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Visit Our Northwestern today!Zell Fellows
Our Zell Fellows Venture Further
Introduced during the 2013-14 academic year and funded by Sam Zell, the Zell Fellows Program at the Kellogg School of Management is designed to be a unique, applied entrepreneurial experience for a select number of MBA candidates interested in starting a new venture or acquiring an existing one.
Over the years, we have found that the most successful Fellows have had a few things in common. Zell Fellows are consistently known to possess the following traits:
Over the years, we have found that the most successful Fellows have had a few things in common. Zell Fellows are consistently known to possess the following traits:
- Drive and Urgency: Zell Fellows do not wait for things to come to them, they go out and make them happen. Rather than pushing things off or saying “I’ll get to that next week/month,” our Fellows push forward to achieve their goals.
- Humility and Collegiality: Zell Fellows are knowledgeable in their given domain, but more importantly, they know what they don’t know and understand that there is always more to learn. Being coachable and flexible is not only important for success in the program, but also for overall success as an entrepreneur
- Community-Oriented: Zell Fellows understand that what they can give is usually much more important than what they can get. They are generous with their knowledge and expertise and by doing so they receive the same generosity from their fellow students.
Program Highlights
All Fellows participating in the program, both the New Venture track as well as the Entrepreneurship Through Acquisition track, will benefit from the following:- Mentorship from track faculty, outside advisors and practitioners, sharing their experience as well as providing guidance on the practical aspects of launching or acquiring a business
- Experiences, including visits with Chicago-area entrepreneurs; leadership and executive presence workshops and private coaching; and both domestic and international treks to visit successful entrepreneurs, Zell Fellows alumni, and the other schools that are part of the Zell Global Entrepreneur Network
- Resources, both financial and from vetted service providers, to put towards their businesses and entrepreneurial journey
- Community, within their own Kellogg cohort, with other Kellogg Zell alumni, and with participants and alumni of the programs at other schools that are part of the Zell Global Entrepreneur Network
See below for information on the application process as well as a recorded info session and links to live Q&A sessions.
Read about the program as well as several recent Zell Fellow startups in this Poets & Quants article: Off the Launchpad: Kellogg’s Hottest MBA Startups.
New Venture Track
Students in the new venture track of the program will start their entrepreneurial journey as the founder of a new venture. The program provides resources specific to each founder’s industry and needs, whether that is a student aspiring to launch a business in the B2B or B2C space, a student needing help navigating the unique regulatory, research and development, intellectual property, and other challenges that healthcare startups face, a student needing support with starting a venture located in a developing economy or one with social impact, or a student needing any other type of specialized help.
Businesses that students are working on will be as market-ready and as fundable as possible by graduation, but ultimately, the program aims to provide entrepreneurs with the experiences, tools and frameworks that they can use to continue to grow as entrepreneurs throughout their careers.
2020-21 Cohort
Anastasia Evanich ’21 / The Adrenal Drink is a DTC wellness company on a mission to become the “Vital Proteins of Adrenal Fatigue” with an initial offering of a pre-packaged set of nutrients to revive healthy adrenal function and heal the root cause of fatigue.
Sam Jactel ’21 / Agora Health is a digital disease management platform that enables proactive, personalized care for patients with chronic GI conditions, aiming to improve disease outcomes while concurrently reducing healthcare costs.
Sara Jandeska ’22 / Blue Comet Medical Solutions is simplifying patients’ lives by eliminating the inefficiency and time spent seeking medical care for common illnesses with a flagship product of an over-the-counter, user-friendly home test for the diagnosis of strep throat.
Alyssa Marazzo ’21 / Ciclo is providing a predictable and curated shopping experience for secondhand clothing.
Emily Mohr ’21 / Nine Times Bakery is a DTC gluten-free, dairy-free baking company striving to bring all people together around food.
Sarita Patankar ’21 / HuddleMD is a digital remote patient monitoring platform for chronic conditions such as congestive heart failure.
Ben Preston ’21 / Gearflow is enabling construction equipment owners to run a more efficient fleet by streamlining the parts procurement process with the first one-stop shop parts marketplace.
Adam Turville ’21 / FinLit is a software platform that teaches the basics of personal finance through short animated videos, designed to guide first-time financial decision makers through basic principles.
