The Garage x McCormick

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.

In Winter 2021, there were 78 McCormick students participating in programs at The Garage, working on projects ranging from Crown Care, a platform that aims to provide a sense of community and education for curly-haired individuals, to Acorn Genetics, which aims to create genetic testing kits that respect their users’ privacy, to InfernoGuard, a utility patented wildfire detection and warning system.

Kevin Kaspar, McCormick ’24

Kevin got involved with The Garage right away as a first-year student at Northwestern, first joining The Garage’s Tinker program and then becoming a Resident, where he is currently incubating his startup.

Major: Manufacturing and Design Engineering (MADE)

Project / Company: InfernoGuard is a utility patented wildfire detection and warning system for landowners in fire prone areas, ultimately improving response time and minimizing negative impacts of wildfires.

  • “As a first-year, The Garage Residency Program immediately provided me with an unparalleled opportunity to dive deep into pursuing my venture. But what’s been most valuable from my experiences so far are the mentors and student founders within The Garage community who are incredibly eager and willing to give their time in order to help me explore my passions.”

Sreya Parakala, McCormick ’22

Sreya is currently a participant in The Garage’s Residency program and the Little Joe Venture Fellowship. The Little Joe Ventures Fellowship in Entrepreneurship provides a unique experience to students with a demonstrated interest in and commitment to building new ideas. Sreya was also previously a participant in the Propel program and Jumpstart, The Garage’s pre-accelerator program.

Major: Industrial Engineering, Kellogg MA Certificate
Minor: Entrepreneurship

Project / Company: Iris Education offers clear, concise and centralized access to U.S. college culture.

  • “The Garage has been an unwavering source of growth and support during my three years. Participating in Jumpstart, Residency, Propel and the LJV Fellowship has given me the opportunity to meet the most passionate startup founders, learn from incredible mentors and see myself change into a person who is driven by my entrepreneurial spirit in this ecosystem.”

Linus Okoth, McCormick ’23

Linus is currently a participant in The Garage’s Residency program. He is also a participant of the Winter 2021 cohort of X-Factor, The Garage’s revolutionary leadership development program. Outside of The Garage, Linus is part of the African Student Association and the Northwestern chapter of the National Society of Black Engineers.

Major: Computer Science, Computer Engineering

Project / Company: Explorate is a website that makes volunteering opportunities feel more meaningful by sharing information across volunteers to stay connected with each other.

  • “The Garage provided me with support through both X-Factor and the Residency Program to not only gain insight on leadership and best entrepreneurial practices, but also to build a network of alumni and current students who share similar interests. Through this, I have gained invaluable social and professional experience that has accelerated my personal and professional development.”

Charlotte Oxnam, McCormick ’23

Charlotte is a participant in The Garage’s Residency program. She was also a participant in the 2019-20 cohort of the Propel program. As a student aide at The Garage, she now helps to run the Propel cohort meetings connecting women founders.

Major: Industrial Engineering and Management Sciences

Project / Company: Cue the Curves is a platform to help plus-size women find clothing brands they love.

  • “My being a part of The Garage is why Cue the Curves even exists. Being surrounded by students who were turning personal passions into businesses allowed me to really think about how I could create a startup that was addressing a topic I really cared about, but was also a viable business.”

The Garage x McCormick News

Founder Spotlight: Bennett Hensey, McCormick ’18

Founder Spotlight: Stevie Wiegel, McCormick ’17

Little Joe Ventures x LA 2020 featuring McCormick students Lilliana de Souza, McCormick ’21; Shyam Mani, McCormick ’21; and Nissim Senfeld, McCormick ’21

The Garage x Improve NU featuring Lilliana de Souza, McCormick ’21

Questions?

Email us at thegarage@northwestern.edu