU.edu 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

April 30, 2026Episode 3554 min

Connor Hitchcock, BS '16 – Co-Founder & CEO, Homefield

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 to scale your startup at a sustainable level, the value of Hoosier pride in the IU Angel Network & beyond, and how customer expectations have changed in the last 10 years. Learn more about Connor at HomefieldApparel.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

April 1, 2026Episode 3445 min

Steve Simon, BGS '89 – Co-Owner, Indiana Pacers & Founder, Simon Equity Partners

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 more about Steve at NBA.com/Pacers, SimonEquity.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

March 2, 2026Episode 3348 min

Jennifer Holmes, BS '84 – CEO, PrecisionCare AI

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

February 2, 2026Episode 321 hr 2 min

Dr. Richard DiMarchi, PhD '79 – Distinguished Professor of Chemistry & Gill Chair in Biomolecular Sciences, Indiana University

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-1s, the thing that motivates him the most, and the most incredible healthcare innovations we've seen in the last 25 years. Learn more about Richard at Indiana.edu 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

December 17, 2025Episode 3153 min

Paul Caine, BA '86 – President, On Location

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 possible, why experiences have become more valuable than physical things, how to rebound from failure, and the open practice he got to watch with Coach Bob Knight and the 1984 Olympic Team. Learn more about Paul at OnLocationExp.com and 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

November 21, 2025Episode 3045 min

Benton Miller, MBA '23 – Founder & CEO, RetrievAir

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 at RetrievAir.com and 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

October 22, 2025Episode 2951 min

Steve Aird – Head Coach, IU Women's Volleyball

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 AND the GM. Learn more about Coach Aird at IUHoosiers.com and 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

September 10, 2025Episode 2838 min

Darius Willis, BS '12 – Founder & CEO, ScoutSync

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 about IU Ventures at IUVentures.com. This podcast is presented by Kelley Direct Online MBA. Learn more at Kelley.IU.edu

August 20, 2025Episode 2742 min

Anthony Leal, MBA '25 BS '23 – Co-Founder, Motion

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 IU Ventures at IUVentures.com. This podcast is presented by Kelley Direct Online MBA. Learn more at Kelley.IU.edu