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.
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.
NUseeds
NUseeds is Northwestern’s $4M pre-seed/seed investment fund for student founded startups.
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.
The Propel Program
The Propel Program provides networking, mentorship, and immersive learning experiences that promote diversity and inclusion in entrepreneurship.
Wildfire Pre-Accelerator
The Wildfire 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.
Other Funding Opportunities at Northwestern
All Northwestern Students
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.
- Engineering Entrepreneurship (ENTREP 325)
- Innovate for Impact (ENTREP 340)
- Launching Your Brand (ENTREP 395)
- Entrepreneurial Projects (ENTREP 395)
- Consulting with Wearable Tech (ENTREP 395/495)
- NUvention: Analytics (ENTREP 475)
- NUvention: Arts (ENTREP 476)
- NUvention: Energy (ENTREP 474, ISEN 430)
- NUvention: Medical (ENTREP 470, BMD_ENG 495, HCAK 615/6, PPTYTORT 641, INTERDEP 4017)
- NUvention: Transportation (ENTREP 471)
- NUvention: Web + Media (ENTREP 473)
Resnick Family Social Impact Program
The Resnick Family Social Impact Program supports student projects that address significant local and global challenges in sustainability and energy.
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 $300,000 in prize money is distributed to student ventures.
Undergraduate Students
These programs and opportunities from across Northwestern are open to undergraduate students only.
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.
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.
Kellogg Classes
New Venture classes offered to Kellogg students provide funding for business expenses
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.
Kellogg Social Entrepreneurship Award
The Kellogg Social Entrepreneurship Award enables students to more feasibly pursue their social venture full time following graduation.
Kellogg Venture Challenge
Sponsored by the Kellogg Innovation & Entrepreneurship Initiative and the Kellogg Entrepreneur’s Organization (KEO) 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.
KIEI Summer Startup Stipend
The KIEI Summer Startup Stipend is intended for students who have business concepts that have been tested to determine that there is a compelling product-market fit.
Levy Institute Business Plan Competition Reimbursement
Levy Institute Business Pitch Competition Reimbursement helps cover travel expenses.
Project Impact – Funding for Summer Experiences
Financial support is available for social entrepreneurs working on their ventures full-time over the summer quarter.
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.
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.
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.
Questions?
Email us at thegarage@northwestern.edu