ZELL LURIE INSTITUTE MISSION AND PRIORITIES The Zell Lurie Institute at the University of Michigan Ross School of Business aims to educate and inspire people to think and act in ways that create economic and social value. The Zell Lurie Institute (ZLI) hosts co-curricular programs and experiential learning opportunities that support undergraduate and graduate students from across campus, as well as alumni, who are interested in entrepreneurship and venture capital. The institute’s top three priorities are to educate and train students and alums to start businesses, invest in businesses, and lead entrepreneurial organizations. Start a venture: discover how to ideate, validate ideas, launch a venture, plan for scale and growth, and gain transferable skills in any industry Invest real dollars in real startups: think and act like an investor; learn how to source deals, evaluate startups, perform due diligence, negotiate with entrepreneurs, and gain deep industry expertise Lead entrepreneurial organizations: learn innovative concepts to solve complex challenges, gain experience working within innovative companies and venture capital firms, and strengthen professional networks
ACHIEVEMENTS OF THE YEAR Start. The annual Michigan Business Challenge, a University-wide and multi-round competition, guided participants through new venture creation, from writing business plans to pitching to judges. The competition features three tracks: Seigle Impact Track for mission-driven businesses. Pryor-Hale Innovation Track for consumer or enterprise ventures. Pryor-Hale Invention Track for high-tech ventures with intellectual property. Last academic year, students refined their business plans and pitches, winning over $100,000 in cash prizes. Invest. The Venture Capital Investment Competition is the world's largest venture capital competition with over 120 university and graduate teams globally. Unlike typical pitch competitions, students act as investors while real entrepreneurs pitch to them. Annually, the competition hosts 50+ events on four continents, involving over 1,500 students, 150 venture capitalists, and 100 entrepreneurs. Last year’s U-M undergraduate team won first place in the Undergraduate Midwest Regional Finals, hosted at Carnegie Mellon University. Lead. Every spring, students in the Zell Entrepreneurs program make an international trek to network with fellow entrepreneurs. The 2023-2024 cohort traveled to Singapore, immersing themselves in the city's entrepreneurial ecosystem. As a global hub for innovation, Singapore provided an unparalleled setting for learning about startups. The week concluded with a reflective lunch where students shared their takeaways, unanimously agreeing that the trip was a tremendous learning experience that encouraged them to think big and global in their entrepreneurial journeys.
2023–2024 IMPACT BY THE NUMBERS Approximately 750 students participated in ZLI programs. 180 alumni participated in ZLI programs as recipients of support. 16 of the 19 schools and colleges at U-M were represented in ZLI programs Over 30 programs were offered for students and alums interested in entrepreneurship and venture capital More than $1M was allocated to students and alumni 11 investments were made by ZLI student-led funds