IU Ventures

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Oct 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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41 recent

October 29, 2026Episode 4152 min

Evan Burns, BA '10 – Co-Founder, State Affairs & The Long Drink Company

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 more about Evan at StateAffairs.com , LongDrink.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

October 7, 2026Episode 4048 min

Tom Ruff, BS '89 – Founder & CEO, Orange Bike Brewing Company

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 to become a B Corp, and what to do when you doubt yourself as an entrepreneur. Learn more about Tom at OrangeBikeBrewing.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

August 29, 2026Episode 3949 min

Shayne Veramallay, BS '00 – Founder & CEO, CARBON

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 at Carbon.Holdings 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

July 31, 2026Episode 3848 min

Abby Nawrocki, BS '15 – Founder & CEO, Stock

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 her network of nonprofits. Learn more about Abby at StockItBetter.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

July 6, 2026Episode 3741 min

Daniel Caridi, BS '18 – Co-Founder & CEO, Kibu

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 at IUVentures.com . This podcast is presented by Kelley Direct Programs. Learn more at Kelley.IU.edu

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