Early Stage Fund | Samuel Zell and Robert H. Lurie Institute for Entrepreneurial Studies

Our History

Zell Early Stage Fund was founded in 2015 and is part of ZLI, the Zell Lurie Institute for Entrepreneurial Studies. ZLI is ranked annually in the top 5 entrepreneurship programs in the country. It is one of the only undergraduate-run venture capital funds in the country.

Our Team

ZESF is a team of BBA Juniors and Seniors at the University of Michigan - Ross School of Business. We work together to source deals, conduct due diligence, make investment decisions, and build friendships and networks.

Our Mission

The Zell Early Stage Fund aspires to help the early-stage investing industry improve the diversity and inclusiveness of its workforce by training students who have a wide variety of personal histories and perspectives to succeed in the industry.

Our Advisors

Our advisors leverage their deep industry experience to help ZESF members learn about and invest in early-stage companies, and develop our personal and professional skills.

We are currently recruiting our next class of fund members. For more information about recruiting events and our application, please reference the Student Application page.