Oliver Yiu ’21 / mySkin is Indonesia’s first online dermatologist, aiming to develop innovative solutions to skin conditions.
105 Zell Fellows venture track alumni since 2014
Zell Fellows Alumni - New Venture Track
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2019-20 Cohort Jennifer Daily ’20 / Lana Kila Phil O’Brien ’20 / Limelight Chris Rochester ’20 / Primary Colors Marcus Schneider ’20 / again&again Will Zheng ’20 / Serionix, Inc. Michelle Zighelboim ’20 / Zéta |
Adam Cohen ’20 / Stemloop Hanna Colin ’20 / B-Vitals Amit Gupta ’20 / Cardiosense Ana Kakkar ’20 / Every Clinic Kartik Kesavabhotla ’21 / airmid Health Xiao Zhang ’20 / Amasu |
Rafael Leite ’20 / Beniccio Sinthuja Nagalingam ’20 / Tilt Brunna Seabra ’20 / Dindin |
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2018-19 Cohort Kimmie Carey '19 / The Dose Co. David Costello '19 / Kengos Alex Eng '19 / SLATE Daniel Kolb '19 / Commit Cara Morphew '19 / BeenThere Adam Motley '19 / Movo Chair |
Kyle Metz '19 / Jabiru Medical LLC Tim Taxter '19 |
Enrique Evoli '19 / KIN Industries Sahar Jamal '19 / Maziwa Stephane Manuel '19 / TrueFiktion Don Meier '19 / LineShift Sam Schiller '19 / Carbon Yield Julian Sheinbaum '19 / Teachability |
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2017-18 Cohort Jennifer Barron ’18 / Outfox Kathryn Bernell ’18 / reBLEND Allison Brown ’18 / Cariset Rei Kawano ’18 / Heed Foods Chase Michalek ’18 / Hilltop Health Brittany Phillips ’18 / Carewaye Milan Raj ’18 / Shaadi Destinations Adam Swick ’18 / Swick Capital |
Andrew Cabodi ’18 / BackWave Technologies Dianna He ’18 / Sit the Moon Health David Nguyen ’18 / okam health Kyle Wildnauer Haigney ’18 / ScriptPass |
Nakul Khanna ’18 / Instago Alejandro Orvananos Obregon ’18 /Qualtrium Zain Shahzad ’18 / Allif Patrick Tagny Diesse ’18 / Afiri |
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2016-17 Cohort Nathan Cooper ’17 / Wise Apple Rachael Feuerborn ’17 / Finch Roshni Khurana ’17 / The Right Hook Jared Scharen ’17 / eRetirements Tiffany Smith ’17 / Tiltas Carolyn Snider ’17 / Welltended Eduardo Uriarte Ruiz ’17 / Kairos Rachel Xanttopoulos ’17 / Daybreak |
Healthcare Track Barath Anandakumar ’17 / ActiWit Gal Ben Dor ’17 / Getoo Todd Cruikshank ’17 / Surgical Innovation Associates Smit Naik ’17 / Actualize Therapy Eloy Vinuales ’17 / PrediCare |
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2015-16 Cohort Jordan Hollander ’16 / Citykey Nidheesh Patel ’16 / Carvnient Blair Pircon ’16 / The Graide Network Bobby Powers ’16 / SharEd Justin Saeheng ’16 / IFM Technologies Beth Santos ’16 / Wanderful Asaf Segev ’16 / Syteful Rebecca Sholiton ’16 / Wise Apple |
2014-15 Cohort Jeremy Bolian ’15 /Acentive Jesse Chang ’16 / MDAR Technologies, Inc. Michael Jung ’15 / UroProx Stephen Lane ’16 / FlyHomes Priya Mathew ’15 / Practico Luciana Silva De Oliveira ’15 / New Hope Ecotech Kieren Patel ’16 / Opticent Health Gaurav Shenai ’15 / Touchtrail Tyler Wanke ’15 / Innoblative |
2013-14 Cohort Christopher Chon ’14 / Leonard & Church Mathew Elenjickal ’14 / Four Kites Vaibhov Goel ’14 / Tuplee Travis Granger ’14 / Arbyl April (Yong Kyung) Kim ’14 /Chatting Cat Daniel Klein ’15 / REPP Jeremy O’Briant ’14 / License Buddy Jason Sandler ’15 / Innoblative |
Entrepreneurship Through Acquisition (ETA) Track
The Entrepreneurship Through Acquisition track is designed for students whose path to becoming an entrepreneur involves acquiring a small to medium sized company rather than launching one. There are several ways to achieve this:
- a traditional search, in which the entrepreneur raises capital from investors to find, acquire and run an existing company
- a self-funded search, where the search itself is self-funded and the acquisition is identified before the financing is determined
- an incubated or funded search, in which the entrepreneur works with an investment firm experienced in acquisitions and succession.
