The Garage x Kellogg

The Garage is a community and physical space for every Northwestern student interested in entrepreneurship to learn, iterate, and grow. We offer students resources, programming, and mentorship designed to help build the skills and entrepreneurial mindset they need to succeed in any industry.

Students from across the University bring a wide range of diverse academic and personal experiences that enrich the entrepreneurial environment at The Garage through exposure to new ideas, ways of thinking and skill sets. Kellogg students learn alongside and from the undergraduate community at The Garage, while also enjoying sharing professional knowledge with students. Many Kellogg candidates who incubate their projects at The Garage go on to become Zell Fellows, a point of pride for The Garage.

In fall 2021, there are over 41 Kellogg students participating in programs at The Garage. Below are a few student stories.

Kinsey Hart, Kellogg ’21

Kinsey, a Zell fellow, has enthusiastically participated in multiple programs at The Garage including Residency and Propel, The Garage’s program for female student entrepreneurs. Kinsey also participated in the summer 2020 Wildfire Pre-accelerator program, and won third place at the end-of-program Demo Day, winning $2,000.

Project / Company: Alva is your online personal jeweler.

  • “The Garage is a hidden gem for Kellogg students. In the Wildfire Pre-Accelerator program, my team was able to triple Alva’s revenue and attract attention in the startup community that I wouldn’t have gotten otherwise.”

Charlie Kerhin, Kellogg ’21

Charlie most recently participated in the summer 2020 Wildfire Pre-accelerator program with his co-founder, receiving a $10,000 financial award to work on Amasu full time. Charlie is also a member of The Garage’s Residency program.

Project / Company: Amasu creates natural wellness products that integrate easily into Americans’ daily lives.

  • “My experience at The Garage has been amazing. The advisors and staff are incredibly supportive, the successful guest speakers share insightful stories about not only their successes but also their failures, and the community of peers are wonderful to share the rollercoaster of the journey that is entrepreneurship.”

Alyssa Marazzo, Kellogg ’21

Alyssa, a Zell Fellow, is a participant in The Garage’s Residency program. As a Resident, Alyssa is an active member of a community of the most committed Northwestern student entrepreneurs.

Project / Company: Ciclo is is a secondhand clothing platform that aims to make buying secondhand an easier and more predictable experience.

  • “The amount of support I’ve received through The Garage is amazing. I’ve been able to grow into a stronger entrepreneur and person and have met some of the best people of my Northwestern career.”

Sarita Patankar, Kellogg ’21

Sarita, a Zell Fellow, participated in The Garage’s Tinker program her first year and is now in the Residency program during her second year.

Project / Company: HuddleMD combines medical data with social determinants of health to revolutionize remote patient monitoring for congestive heart failure.

  • “Entrepreneurship is an exciting but grueling challenge. I love having a diverse community of fellow founders in Residency at The Garage to navigate those highs and lows with me.”

Ben Preston, Kellogg ’21

Ben is a founding member of The Garage’s downtown initiative, The Garage at The Sardine Bar. The Sardine Bar is a satellite extension of The Garage located on Northwestern’s Chicago campus. Ben was also the grand prize winner at VentureCat 2020, Northwestern’s annual student startup competition, winning $161,000 in non-dilutive prize money. Ben is also a member of the Zell Fellows 2020-21 cohort.

Project / Company: Gearflow is the first marketplace for construction equipment parts, streamlining the parts procurement process to enable contractors to run a more efficient fleet.

  • “The resources, education, and mentorship I have received from Northwestern and The Garage’s entrepreneurship community have been invaluable to the growth of Gearflow and to myself as a co-founder. It feels amazing to know that we have the support and backing from a countless number of people through Northwestern who are truly invested in our success.”

The Garage x Kellogg News

Rachel Xanttopoulos, Weinberg ’11 + Kellogg ’17 featured on How I Got Here Podcast

Student Spotlight: Alexandre Wedmore, Kellogg ’20

Student Spotlight: Sinthuja Nagalingam, Kellogg ’20

Student Spotlight: Marcus Schneider, Kellogg ’20

Ben Preston, Kellogg ’20 wins grand prize at VentureCat 2020

Tom Verghese KSM ’04 sponsors new X-Factor Program at The Garage

Students visit Kellogg alum, Don Meier ’19, in Austin

Questions?

Email us at thegarage@northwestern.edu