12 May IU Angel Network Invests in Supply Chain Platform Tackling Billions in Retail Waste
INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. – The IU Angel Network, an investment vehicle of IU Ventures, today announced an investment in Stock, a supply chain technology platform founded by IU alumna Abby Nawrocki. Stock is challenging one of the most overlooked and costly inefficiencies in retail and logistics: excess inventory.
Each year, the U.S. imports approximately $7 trillion in retail inventory, yet nearly 30% of that inventory goes unsold. The result is a staggering buildup of excess goods across warehouses nationwide, creating financial strain for businesses and contributing to significant environmental waste.
For Nawrocki, this wasn’t just a statistic–it was a problem she encountered firsthand throughout her career. After graduating from the Kelley School of Business in 2015, Nawrocki built her career at the center of global logistics, holding leadership roles across DHL, Geodis, and Radial and running U.S. warehousing operations for Apple, Zara, Uniqlo, and SKIMS. She later helped scale Deliverr, a venture-backed fulfillment company that was ultimately acquired by Shopify for $2.3 billion.
Across each of these roles, one issue persisted: perfectly usable inventory sitting idle–taking up space, draining resources, and often ending up discarded.
“Excess inventory was a business problem both on my P&L and in my physical operations. Thousands of pallets of perfectly good inventory were blocking me from running optimized operations,” Nawrocki said. “I was looking for a faster way to move excess inventory in totality so I could get back to the business of warehousing and logistics. When there was no good solution, I set out to build it myself.”
Stock transforms excess inventory from a liability into an asset. The platform connects brands and third-party logistics providers (3PLs) with a nationwide network of nonprofits, enabling rapid donation of unsold goods. By combining a marketplace with embedded software for logistics providers, Stock simplifies what has historically been a complex, manual process–handling everything from nonprofit matching to transportation and tax documentation.
The impact is significant. Donation can generate up to 837% higher returns than traditional liquidation while clearing warehouse space in days instead of months. At the same time, it diverts usable goods from landfills and into communities that need them.
Since launching, Stock has demonstrated strong early traction. The company has onboarded dozens of supply-side customers, facilitated millions of dollars in inventory donations, and generated measurable return on investment for partners through reduced storage costs and tax incentives.
“We were drawn to both Abby’s deep understanding of supply chains and the broader opportunity to address inefficiencies that drive significant cost and waste,” said Olivia Schmitt-Metz, Executive Director of the IU Angel Network. “Stock sits at the intersection of operational need and sustainability, creating a clear path toward more efficient–and more responsible–supply chains.”
The IU Angel Network’s investment will support Stock’s continued growth as it expands its platform, scales its network of logistics and nonprofit partners, and accelerates adoption across the 3PL ecosystem.
“IU was my first exposure to the world of supply chain and logistics–I was immediately captivated after taking my first courses at Kelley,” Nawrocki said. “The IU Angel Network will be an integral part of scaling Stock into a foundational piece of any brand’s supply chain strategy and execution. The plan is that in five years, brands and operators are collectively asking, ‘How did we operate before Stock?’”
As supply chains continue to evolve and efficiency becomes increasingly critical, Stock is positioned to become a key layer in how inventory is managed, moved, and repurposed. With strong early momentum and a clear market need, Stock is focused on scaling its impact across the logistics ecosystem in the years ahead.
About IU Ventures
IU Ventures invests in and supports IU-affiliated early-stage companies. Its investment programs include the IU Philanthropic Venture Fund, the IU Angel Network, and the Innovate Indiana Fund. Further support initiatives include the IU Founders and Funders Network. Each program takes a unique approach to accelerate and support the positive impacts that entrepreneurs affiliated with IU already achieve across the world. http://www.iuventures.com/
About Stock
Stock is a supply chain technology platform that helps businesses efficiently manage and repurpose excess inventory. The company connects brands and third-party logistics providers (3PLs) with a nationwide network of nonprofits, enabling the rapid donation of unsold goods. By combining a marketplace with embedded software, Stock simplifies complex logistics processes–including nonprofit matching, transportation coordination, and tax documentation. Built on deep industry expertise, Stock transforms excess inventory from a costly burden into a financial and operational advantage while reducing waste at scale. https://www.stockitbetter.com/
Media Contacts
Abby Nawrocki
Stock
abby@stockitbetter.com
Olivia Schmitt-Metz
IU Ventures
oschmitt@iu.edu