- the apprenticeship model, which pairs an aspiring entrepreneur with existing company leadership
- a CEO-in-training program that provides development and operating experience
- supporting a family business with the goal of encouraging expansion
2020-21 Cohort
Asad Berani ‘21
Edgar Blanco Company ‘21
Dylan Ketcham ‘21
Elwin Ng ‘21
Alexis Osborn ‘21
Adam Root ‘21
Jaison Thomas ‘21
50 Zell Fellows ETA track alumni since 2016
Zell Fellows Alumni - ETA Track
2019-20 Cohort
Alex Biegler ‘20
Caroline Haid ‘20
Erica Hauser ‘20
Jason Luo ‘20
Monte Malhotra ’20
Matthew O'Neill ‘20
Jessica Palfrey ‘20
Juan Reyes ‘20
Spencer Springer ‘20
Dan Violi ‘20
Alex Biegler ‘20
Caroline Haid ‘20
Erica Hauser ‘20
Jason Luo ‘20
Monte Malhotra ’20
Matthew O'Neill ‘20
Jessica Palfrey ‘20
Juan Reyes ‘20
Spencer Springer ‘20
Dan Violi ‘20
2018-19 Cohort
Ian Goldberg '19
Dan Kish '19
Isauro Reyna Valenciana '19
Fernando Ribeiro '19
Andro Rodriguez '19
Nick Seger '19
Robbie Sutkay '19
Blake Toll '19
Mayank Vijayvergia '19
Ian Goldberg '19
Dan Kish '19
Isauro Reyna Valenciana '19
Fernando Ribeiro '19
Andro Rodriguez '19
Nick Seger '19
Robbie Sutkay '19
Blake Toll '19
Mayank Vijayvergia '19
2017-18 Cohort
Jose Anguis Horno ’18
Nate Barajas ’18
Anthony Cardona ’18
Lauren Davis ’18
Russell Johnston ’18
Carr Lanphier ’18
Marcella Lobo ’18
Timothy Novick ’18
Charlie Pratt ’18
Richard Roman ’18
Jose Anguis Horno ’18
Nate Barajas ’18
Anthony Cardona ’18
Lauren Davis ’18
Russell Johnston ’18
Carr Lanphier ’18
Marcella Lobo ’18
Timothy Novick ’18
Charlie Pratt ’18
Richard Roman ’18
2016-17 Cohort
Ayu Djaputra ’17
Blair Kessler ’17
Matthew Dellen ’17
Matthew McGarry ’17
Stanley Rodos ’17
Ashish Rohil ’17
Jay Shah ’17
Ayu Djaputra ’17
Blair Kessler ’17
Matthew Dellen ’17
Matthew McGarry ’17
Stanley Rodos ’17
Ashish Rohil ’17
Jay Shah ’17
2015-16 Cohort
Shaun Currie ’16
Ray Fan ’16
John Griffin ’16
Tommy Jackson ’16
Elise Krieger ’16
Will Wright ’16
Margaret Yeager ’17
Shaun Currie ’16
Ray Fan ’16
John Griffin ’16
Tommy Jackson ’16
Elise Krieger ’16
Will Wright ’16
Margaret Yeager ’17
Zell Fellow Highlights
FourKites
Mathew Elenjickal ’14 / Consumer & Enterprise track
FourKites has completely transformed expectations for the shipping industry with their real-time tracking solutions. FourKites was named to Forbes Next Billion Dollar Startups 2019.
FourKites has completely transformed expectations for the shipping industry with their real-time tracking solutions. FourKites was named to Forbes Next Billion Dollar Startups 2019.
