Providing blueprints for ventures and foundations for leaders
Image above features Zell Fellows (top left clockwise) Jacob, Neha, Mary Kate, Yutaro and Pratap.
Entrepreneurship is a dynamic journey that thrives on a strong support system, and the entrepreneurial ecosystem at Kellogg is just that — a launchpad for innovation, ambition and impact. Students can create, acquire and/or grow businesses across two pathways: the New Venture track and the Entrepreneurship Through Acquisition track. With funding opportunities, immersive learning and guidance from scholars and real-world entrepreneurs, Kellogg fosters a fertile environment for entrepreneurial growth.
At the heart of this system is the Zell Fellows Program, a premier accelerator providing aspiring entrepreneurs with mentorship, funding and hands-on experiences to transform innovative ideas into thriving ventures. Celebrating its 12th year, the program continues to inspire and equip the next generation of Kellogg Leaders.
Meet a few members of the 2024-2025 cohort as they share how the school’s community, faculty and resources are propelling their entrepreneurial journeys. From building AI-powered educational tools and reimagining wellness through boxing to creating sustainable farming solutions and addressing gaps in women’s health, these Zell Fellows showcase the transformative power of entrepreneurship at Kellogg.
Pratap Chowdhury ’25 Two-Year MBA Program
“When I came to Kellogg, I was unsure about pursuing entrepreneurship; however, interacting with students who were pursuing this path sparked a fire within me. Their groundbreaking ideas, steadfastness to achieve their vision and the absolute fearlessness in the face of adversities resonated deeply with me.
“Pursuing Entrepreneurship Through Acquisition (ETA) in India fills me with a lot of hope and excitement as ETA is a model still largely unexplored in the country. India is a land brimming with young talent and as a developing country, it needs more leaders with revolutionary ideas who can lead businesses and create economic value.
“I’m most excited about exploring my leadership style with an executive coach and leveraging that in my search and acquisition and in the long-term future. I strongly believe finding your authentic self and channeling it correctly are key to building a remarkable career. Working with an executive coach has been incredibly appealing, and I look forward to continuing refining my leadership style.”
Yutaro Nishiyama ’25 MMM Program
“InstaEnglish is an app that aims to be a personal English-speaking coach in your pocket, and the goal is to transform English education with AI. My team and I take pride in having our app ranked among the top 100 educational apps on the Apple App Store — and Kellogg has played a pivotal role in advancing InstaEnglish to its current stage.
“The Zell Fellows Program has been instrumental in helping me build a personal advisory board, including design experts and experienced investors, who can help further refine the app’s user experience and maximize its impact on learners’ outcomes.
“Thanks to the Garage at Northwestern’s Jumpstart Program and the Summer Startup Stipend Program, my team and I received financial support enabling us to work on the app full time over the summer. Additionally, participating in the AI San Francisco Trek provided networking opportunities with OpenAI which resulted in earning $5K in API credits. Winning the Kellogg Venture Challenge and the startup pitch competition at the PE/VC conference has further expanded our network within Chicago’s startup ecosystem, opening doors to potential investors and valuable mentorship.”
Neha Mehta ’25 Two-Year MBA Program
“Kellogg has been an incredible partner in my entrepreneurial journey. The abundance of resources mixed with the faculty's openness to give their time and resources generously has been a gamechanger. The New Venture classes taught me to be strategic and practical from the onset of building Rora, my startup that creates personal care products for women experiencing menopause.
“Programs such as The Garage’s Jumpstart and the Summer Startup Stipend provided a collaborative environment where I could refine my venture alongside peers and mentors who challenged me to think bigger. I feel extremely grateful that Kellogg has these programs and Kellogg alumni are always willing to chat and help further your goals.
“Women have faced sexism, discrimination and injustices in all aspects of life, and one of the most pressing concerns currently is the lack of emphasis and innovation in women’s health. This market segment is highly underserved from acknowledging stigmatized topics and prioritizing women’s health research to accelerating innovation and personalized care approaches. I believe focusing our venture efforts on this space has a monumental impact if it can help create approachable and innovative solutions for women while kickstart open conversations.”
Jacob Stewart ’25 JD-MBA Program
“The Kellogg community has been instrumental in supporting my entrepreneurial journey. I found my two cofounders to help me build Avocado Farm Trade and secured pivotal capital to get us started. The venture aims to help smaller farmers in Africa access resources and new markets.
“The Levy Inspiration Grant Program and Social Impact Quarterly Funding were also vital in providing initial capital to help us build a company that has tangible progress that we can now bring to investors. Through the generous financial support of the Social Entrepreneur Summer Stipend, I was able to work on the business full time over the summer. The Zell Fellows Program is equipping me with my own personal board of advisors made up of faculty and alumni who can provide invaluable guidance and connections.
“This past harvest our network of farmers saw a 20% to 50% increase in their incomes, and we have provided income to over 100 households via our company nurseries. We believe as AFT grows, we will be able to provide more job opportunities to people beyond Kenya across Africa.”
Mary Kate Vanecko ’25 Evening & Weekend MBA Program
“I'm building The Boxing Club, a fitness company that reimagines boxing as the ultimate tool for optimizing physical and mental well-being. Unlike traditional boxing gyms that focus primarily on combat, we offer an elevated boxing experience in beautifully designed spaces.
“Our approach uses boxing not only to achieve peak physical fitness but also to cultivate mental resilience. My vision is to transform boxing into the ultimate tool to unlock human potential. I am really looking forward to working with my personal board of advisors through Zell to bring this vision to life.
“Kellogg has played a tremendous role in my entrepreneurial journey by providing incredible opportunities for me to explore my business idea while simultaneously providing the frameworks and feedback necessary to pressure test the viability of the business. At every step along the way I've been amazed by the generosity of the facility to provide support.”
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