IU Innovates

On May 21st, the IU Innovates Student Startup Showcase took the stage at Henke Hall, Memorial Stadium — the home of IU's 2026 National Champions — and proved that championship culture lives beyond the field.

The Showcase, as part of the IU Ventures Founders and Funders Venture Summit, brought together 22 student founders, 7 accomplished alumni and panelists and a sold out room of 250+ Hoosiers! Here's a sneak peak for you 🙌

Watch the full showcase on YouTube (link in bio).🔴⚪️

Second Nature: Our Second Biannual Creative Entrepreneur Showcase

This semester at IU Creates, our ensemble of creative entrepreneurs has been bringing to life work across art, music, design, writing and more. Just like bees carrying pollen between flowers, during this beautiful Spring, our artists have been cross-pollinating ideas across disciplines and communities--from dorm rooms to classrooms, studios to coffee shops. Ideas have moved. Collaborations have deepened. Creations have sprung alive.

Join us to experience these projects firsthand. Meet the artists behind them. Become part of the ecology that brings it all to life.

Because creation is never solitary. It's always, already, about connection.

🐝 Thursday, April 30th | 12–2 PM
🐛 Von Lee Building, 517 E Kirkwood Ave
🌷 Free & open to all
🌱 Food provided

Hope to see you there! 🦋

Where conversations turn into connections 🤝

At IU Innovates, networking happens every day - students connecting with investors, mentors, and each other in moments just like these.

Real ideas. Real conversations. Real opportunities.

Moments like these are what Pitch Week is all about.

“The demo day was an incredible opportunity for me to present Tasting Notes to a wide variety of investors, professionals, entrepreneurs, and friends! It provided me with a chance to elevate my pitch and connect with businesses to further the development of my Tasting Notes venture.” - Lizzie

At IU Innovates, pitching goes beyond the stage - it’s about growth, connection, and the people who support you along the way.

This week and next, our student entrepreneurs are stepping into those same moments - refining their ideas, building confidence, and continuing to move forward.

It’s Pitch Week at IU Innovates 🎤

Our student founders are refining, practicing, and presenting their ideas all week long into next.

A few things you might not know:
• Most pitches are just 3–5 minutes - but take weeks to prepare
• Founders often iterate their idea 10+ times before demo day
• The best pitches aren’t perfect - they’re clear, confident, and evolving

Proud of the work happening inside the Von Lee - this is where ideas really start to take off.

Creative energy multiplies in the right room! 🎨🎶

IU Innovates’ Creative Incubator is a launchpad for artists and creative entrepreneurs - students, faculty, and staff with active creative practices who are ready to build in community. Grounded in accountability, sharing, and collective momentum, the incubator supports artists across disciplines and stages, whether you’re developing a new project, convening community through art, or beginning to imagine a sustainable creative practice.

🎁 2025 IU Innovates - Wrapped 🎁

As we wrap up 2025, we’re proud to reflect on an incredible year at IU Innovates and the momentum our student founders have built.

📊 By the numbers (Fall 2025):
209 IU student founders engaged
136 students in the Incubator
73 students in Explore Bootcamp
51 events hosted
11 expert guest speakers across industries
5,000+ minutes of collective feedback and mentorship
1,200+ slices of pizza fueling big ideas 🍕

From exploring entrepreneurship to building, testing, and earning from MVPs, IU students are turning ideas into real ventures and this is just the beginning.

Thank you to our founders, mentors, speakers, and partners who make this community thrive. If starting a business as a student is on your radar, let’s make it part of your 2026 Wrapped! 🤍❤️

In astronomy and photography, “first light” refers to the very first image captured by a new telescope or camera - the moment an instrument opens its eyes to the world. 🎨🎸

Please join IU Innovates in celebrating our inaugural cohort of incubated artists and creative entrepreneurs with an evening of live music and visual art. Eleven artists from across IU will share the work they’ve developed this semester over dinner, offering a glimpse into their creative practices.✨

Thursday, December 11th, 6–7:30 PM at the Von Lee.
No RSVP required - free and open to all.

What an incredible day celebrating innovation and impact at our first-ever IU Innovates Student Startup Demo Day!🌟💡

Last Friday, our community came together to celebrate innovation, collaboration, and student entrepreneurship at Indiana University. Our founders took the stage to share their ventures, ask for feedback, and connect with alumni and mentors passionate about helping the next generation of innovators grow.

A heartfelt thank you to President Pamela Whitten and Julie Heath for their incredible leadership and unwavering support of IU Innovates. Your vision continues to shape a thriving culture of entrepreneurship across IU.

We’re also deeply grateful to our panelists and mentors who shared their expertise, insight, and encouragement with our student founders: Aman Brar, Amy Brown, Gregg Summerville, Rainie Tian, Pete Wilkins, Marina Zannoli, Jimmy Zollo, and Ravi Bhatt. Your engagement and generosity make a lasting impact on our students’ entrepreneurial journeys.

And a huge congratulations to our student founders who presented their ventures and inspired us all with their creativity, grit, and purpose:
Kerry Ao, Lizzie Cooksey, Brian Rosen, Niousha Eslahchi, Eli Serrano, Jack Wax, Michael Heiger, Brie Dillman, and Isaiah “Izzy” Branam. These founders are tackling real-world challenges - from mental health and substance use disorder to financial literacy and civic trust - showing what it means to turn bold ideas into meaningful impact.

Demo Day is about progress, not perfection and the collaboration, energy, and determination in the room remind us exactly why innovation is at the heart of IU’s future.

Thank you to everyone who continues to support, mentor, and believe in IU student entrepreneurs. The future of innovation at Indiana University is bright - and this is just the beginning! ♥️