Surgical Innovation Associates
Todd Cruikshank ’17 / Healthcare track
Surgical Innovation Associates is developing innovative medical devices. They have received FDA clearance and have begun clinical use of their first product.
Surgical Innovation Associates is developing innovative medical devices. They have received FDA clearance and have begun clinical use of their first product.
Carbon Yield
Sam Schiller ’20 / Emerging Markets & Social Impact track
Carbon Yield won the 2019 Kellogg Morgan Stanley Sustainable Investing Challenge and has received funding from an agricultural foundation which will help farmers become more resilient to climate change while returning carbon to healthy soil.
Carbon Yield won the 2019 Kellogg Morgan Stanley Sustainable Investing Challenge and has received funding from an agricultural foundation which will help farmers become more resilient to climate change while returning carbon to healthy soil.
Saumya ‘17
Kheyti / Emerging Markets & Social Impact trackSaumya, founder of Kheyti, which helps small farmers in India with their “Greenhouse in a box”, was named to the Forbes 30 Under 30 Social Entrepreneurs of 2019.
Will Wright ‘16
Peerless Events & Tents / Entrepreneurship Through Acquisition TrackWill Wright formed a search fund after Kellogg graduation and acquired Peerless Events & Tents for the purpose of building it into a major regional event rental business
Application Process
The Zell Fellows Program is open to any Kellogg full-time student in the second-year of the 2Y or MMM program, 1Y, JDMBA or MDMBA program or any student in the Evening & Weekend program who can be available for all of the activities.
Application to the program is in the fall of the year that you would participate. The program will officially begin in October, after all Fellows selected have been invited to join the program. As you prepare, there will be opportunities the previous spring to engage with the program.
To be a competitive applicant for the program, a student should be able to demonstrate a commitment to entrepreneurship, whether the eventual goal is starting a new venture or acquiring an existing one.
View an information session on the program. A live Q&A session on September 21, 2021 will include faculty and alumni of the program. Please be sure to watch the information session in advance of the Q&A session. Register for the Q&A session below:
Q&A Session, September 21, 2021, 12:15pm
Access the application.
Application to the program is in the fall of the year that you would participate. The program will officially begin in October, after all Fellows selected have been invited to join the program. As you prepare, there will be opportunities the previous spring to engage with the program.
To be a competitive applicant for the program, a student should be able to demonstrate a commitment to entrepreneurship, whether the eventual goal is starting a new venture or acquiring an existing one.
If you have a venture idea…
- Start by taking the New Venture Launch-Pad classes: The New Venture Launch-Pad series (Discovery, Development, Launch) through KIEI will not only allow you to develop and test your idea, but they will introduce you to a set of entrepreneurial tools and frameworks that will serve you well when building any venture. The Zell program builds on the language and frameworks of these courses, so having taken one or more will definitely set you off on the right foot.
- Do as much in-market testing as possible: The most competitive New Venture applications for Zell are the ones that provide early evidence of product-market fit. And while Kellogg’s Launch-Pad classes will teach you some important tools for venture building, they must be deployed in the wild to be useful. Said another way: get out and test your idea! We look at the research you’ve done and the data you collect along the way as early indications of your entrepreneurial passion and acumen. The more evidence that you can gather that your chosen problem is worth solving with a new business, and that people (outside of the Kellogg “bubble”) want to pay for what you’re offering, the better!
- Reach out to the Zell Fellows team and alumni: The program faculty and staff would be happy to meet with you early in your Kellogg journey. We enjoy hearing from students as early as possible so that we can point you in the right direction to make you a competitive applicant when it comes time for you to apply to the program. Furthermore, there are over 140 alumni who have been through the program and can share the ins-and-outs of their experience with you. They are listed above. Feel free to reach out to them.
If you want to pursue Entrepreneurship Through Acquisition (ETA)…
- Reach out to the current class of ETA Zell Fellows: The ETA community at Kellogg is growing, and one of the best resources is the current group of ETA Zell Fellows. They will be able to give you some great insights from the student perspective on the work that they’ve done to prepare to take this path.
