Giving Opportunity: Fuel the Next Student-Led Startup

In 2015, a converted space carved out of a parking structure on Northwestern University’s Evanston campus became The Garage, a hub for student entrepreneurship. Nearly a decade later, the initiative has grown to include a dozen startup support programs that have helped more than 1,500 student businesses get off the ground.

The Garage’s programming is designed to guide students from the early stages of incubation through their growth as founders and company leaders. The Jumpstart Pre-Accelerator Program, for example, offers a 10-week summer session including workshops, team building activities, funding, and one-on-one advising to help students learn what it takes to be a successful entrepreneur.

Other programs support students who are traditionally underrepresented in the entrepreneurial space. Luminate, which is geared toward first-generation and/or lower-income students, offers workshops, mentorship, and up to $1,000 in funding for entrepreneurial projects. Recent student projects launched through Luminate have ranged from an AI-based mental health app to an online platform connecting agricultural suppliers directly with farmers. Each year, the most promising student teams across The Garage participate in VentureCat, a competition that in 2024 awarded more than $175,000 in prize money to Northwestern student ventures.

Many ideas that originated within The Garage have turned into lucrative business ventures, attracting major investors and creating jobs. In fact, startups that have participated in programming at The Garage have gone on to raise a collective $1.5 billion in funding. Amper Technologies, which began with an idea by Akshat Thirani ’16 to create software that would help companies improve manufacturing operations, has raised more than $15 million in funding and now employs over 40 people at its Chicago headquarters. Other alumni businesses have launched products that support public safety, sustainability, nonprofit fundraising, ecommerce, and health care, among other industries.

Leadership gifts at all levels enable The Garage to continue providing a launching pad for student entrepreneurs. Northwestern University Leadership Circle members can support existing programming at The Garage in the following areas:

• Startup incubation, which helps students navigate the early stages of the entrepreneurial process and provides access to resources, community events, and support services
• Student development, including mentorship and networking opportunities that help foster the growth of future business leaders
• Venture capital, awarded annually to the most promising student startups through the VentureCat competition
• Alumni engagement, including support services for alumni startups, networking, and internship opportunities pairing current students with Garage alumni

Leadership annual gifts from NULC members can help the next generation of student entrepreneurs bring innovative ideas to life. To learn more about supporting The Garage, contact Patrick Hankey at 847-467-2950 or patrick.hankey@northwestern.edu.