Zell Fellows

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.

Zell Fellows are known not only for their intellect, drive and entrepreneurial passion, but also for their humility, collegiality and desire to support other aspiring entrepreneurs. The program provides mentorship, leadership coaching, resources, and guidance that will help each Fellow attain personal as well as professional goals. Whether you’re looking to launch a startup or acquire an existing venture, the Zell Fellows Program offers the tools, resources and community you need to chart your entrepreneurial career. Kellogg Zell Fellows are a part of the larger Zell Global Entrepreneur Network, a network of entrepreneurs throughout the world who were also selected to be part of the program.

Already the Zell Fellows program has built a reputation that brings students to Kellogg for the potential of participating in career-changing opportunities. In 2016, the Kellogg Zell Fellows program received the “Outstanding Contribution to Venture Creation” award from the Greater Consortium of Entrepreneurial Centers.

VENTURE TRACKS

Students in one of the venture tracks of the program will start their entrepreneurial journey as the founder of a new venture. The program’s three venture tracks provide resources specific to each founder’s industry and needs. The Consumer & Enterprise track is designed for students aspiring to launch a business in the B2B or B2C space. Students in the Healthcare track have access to specific resources to address the unique regulatory, research and development, intellectual property, strategic partnerships, and other challenges that these startups face. The Emerging Markets & Social Impact track of the program focuses on helping students starting ventures located in developing economies or ventures with social impact, both of which require specialized support. 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.

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

Program Highlights

All Fellows participating in the program, both the Venture tracks 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

The deadline for Spring (early) applications is April 22, 2019, 11:59 p.m. The deadline for Fall (regular) applications is October 6, 2019, 11:59 p.m. Applications will only be accepted electronically, and late applications will not be accepted.

Read about the program as well as several recent Zell Fellow startups in this Poets & Quants article: Off the 2018 Launchpad: Kellogg’s Hottest MBA Startups.

The Executive Director of the program, David Schonthal, 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.

Faculty leads for the tracks are as follows:
Consumer & Enterprise: Gregg Latterman and Rebecca Sholiton
Healthcare: Pete McNerney and Kate Wolin
Emerging Markets & Social Impact: Jamie Jones and Tasha Seitz
Entrepreneurship Through Acquisition: Alex Schneider and Matt Littell

Program staff are:
Senior Program Manager: Jennifer Herold
Program Assistant: Tyler Seybold

Contact the program at zellfellows@kellogg.northwestern.edu

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