IU Innovates: Indiana University

The Hub for IU Entrepreneurs

IU Innovates advances student entrepreneurs from any campus, school, or major.

Launched in Fall 2023, IU Innovates is a university-wide initiative to advance Indiana University entrepreneurs through startup incubation hubs, sponsorship of entrepreneurship resources, and impact storytelling.

Core to IU’s strategic plan 2030 pillars of student success, transformative research and creativity, and service to the state and beyond, IU Innovates ensures entrepreneurs know where to start, and continually access the right resource at the right time.

Startup Incubation

IU Bloomington: Von Lee Entrepreneurship Center

At our Entrepreneurship Center in the heart of Bloomington, Indiana — 517 E Kirkwood Avenue on floors 2 & 3 — we aim to create a startup community built on helping each other. We understand starting a business can seem like a monstrous task but with the:

Support of other founders
Mentors
Navigation to the right resource at the right time
and lots of coffee

... we make that next step in the journey easier.

Student Startup Showcase 2026

The IU Innovates Student Startup Showcase is where IU's next generation of entrepreneurs take the stage, showcasing bold ideas being built across Indiana University. It is where founders, funders and a community of Hoosiers come together to connect, support and help each other grow.

Check out the showcase

We encourage all founders and aspiring entrepreneurs to apply to be part of the incubator.

Apply Now

IU Innovates at other campuses

IU Indianapolis

The IU Indianapolis startup hub launched in March 2026 at Hine Hall, offering weekly founder groups, the JagStart Pitch Competition, Pitch Preparations, co-working space, and bootcamp programs to students. Please contact Anna Dorris, IU Indianapolis Entrepreneurship Program Manager, for more information.

IU Northwest

Jana Szostek leads entrepreneurship programming through IU Innovates initiatives, including weekly founder groups and office hours in Dunes Hall facilitated by Student Community Managers Noah and Kayla. Programming culminated in a May 2026 showcase featuring seven student entrepreneurs, alongside Business Bootcamp programming, Founder-in-Residence mentorship, and student participation in national entrepreneurship events.

IU East

The Center of Entrepreneurship leads entrepreneurship programming on campus, including student storytelling initiatives featuring regional founders, a mobile podcast studio, and the BOSS Talks speaker series, with students also participating in the Global Entrepreneurship Congress. Please contact Dr. LaCalvince (Cal) Simpson for more information.

IU Kokomo

The Key Innovation Center leads entrepreneurship engagement on campus, including the IU Innovates Plan. Build. Execute. Workshop, hosted in Spring 2026 with 18 student participants. Students have ongoing access to entrepreneurship support through campus lead Alan Krabbenhoft, with continued efforts to strengthen connections among students, alumni, faculty, and regional business leaders.

IU South Bend

The Center for Innovation & Entrepreneurship leads entrepreneurship programming on campus, including Student Hustle Hangouts, the Entrepreneurship Certificate Program, networking events, and pitch competitions, expanding experiential entrepreneurship education to reach more than 60 students. The inaugural IU Innovates South Bend Pitch Competition featured five student ventures competing for cash prizes. Please contact Modupe Adeoye, Director of the Center for Innovation & Entrepreneurship, for more information.

IU Southeast

Entrepreneurship programming on campus focuses on innovation, the creative economy, and regional ecosystem development, including the Next Big Thing Pitch Competition and the Creative Economy Summit, connecting students with entrepreneurs, makers, artists, and business leaders. An Entrepreneurship & Innovation Center is set to launch in the library in Fall 2026, creating a dedicated hub for student entrepreneurs and innovators. Please contact Dr. Aycan Kara & Uric Dufrene, for more information.

Who We Are

We take an entrepreneurship ecosystem approach. This means we account for all entrepreneurs and those who support them. We build on strengths, highlight impact, and connect people to each other. The foundation of our activities is a culture of helping each other.

About Us

Telling the Stories of IU Entrepreneurs

Entrepreneurship 2026

Entrepreneurship 2025

Entrepreneurship 2024

Sharayu Deo • SHAPE GREEN

“Shape Green provides a youth environmental education lesson plan that includes supplemental activities for teachers to use in the classroom.

I am aiding the growing necessity for interactive youth environmental education as well as teachers not having enough time to make the lesson plans themselves.” —Sharayu Deo

Nabeel Rabie • SCENT SEAL

“Scent Seal is a patent-pending fragrance applicator that makes any scent last longer and be more noticeable. We solve the problem of fragrance fading too quickly, preventing consumers from overspraying and wasting fragrance.” —Nabeel Rabie

Being around like-minded, goal-oriented entrepreneurs encourages me to keep pursuing my startup.
Naomi Mekkonen, Creative Entrepreneur

Summer Intern Cohort

IU Innovates interns spent the summer building their businesses and startups while gaining hands-on experience. Along the way, they received personalized support and guidance across every area of entrepreneurship through IU Innovates.

Learn more about the Summer Intern Cohort

IU Innovates in the News

Kelley graduate pitches her phone accessory startup through IU summit

Jun 8, 2026

Aspen Villas was among several IU Innovates affiliates who presented businesses at the IU Founders and Funders Network Venture Summit.

IU Innovates expands in Indianapolis under guidance of JagStart alumna

Sep 29, 2025

After successfully launching a startup that began during her time as an IU Indianapolis student, Anna Dorris is now fostering the next generation of students at IU Indianapolis.

Sisters’ startup blends AI, music and visual arts using IU’s cutting-edge AI tools

Apr 17, 2026

Sisters Nikki and Kaitlin Pet are collaborating on a startup called PetsAloud, a venture that will expand creative possibilities for musicians by blending artificial intelligence, music and visual arts.

Help Us Grow

IU Innovates advances IU’s commitment to strengthening the spirit, mindset, and skill set of entrepreneurship.

Gifts to this fund provide broad, flexible support for IU Innovates: a university-wide initiative that expands support for IU’s aspiring entrepreneurs. Students, faculty, and staff who wish to start companies, commercialize innovation, and/or explore entrepreneurship activities can turn to IU Innovates to access the programs, people, departments, and resources that will help them create and grow their startup ventures.

Give now