Funding

There are many sources of funding available to Northwestern students working on entrepreneurial projects, from fellowships
to classes to competitions.

Funding Opportunities at The Garage

The Garage oversees multiple programs and initiatives that offer awards or prize money to students working on entrepreneurial ventures.

Jumpstart Pre-Accelerator

The Jumpstart Pre-Accelerator program at The Garage seeks to accelerate student teams by giving them additional resources and coaching over a period of 10 weeks in the summer.

$10,000 award per team + $10,000 non-dilutive prize pool, open to all Northwestern students.

Little Joe Ventures Fellowship in Entrepreneurship

Five sophomores are chosen each winter quarter after a rigorous interview process. Each cohort is announced at the beginning of the spring quarter.

$5,000 award, open to  undergraduate students.

Luminate Program

The Luminate Program creates a space for first-generation and lower-income students at Northwestern University to explore entrepreneurship.

Up to $1,000 award, open to full-time, first-generation and/or low-income students.

NUseeds

NUseeds is Northwestern’s $4M pre-seed/seed investment fund for student founded startups.

$100,000 in exchange for equity, available to founders who have graduated from a degree-seeking Northwestern program in the past 2 years and participated in at least one program at The Garage / VentureCat while they were a Northwestern student.

The Opportunity Fund

The Garage Opportunity Fund is for full-time, undergraduate Northwestern students that identify as lower-income and have been accepted into The Garage’s Tinker or Residency program.

Up to $1,000 to cover business expenses, open to undergraduate students who have been accepted into the Tinker or Residency program and identify as lower-income

The Propel Program

The Propel program provides networking, mentorship, and immersive learning experiences that promote diversity and inclusion in entrepreneurship.


Up to $1,000 award, open to all full-time, female-identifying students

Other Funding Opportunities
at Northwestern

These various funding opportunities and programs are offered throughout Northwestern for all students working on an entrepreneurial project.

Farley Center Classes

Some entrepreneurship classes offered through the Farley Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation provide students with funding for business expenses.

Provides business expense support, open to all Northwestern students.

The Resnick Family Social Impact Program

The Resnick Family Social Impact Program, offered through ISEN, supports student projects that address significant local and global challenges in sustainability and energy.

Up to $25,000 based on past recipients, open to all Northwestern students

VentureCat

VentureCat is an event and showcase celebrating Northwestern’s most promising student-founded startups. The event culminates with a pitch competition in which over $325,000 in prize money is distributed to student ventures.

$300,000 non-dilutive prize pool, open to all Northwestern students

Summer Internship Grant Program (SIGP)

This is a funding source for undergraduates who have accepted an unpaid internship or summer experience in an industry that traditionally does not pay their interns. If you are working on your own startup and can meet supervisor requirements, you may apply.

Up to $3,000, open to all undergrad Northwestern students

Funding Opportunities for
Kellogg Students

These funding opportunities and initiatives are open to Kellogg students only.

Heizer Center Business Plan Competition Reimbursement

The Heizer Center for Private Equity and Venture Capital may provide reimbursement to students participating in private equity and venture capital competitions.

Provides reimbursement for competitions.

Kellogg Classes

New Venture classes offered to Kellogg students provide funding for business expenses; New Venture Launch and New Venture Development.

Provides business expense support up to $3,000.

Kellogg Real Estate Venture Challenge

This team-based competition invites MBA students to pitch ideas for real estate ventures to a panel of high-profile judges.

Various cash prizes, available to KIEI and Kellogg Real Estate Program students.

Kellogg Social Entrepreneurship Award

The Kellogg Social Entrepreneurship Award enables students to more feasibly pursue their social venture full time following graduation.

Awarded up to $70,000 in seed funding.

Kellogg Venture Challenge

Sponsored by the Kellogg Innovation & Entrepreneurship Initiative and the Kellogg Founders in Winter Quarter, the Kellogg Venture Challenge gives students an opportunity to pitch their startup idea and gain valuable feedback from members of the startup and Kellogg School community.

Offers up to $10,000 in prizes.

Project Impact – Funding for Summer Experiences

Financial support is available for social entrepreneurs working on their ventures full-time over the summer quarter.

Provides business expense support up to $7,000.

Project Impact – Social Venture Expense Funding

Financial support is available to social entrepreneurs throughout the school year to defray the costs of pursuing a venture.

Provides business expense support up to $5,000.

Project Impact – Social Impact Experience Funding

Project Impact covers 80% of pre-approved travel expenses to competitions, conferences, and other educational experiences that are focused on social impact.

Provides various business expense support.

Zell Fellows Program

The Zell Fellows Program at Kellogg is designed to be a unique, applied entrepreneurial experience for MBA candidates with a passion for new venture creation or the interest in acquiring an existing venture.

Provides various business expense support.