Launched in 2018 by Tony Owen ’97, ’03 MBA, and his wife, Monique, the Little Joe Ventures Fellowship in Entrepreneurship provides an unparalleled experience to students with a demonstrated interest in and commitment to building new ideas.
Each year, Northwestern faculty and staff committees nominate and select students who have shown exceptional promise as entrepreneurs. Five sophomores are chosen each winter quarter after a rigorous interview process. Each cohort is announced at the beginning of the spring quarter.
Fellows selected to participate in the highly competitive program receive financial support for entrepreneurial endeavors, coaching, and transformational experiences, including group travel. Additionally, the Fellows gain access to the donor’s and university’s extensive networks.
Over the two-year program, Fellows travel to Los Angeles to explore startups and meet inspiring alumni and innovative leaders. Fellows also receive 1-on-1 executive coaching. Each Fellow delivers a Senior Talk and workshop for the other Fellows on a topic that is personal and unique to their entrepreneurial journey. Topics have ranged from Designing Your Life to Building Community Cultures. During spring break of every other year, the Fellows travel on an emerging leaders’ expedition with alumni of the program. This experience is thoughtfully designed to make them more purpose-driven, self-aware leaders.
Fellows may receive support of up to $5,000 for an entrepreneurial project. Past fellows have used the funding to purchase inventory and supplies for their startup and to travel to conferences.
Fellows get 24/7 access to The Garage, a dedicated desk, and access to reservable meeting rooms.
Coaching focused on personal and professional growth.
All expenses paid trips - plus, an award of up to $5,000 for an entrepreneurial project.
Jeb Scipio del Campo is a sophomore at Northwestern University studying Economics and Psychology with a minor in Entrepreneurship. Shaped by a childhood spanning Toronto, Montpellier, and the Pacific Northwest, he developed a global perspective and a drive to build ventures that uplift communities. His entrepreneurial journey began in high school, where he co-founded a Read-a-Thon fundraiser mobilizing nearly 3,000 students across seven schools and raising over $25,000 for local charities. At Northwestern, Jeb channels that same energy into JukeBox, a music and concert rating social platform he co-founded and leads as CEO, which has been selected for The Garage Winter Residency and awarded $10,000 through the Jumpstart Summer Accelerator. Beyond JukeBox, he advises global companies through CASE, mentors international entrepreneurs through the Global Engagement Summit, serves as President of Zeta Beta Tau, VP of Brotherhood for Delta Sigma Pi, and is an executive board member of Each One Teach One, a humanitarian organization dedicated to delivering scholarships and aid to underprivileged children across regions of Kenya and Peru. Outside of his academic and entrepreneurial pursuits, Jeb plays alto saxophone, goes bouldering, competes on the club soccer team as a devoted Manchester United supporter, and loves traveling, having visited 27 countries and counting. Jeb is passionate about social entrepreneurship and the belief that the best businesses are ones that make people's lives measurably better.
Vani Bansal is a sophomore at Northwestern University, double-majoring in Economics and Theatre—a combination that makes analytical thinking and creative storytelling part of her everyday life, and one she loves bringing into problem-solving and entrepreneurship. She is currently building glimmr, India’s first shoe charm company, which has generated over $4,000 in revenue and 450,000+ social media views within 4 months, reflecting her interest in emerging consumer trends, and building brands that resonate with younger audiences. Her background in marketing and media is shaped by internships at Ogilvy and Charcharms, where she contributed to campaign development and execution for top consumer brands. As a content creator, model, and micro-influencer, Vani has amassed over 11 million views across platforms and partnered with brands such as Samsung, Nykaa, and SKIMS. On campus, she is involved in the fashion and creative community through organizations like UNITY and NUDM. Vani is passionate about building culturally resonant, consumer-focused ventures at scale and is excited to develop this interest as a Little Joe Ventures Fellow!
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Dorothy Zhang is a human-centered design engineer focused on building and scaling products that solve real human problems. She is a sophomore studying mechanical engineering with a minor in Business Institutions. In her freshman summer, she worked on Swiffer and WetJet systems at Procter & Gamble, where she experienced firsthand how design decisions shape manufacturing, reliability, and consumer adoption. Her sophomore winter, she worked in mechanical design at Figure AI, a Silicon Valley humanoid robotics startup, where she discovered a love for building fast-paced technologies. Her work at Northwestern spans medical device prototyping, assistive robotics through Medical Makers, and AI for teleoperated procedures at HAND ERC. She also led the development of Spring Roll, a spring-loaded oxygen regulator inspired by a delay she witnessed in a pediatric hospital. Her work reflects a blend of technical creativity, user-centered thinking, and entrepreneurial drive.
Dasha is passionate about creating and strategically communicating ideas to promote sustainability and international security. Studying journalism and environmental policy, she covered business on Capitol Hill with the Medill News Service in the winter, specifically writing about regulations of data centers. At Northwestern, Dasha has held three selective research fellowships, where her work was recognized with the Fletcher Prize for Outstanding Undergraduate Research. Her academic journey has taken her from the remote Arctic to serving as a junior fellow at the McDonald Conference for Leaders of Character at West Point, bringing a cross-cultural lens to entrepreneurial endeavors.
Jordan is a passionate, dedicated, and curious entrepreneur who is interested in doing the simple things better. He is a second-year student majoring in Theatre and Political Science, with a minor in Entrepreneurship and a certificate in Design. For the past couple of years, Jordan has run his own 3D printing business designed around making complex board games more accessible and affordable for everyone. Recently, he has combined his passion for theatre and public speaking with his desire to do good in the world by learning to address problems related to loneliness and isolation in our modern world. Outside of the entrepreneurship space, Jordan loves to act in performances, share stories, build connections, and improve the lives of those around him.
"Becoming an LJV Fellow has changed my path at Northwestern entirely. It has provided me with such an inspiring community within The Garage as well as incredible opportunities that I never would have had access to if it weren’t for the Owens’ generosity. Since being selected, I have been launched into the real world of entrepreneurship with full force, meeting some of the most influential people and gaining valuable learning experiences that have helped shape my future as a founder and beyond.”
Lilliana Robinson
McCormick '21
2311 Campus Drive Suite 2300
Evanston, IL 60208
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