- Reach out to other entrepreneurs in the ETA space: Look for current or past search fund entrepreneurs on Searchfunder or LinkedIn and reach out to them to learn more about their experience. The more perspectives you can get from people who have experience in ETA, the better!
- Take the Entrepreneurship Through Acquisition class: Kellogg’s half-credit ETA class is a great way to learn about the various paths to ETA as well as meet others interested in the field.
View an information session on the program. A live Q&A session on September 21, 2021 will include faculty and alumni of the program. Please be sure to watch the information session in advance of the Q&A session. Register for the Q&A session below:
Q&A Session, September 21, 2021, 12:15pm
Access the application.
Application Dates |
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September 21, 2021
12:15-1:00 pm |
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September 26, 2021
11:59 PM |
Program Application Deadline
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September 29, 2021
9:00am-5:00pm |
Mandatory Applicant Activity
In person |
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Weeks of :
October 4, 2021 October 11, 2021 |
Zell Fellows Interviews
Round 1 - remote Round 2 - in person |
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October 15, 2021
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2021-2022 Invitations Issued
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Program Dates |
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October 20, 2021
9:00am-7:00pm |
Zell Fellows Programming Begins
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November 6-7, 2021
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Fall Trek
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December 5-8, 2021
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Individual Track Treks
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Spring Break 2022
Exact dates TBD |
Israel Trek
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Visit from IDC Zell Program
June 2022, exact dates TBD |
ZGEN Gathering at Kellogg
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Faculty Leadership
David Schonthal
Faculty Director, Zell Fellows ProgramDavid founded the program in 2013 and has led the expansion of the program over the past several years as additional tracks, focus areas, resources, and experiences have been added to meet the specific needs of the students in the program.
New Venture TrackAdjunct Professor of Social Impact, Track Co-Lead Track Co-Lead Adjunct Lecturer of Innovation & Entrepreneurship, Development and Alumni Engagement |
Entrepreneurship Through Acquisition TrackAdjunct Lecturer of Innovation & Entrepreneurship, Track Co-Lead Adjunct Lecturer in Entrepreneurship, Track Co-Lead |
Program Staff
| Jennifer Herold
Senior Program Manager |
Tyler Seybold
Program Assistant |
Sam Zell
Founder, ChairmanSam Zell is a global, industry-agnostic entrepreneur and investor. He has a long track record of turning around troubled companies and assets, leading industry consolidations, and bringing companies to the public markets. His current investments are in logistics, healthcare, manufacturing, energy and real estate
Sam is the Chairman of Equity Group Investments, the private investment firm he founded more than 50 years ago. He also chairs five companies listed on the New York Stock Exchange: Equity Residential, an apartment REIT; Equity LifeStyle Properties, a manufactured home community and resort REIT; Equity Commonwealth, an office REIT; Covanta Holding Corporation, an international owner/operator of energy-from-waste and power generation facilities; and Equity Distribution Acquisition Corp, a special purpose acquisition company (SPAC) targeting opportunities to apply technological advancement within the industrial industry.
Sam also founded and chaired Equity Office Properties Trust, the largest office REIT until its 2007 sale for $39 billion in the largest leveraged buyout at the time. In addition, he introduced the first Brazilian and Mexican real estate companies, respectively, to the New York Stock Exchange through Equity International, a second private investment firm he founded to focus on real estate-related businesses in emerging markets.
Sam is an active philanthropist with a focus on entrepreneurial education. Through the Zell Family Foundation, he has led the sponsorship of several leading entrepreneurship programs, including: the Zell/Lurie Institute for Entrepreneurial Studies at University of Michigan’s Ross School of Business; the Zell Fellows Program at Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management; and the Zell Entrepreneurship Center at the Interdisciplinary Center Herzliya (IDC). The Zell Global Entrepreneur Network (ZGEN) unites the students and alumni of these programs and actively provides them with connections, opportunities, mentorship and support. Sam also sponsors the Samuel Zell/Robert Lurie Real Estate Center at University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton Real Estate Center. He holds a JD degree and a BA from the University of Michigan.
Sam was recognized in 2017 by Forbes as one of the 100 Greatest Living Business Minds. That same year, Sam debuted his book, Am I Being Too Subtle? (Penguin RandomHouse), in which he shares fundamentals and philosophies that made him a self-made billionaire.
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