Zell Entrepreneurs Program
Exceptional Entrepreneurs
Zell Entrepreneurs is an elite program designed to provide support to students who are dedicated to work on their businesses full-time upon graduation. Students selected to participate in this immersive, year-long program will receive support, mentorship, resources, and funding to get their ventures launch ready.
Zell Entrepreneurs is open to final-year students from all University of Michigan schools and colleges in Ann Arbor.
Meet the 2024-2025 Zell Entrepreneurs
Venture Track
ETA Track
Chris Brymer
Pavani Chennamsetti
Tyler Jensen
Drake “Drake” Leonard II
Tyler Malm
Rob Squiers
Mentorship
Zell Entrepreneurs receive one-on-one mentorship from Michigan Ross faculty and external advisers from across business sectors.
Support
Zell Entrepreneurs are a cohort of like-minded individuals that are driven to make their new venture a success. Once the program has completed, students remain engaged through the global ZGen network.
Connections
Zell Entrepreneurs are invited to work with students from our sister programs at the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University and Reichman University at the Zell Entrepreneurs yearly trek to Tel Aviv, Israel.
Funding
Zell Entrepreneurs receive up to $10,000 to invest in their new venture. Participants also have an opportunity to apply for financial investment from the Zell Founders Fund following graduation.
Application
Zell Entrepreneurs is actively seeking a new cohort for the 2024/25 academic year. There are two tracks for this program, Venture and ETA. Applications are due for both tracks on September 22 at 11:59 p.m. EST. Please apply for either track below and contact [email protected] with questions.
Academic credit is not available for participation in this program.
Info Session
To learn more about the Zell Entrepreneurs Program, please attend one of our information sessions. The in-person session will be held on Thursday, September 5, from 5 to 6 p.m., and the virtual session will take place on Friday, September 6, from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m.
Zell Entrepreneurs Program Alumni
Trinity Brown, BBA ’24, founder of Trinity Barbara
Jason Obrycki, BSE ’24, founder of BioLink
Tirth Patel, BSE ’24, founder of ImmiHealth
Karthik Ramani, MBA ’24, founder of Dialysis Innovations
Karthik Ramasubramanian, MBA ’24, founder of OrganFlow
Faith Richardson, BBA ’24, founder of Mitzi Development
Jake Sadow, BA ’24, founder of Current2
Matthew Stone, MBA ’24, founder of Pathless Productions
Ana Timoficiuc, BSE ‘24, founder of MinaRosa
Cory Cooney, MBA ’23, co-founder of EpiSLS
James Holland, MBA ’23, co-founder of Halcyon Hempworks
Abigail Miars, BA ’23, founder of UMICH APPAREL
Kayan Mishra, BBA ’23, founder of PerfectSelf
Michael O’Brien, MBA ’23, founder of Verso
Sebastien Patino, BBA ’23, co-founder of Bastion
Joshua Sum; BSE ’23, co-founder of BeatNami
Nathan Alston, MBA ’22, co-founder of Plucky Comics
Justin Gainsley, BBA ’22, founder of Wander
Dimitri Alejo Giraldo, MBA ’22, founder of Creating Who You Are
Akhil Kondepudi, BS ’22, founder of Phonica
Alec Kremins, BBA ’22, co-founder of Ember
Megan Martis, MSE 21′, founder of CLOVO
Claire Pardington, WMBA ’22, founder of Pardington Collective
Dylan Rushton, MSE ’21, co-founder of Arbor Simulation
Justin Woods, MBA/MSW ’21, founder of EQuity
Tim Blair, MBA ’21, founder of Bramble
Sean Geier, MBA ’21, co-founder of Scopal
Ben Hilkert, BBA ’21, founder of Kare
Stew Kerr, MBA ’21, co-founder of MyAutO2
Kaitlyn Lo, MBA ’21, founder of Just Enough Wines
Varun Madan, BBA ’21, founder of LeaseMagnets
Kene Onuorah, BBA ’21, founder of Comme Homme
Imani Rickerby, MPH ’21, founder of Aurora Tights
Dan Zakon, BS ’21, founder of MintyBrain
Connor Boike, BBA ’20, founder of Skope
Hugh Davis, MS ’20, co-founder of Revolin Sports
Rima Fadlallah, MBA ’20, founder of For Dearborn
Natalie Fang, MBA ’20, co-founder of Nochi
Tyler Makhani, BBA ’20, founder of THE WHEREHOUSE
Danielle Mandelblatt, BBA ’20, founder of Lenny&Lee
Angel Rodriguez, BSE ’20, founder of Vitresoft
Rachel Skolnick, MBA ’20, founder of Women Who Launch
Pranav Tadikonda, BSE ’20, co-founder of Pikki
Hope Tambala, MSI ’20, founder of Puente
Steffan Bankier, MBA ’19, founder of Rootcraft
Tim Carter, MBA ’19, founder of AIM Tech
Dhruv Dhawan, MBA ’19, founder of Bschool Travel
Alison Elgass, BS ’19, co-founder of BusyBox
Alexander Gonzalez, BBA ’19, founder of CommerceCat
Jack Griffin, BBA ’19, founder of FoodFinder
Catalina Kaiyoorawongs, MBA/MS ’19, founder of Dough
Holly Meyers, MBA ’19, founder of Holly Keith Linge
Akira Nishii, BSE ’19, founder of Perch
Florence Noel, MBA/MSI ’19, founder of Dear Black Women
Patrick Skelly, BS ’19, founder of LineLeap
Matt Stelmach, MBA ’19, founder of Graduates Unbound
Ann Duong, MSI ’18, co-founder of With Canopy Co.
Kiley Judge, BS ’18, co-founder of Quirk
Benjamin Kriegsman, BS ’18, founder of Spade America
Alexander Mills, BSE ’18, co-founder of Arbor Automation
Scott Munekawa, MBA ’18, founder of Bloomscape
Danny Sheridan, BBA ’18, founder of Woodside Distributors
Arshan Ahmad, MBA ’17, founder of Indie Incubator
Ellis Fried, BBA ’17, founder of proteinbits
Jordan Golshan, BBA ’17, co-founder of StepFor
Spencer Heaton, MBA ’17, co-founder of Panacea Health
Rachel Jaffe, MSI/MURP ’17, co-founder of Adjacent
Walker McHugh, MSE ’17, founder of PreDxion Bio
Austin Rief, BBA ’17, co-founder of Morning Brew
Sheleen Sahi, MBA ’17, founder of Sahi Cosmetics
Nate Sladek, MBA ’17, co-founder of Statum
Ally Stewart, MBA ’17, co-founder of Thrive
Josh Gottesman, BBA ’16, co-founder of BeloDoc
Marco Hidalgo, MBA ’16, founder of Inverxion
Zachary Neff, BBA ’16, co-founder of BeloDoc
Chiedozie Okafor, MBA ’16, founder of NELO
Joe Price, MBA ’16, founder of Grown Up Sports
Howard Sobel, BBA ’16, co-founder of Saturnup
Luiz Sodre, MBA ’16, founder of Perfarm
Girim Sung, MBA ’16, founder of Pathlyte
Upcoming Events
No upcoming events.