Connor Hitchcock, co-founder and CEO of Homefield, a collegiate apparel company based in Indianapolis, attributes much of his company’s success to resources and support he received while attending Indiana University Bloomington (IU). Hitchcock, who graduated from the Kelley School of Business in 2016, started Homefield as a student by screen-printing shirts in his college apartment.
Hitchcock credits IU for playing a significant role in the growth of his business. “IU is for sure part of our brand story,” he said.
The university has built an expanding entrepreneurial network that supports students interested in starting their own businesses. Guidance comes from faculty members as well as resources like IU Ventures and IU Innovates. These initiatives not only prepare students to become business owners but also contribute to job creation and economic growth in Indiana. According to university data, IU graduates have generated about $7 billion in added annual income to the state’s economy, supporting approximately 92,655 jobs.
John Talbott, senior lecturer at the Kelley School of Business and an IU alumnus himself, was one of Hitchcock’s early mentors. “We’re not only a football school; we’re a retail school,” Talbott said. “Our retail program really facilitates entrepreneurship because it inspires a whole field of potential new retailers like Connor.”
Talbott introduced Hitchcock to several entrepreneurial resources such as the IU Angel Network—an IU Ventures program connecting investors with companies affiliated with the university—and The Mill, Bloomington’s nonprofit coworking and entrepreneurship center. Students also benefit from IU Innovates, which has supported 100 startup teams since its launch in 2023.
During his time at IU, Talbott advised Hitchcock to gain experience by working at One Click, a Greenwood-based ecommerce eyewear startup. While working there full time in digital marketing during fall 2016, Hitchcock continued screen-printing shirts each morning before work.
A pivotal moment came after the controversial ending of the 2016 Pinstripe Bowl football game involving IU. In response to fan reactions about a disputed field goal call, Hitchcock created and sold hundreds of “The kick was good” shirts within one day.
This success attracted investment from One Click’s CEO—who became Homefield’s first investor—as well as from Talbott and others. With assistance from IU’s Office of Corporate Sponsorships, Licensing and Trademarks, Hitchcock secured licensing to sell official IU apparel.
“There weren’t many brands out there that tried to make something specific or unique for universities, so our very first officially licensed shirt for IU was the bison print,” Hitchcock said. The bison had been the official mascot for Indiana University Bloomington between 1965 and 1969 before being reinstated in 2025. “We were the first brand since the ’60s or ’70s to print the bison on an IU shirt,” he added. “It’s still our bestseller to this day.”
Homefield now offers products for more than 200 universities nationwide. Earlier this fall, it opened its first brick-and-mortar store on Kirkwood Avenue in Bloomington—the same street where Hitchcock once sold shirts door-to-door as a student—in partnership with Ben Iler of Tracks vinyl record store.
“There are a handful of schools that have a beautiful campus, great academics and a thriving downtown, and IU pulls all those together,” said Hitchcock.
“IU is for sure part of our brand story.”
