IU Ventures

This is it. This is the excuse you've been waiting for to return to Bloomington. Bring your family and work in a kayak trip on Lake Monroe, a visit to the Eskenazi Museum of Art at Indiana University, explore The Mill and enjoy brunch at the Uptown Cafe. See you soon!

Congratulations to the team at Qumulex on the announcement of their acquisition by Synerion. https://lnkd.in/gYKASR2Z

Last Call! Join IU Ventures and the IU Alumni Association - Chicago Chapter for a Funder Fireside Chat with Jim Conti, Talent Partner at Hyde Park Venture Partners, and Pete Wilkins, Managing Partner at Hyde Park Angels, moderated by Caitlin Ursini, Investor at the IU Angel Network. Register: https://go.iu.edu/8qFa

This month Jon Barada welcomes IU alum David Krane, CEO and Managing Partner @ GV (Google Ventures), to the IU Ventures studios for the next installment in the IU Founders and Funders Network Fireside Chat series. David is the CEO & Managing Partner at GV (Google's venture capital fund), and balances his time between directing GV’s global activities and leading investments. His portfolio includes Uber, StockX, Mill, NOTHING, Nest, The Bored Ape Yacht Club and Blue Bottle Coffee. David’s Google career began nearly 25 years ago, where he helped grow the company from a small startup to a multi-billion dollar global enterprise.  David is a Young Presidents’ Organization (YPO) member and a long-time advisor to the Stanford Graduate School of Business. He received his Bachelor of Arts in journalism from Indiana University-Bloomington and has held board roles at MGM Studios (recently sold to Amazon) and the Dean’s advisory board for the Indiana University School of Informatics, Computing, and Engineering. He resides in Silicon Valley with his wife, three children, and their two labradoodles. Register: https://lnkd.in/gugJySB9 The IU Founders and Funders Network Fireside Chat series is presented by Kelley Direct Online MBA. Get started at kelley.iu.edu.

“The IU Angel Network allows me to combine my passion for startups, the next generation of companies, and IU all in the same place,” Ursini said. “I’ve been a part of startups for the last six years and have worked with some friends as they’ve built and grown their own companies. After working in startups and advising those starting their companies, I realized I wanted to get involved from a financial perspective.” The IU Angel Network, part of IU Ventures, facilitates connections between startup companies and prospective investors among Indiana University’s global community of alumni, faculty, staff, students and friends, to further Indiana University’s mission of fostering a pervasive entrepreneurial culture that contributes to the prosperity of the State of Indiana, the nation and the world. Read more: https://lnkd.in/eCvqkwwS

Strolling through Dunn Meadow...yes, please. All IU affiliated "founders and funders" - you are invited to the IU Founders and Funders Network Venture Summit on May 15-16, 2025. Save the Date May 15-16, 2025 IU Founders and Funders Network Venture Summit Bloomington, IN

See you there!

Congratulations to the team at VigiLife on this great partnership and award from Garmin. Vigilife is a portfolio company of the IU Angel Network. If you are interested in learning more about high growth companies with IU affiliated founders please reach out: https://lnkd.in/ddhspA3

Olivia Schmitt-Metz, MPA, MBA had no intention of going into venture capital when she was a student at IU’s O'Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs —her goal was to make healthcare more accessible and affordable. But an internship with a business accelerator that helped companies solve unmet needs in the healthcare and life science industries piqued her interest in entrepreneurship—and took her career in a different direction. “I saw firsthand how the right funding could make or break a startup,” said Schmitt-Metz. “Venture capital, in particular, plays a huge role in giving companies the runway they need to turn innovative ideas into real-world solutions. That’s part of what drew me into the VC side—seeing the transformative impact funding can have on startups and wanting to be part of that process.” Today, Schmitt-Metz is the newest senior analyst for IU Ventures, Indiana University’s early stage venture and angel investment arm. In this role she conducts due diligence on prospective investments, manages portfolio company relationships, and supports IU Angel Network growth and management. Read more: https://lnkd.in/gxTt_9EC

Grab lunch and join Jon Barada and Julie Heath for this month's IU Founders and Funders Network Fireside Chat. Go Hoosiers! Register: https://lnkd.in/e5FRiEEW The IU Founders and Funders Network Fireside Chat series is brought to you by Kelley Direct Online MBA. Get started at iu.kelley.edu