14 Feb Mark Schindel, experienced medical and life-sciences entrepreneur, joins IU Ventures’ Executive in Residence Program
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Feb. 14, 2022
INDIANAPOLIS — BLOOMINGTON, Ind. — As co-founder of Warsaw, Ind.-based medical device company Owl Manor Medical LLC and a more-than-20-year industry veteran, Mark Schindel has already made major contributions to the growth of Indiana’s life sciences economy.
Now he’s hoping to translate his experiences helping to grow some of the world’s largest medical and life sciences companies into further strengthening Indiana’s entrepreneurial ecosystem. The Hoosier native is the newest member of the inaugural Executive in Residence Program at IU Ventures, Indiana University’s start-up investment arm providing financial and other support to early-stage companies with strong IU affiliations. Schindel will further bolster an initiative designed to accelerate the development of new IU ventures by providing insights and real-world experience to the founders and leaders of companies in IU Ventures’ portfolio.
“We are happy to welcome Mark Schindel to the EIR program,” said Teri Willey, managing director of IU Ventures and fund manager for the IU Philanthropic Venture Fund and the Innovate Indiana Fund. “His breadth and depth of experience in conceptualizing, developing, commercializing and managing new ventures across the globe — and in working across various key innovation sectors — will make him an important addition to our group. We have no doubt he will make an immediate impact in accelerating the growth of our portfolio companies and helping us evaluate high-potential ideas and innovations.”
Mark Schindel, Executive in Residence – IU Ventures
Schindel adds another highly experienced and successful leader to IU Ventures’ EIR program, which is different from other programs of its kind. Because of the unique skill sets and experiences of its members, it is focused on both supporting its portfolio company founders as well as working directly with the organization’s staff to evaluate new investment opportunities.
From 2015 to 2021, Schindel served as co-founder, CEO and board member for Owl Manor Medical, an animal health biologics and medical device company dedicated to joint and soft tissue preservation of companion animals (primarily horses and dogs). Owl Manor established a successful U.S. and international business enterprise with operations in North America, Europe and the Middle East. Its portfolio was acquired in June 2021 by Zoetis Inc., the world’s leading animal health company with a $6.7 billion annual revenue and product sales in 100 countries.
Schindel’s experience spans domestic and international marketing, sales, business development, strategic planning and project management across start-up, early-stage and established corporate environments. His specialty is evaluating, initiating, managing and growing new business ventures and opportunities from inception through exit.
He has worked for several of Indiana’s and the world’s leading life sciences, biotech and medical device companies, including Roche, Biomet, Zimmer, Tornier (now Stryker) and Vanderbilt Tech Transfer. He has also led multiple new product development and commercialization efforts across the globe in such industries as surgical robotics and software, surgical implants and biologic technologies.
He received a bachelor’s degree from Purdue University and a Master of Business Administration degree from Vanderbilt University.
After the acquisition of Owl Manor Medical by Zoetis, Schindel is now looking to “give back through his experiences.” He hopes to mentor and help other entrepreneurs through his knowledge of the medical device, therapeutic and life sciences industries, his experience working across the global marketplace, and his network of connections. As a “Hoosier born here who came back here,” he also wants to continue the impact he has had on building Indiana’s innovation economy, and he is excited for the potential for IU Ventures’ inaugural EIR program.
“In exiting Owl Manor Medical, I wasn’t ready to jump into the next venture right away. I wasn’t done, but I was excited for the opportunity to take time to explore and look at ways I could help strengthen Indiana’s entrepreneurial ecosystem,” Schindel said. “There’s tremendous opportunity for our state to expand that ecosystem with everything that’s happening in the medical device, ag and biotech space, with all of the new software innovations, and with so much research coming out of our universities, including Indiana University and Purdue University, specifically.
“By leveraging various entrepreneurial and professional experiences, the IU Ventures EIR team can provide encouragement, support, perspective and examples to help budding entrepreneurs succeed. No one person will have every answer — rather it’s the benefit of having a network of people who support new entrepreneurs and who will work proactively to help and advocate for them.”
Read an earlier IU press release about the launch and inaugural class of the EIR program.
About IU Ventures
IU Ventures invests in and supports IU-affiliated early-stage companies. Its investment programs include the IU Philanthropic Venture Fund, IU Angel Network, Shoebox Fund and Innovate Indiana Fund. It further supports IU founders through the Executive in Residence Program and IU Founders and Funders Network. Student support is provided through a variety of engagements, including the new IU Venture Fellows Program. Each program takes unique approaches to accelerate and support the positive impacts that entrepreneurs affiliated with IU already achieve across the world. IU Ventures is a recognized leader in increasing opportunities for diverse and historically underserved entrepreneurs and investing in Indiana startups with a shared commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion.
Contact:
Ryan Piurek
IU Ventures
812-855-5393
rpiurek@iu.edu