IU Ventures Announces 2026 Spirit of Venture Award and Mentor of the Year Award Winners

Both awards were bestowed at the 5th annual IU Founders & Funders Network Venture Summit, held May 21–22, 2026, in Bloomington, Indiana.

The Spirit of Venture Award, which is presented annually in partnership with Western Alliance Bank, celebrates the spirit of entrepreneurship and innovation across the entire IU community. The award is given to IU faculty, staff, alumni or student founders and funders, or friends of IU, who have exhibited success in promoting entrepreneurship and innovation, and demonstrated noteworthy philanthropy or service to IU.

The Mentor of the Year Award honors individuals who donate their time, expertise, and experience to mentor individuals who are part of IU-affiliated startups. The award is given to IU faculty, staff, alumni or student founders and funders, or friends of IU who help to shape the trajectory of an early-stage company by providing technical expertise, networking connections, thought partnership, friendship, and moral support.

“Richard DiMarchi’s contributions to science and to Indiana’s life sciences community speak for themselves. The work he has done at IU in the lab, in the classroom, and through the companies he has helped build is exactly what the Spirit of Venture Award is meant to celebrate. John Kittle has been one of the most consistent and dedicated members of the IU Angel Network since he joined. He brings real expertise and genuine commitment to every session, and the founders he works with are better for it. We are proud to recognize both of them,” said Tony Armstrong, president and CEO of IU Ventures.

Spirit of Venture Award Winner: Dr. Richard DiMarchi
Dr. Richard DiMarchi is a Distinguished Professor of Chemistry and the Gill Chair in Biomolecular Sciences at Indiana University. He is a member of the National Academy of Medicine and an inductee in the National Inventors Hall of Fame. During his tenure as Group Vice President at Eli Lilly and Company, DiMarchi was instrumental in the discovery and development of Humalog®, the world’s first rapid-acting insulin analog, along with rGlucagon® and Forteo®, the first drug approved to build new bone rather than simply slow its loss. He later held a senior leadership role at Novo Nordisk before returning to Indiana University, where he conducted some of the most consequential scientific work of his career.

His academic research has pioneered single-molecule treatments that act on multiple biological pathways simultaneously, shaping the scientific foundation for today’s breakthrough therapies for diabetes and obesity. DiMarchi holds more than 100 U.S. patents and has co-authored more than 250 peer-reviewed scientific publications. Nature Biotechnology identified him as one of the top five translational researchers in the world.

Since 2003, he has co-founded eight biotech companies from IU’s campus. DiMarchi has received numerous prestigious honors, including the Merrifield Award for career contributions in peptide sciences, the German National Erwin Schrödinger-Preis, the Alfred Burger Award in medicinal chemistry, and the 2023 AAAS Bhaumik Breakthrough Award for his transformative contributions to the treatment of obesity.

“IU Ventures played an essential role in launching my first startups more than twenty years ago — startups that have served as the foundation for a life sciences community that looks nothing like what we first imagined,” said DiMarchi. “What we have collectively accomplished locally has demonstrated what many thought only achievable on the east or west coast.”

Mentor of the Year Award Winner: John Kittle
John Kittle is a seasoned executive with more than 30 years of leadership in medical nutrition, pharmaceuticals, and over-the-counter products. He has built and led high-performing sales organizations, driving market expansion and revenue growth at companies including Kate Farms, where he was instrumental in quadrupling sales in under four years, Mead Johnson Nutrition, and Reckitt. Kittle holds an MBA from Indiana University’s Kelley School of Business.

Since joining the IU Angel Network, Kittle has never missed a pitch — a record that speaks to his commitment to this community. He brings rare depth to every session: identifying the assumptions founders haven’t yet stress-tested, asking questions that sharpen without discouraging, and modeling what thoughtful, engaged angel investing looks like for newer members still building their frameworks. Founders leave his sessions better prepared. So do the investors in the room.

“I’m deeply grateful for the Mentor of the Year recognition at this year’s Summit. My sincere thanks to Tony, Jon, and Olivia for building something truly special at IU Ventures and the IU Angel Network. And to the founders who trust me with their time, their ideas, and the remarkable businesses they’re building — know that you continue to impress me at every pitch session. As Steve Jobs once said, ‘the people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world are the ones who do.’ That’s exactly what I see across this amazing IU community.”

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 and its annual Venture Summit. 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/