Startups
Through Kellogg’s Levy Inspiration Grant Program, young entrepreneurs conduct firsthand research abroad to investigate potential business ideas. Students have traveled to Guyana, Switzerland, Vietnam, Japan and Australia to look into innovations in rum production, dairy farming, last-mile delivery services, mental health treatments using psilocybin, and putting insects on the menu at restaurants.
Katlyn Gao is co-founder and CEO of League One Volleyball (LOVB), the largest youth volleyball community in the U.S. The organization is launching LOVB Pro, a women’s volleyball professional circuit that’s set to begin regular season play this January with franchises in six U.S.
After struggling to get his young daughter to learn the rules of football, Mike Schroder launched Future Fans, a series of activity boxes that help kids learn the rules of the game through picture books and fun games. It’s about creating opportunities intergenerational connection, he says.
Shonali Ditz’s time in Northwestern Formula Racing led her to found SparkShop, a nonprofit delivering engineering curricula to Chicago students underrepresented in STEM.
Launched in 2015 in a converted space within a campus parking structure, The Garage has helped more than 10,000 students explore the world of entrepreneurship. Ten years later, it has expanded beyond the Evanston campus, utilizing Northwestern’s academic space in San Francisco to offer programming for Bay Area alumni who are a part of the startup ecosystem.
Jehana Ray founded PackLess Travel, a clothing rental service helping tourists travel lighter.
Chelsea Jeon and Ryan Jeon co-founded Immigo, a peer-to-peer English learning platform powered by AI.
Manufacturing and design engineering majors Gass Iyacu ’24 and Emma Jackson ’24 teamed up with classmates Pratham Bansal ’24, Alicia Cabrera ’24 and Kevin Kaspar ’24 to invent an expandable bike helmet that accommodates thick, curly and voluminous hair while prioritizing safety and ventilation.
Ryan Cook ’12 and Mitch Lee ’11 met at Northwestern, where they both studied mechanical engineering, and later worked together at Boeing. They co-founded Arc in 2021, and in early 2024 the company unveiled its first mass-market model, the Arc Sport, a high-performance EV boat designed for wake sports.
Researchers plan to 3D-print a lunar landing pad using the moon’s own materials, with the aim of building a permanent base on the moon. But first they need to analyze what moon dust is made of (and nope, it’s not cheese).
