Entrepreneurship in Action: How Ross Students Are Turning Ideas into Impact
For Ross School of Business students with entrepreneurial ambitions, the Zell Lurie Institute for Entrepreneurship provides the resources and support to turn innovative ideas into thriving ventures.
Since it was founded in 1999, the Zell Lurie Institute at Michigan Ross has become one of the best-resourced entrepreneurship and venture investing university programs in the country. It provides students with opportunities to gain experience starting their own businesses, investing through real funds, and leading through internships and other focused experiences.
ZLI is best known among Ross students for its five student-led investment funds, which have more than $10 million under management; the startup studio; and the Michigan Business Challenge, which awards winning students cash prizes totaling more than $100,000.
In addition to providing resources to current students, ZLI also provides resources to alums. Many Ross alums have utilized opportunities through ZLI to grow and scale their businesses, like alum Vishal Chandawarkar, BBA ’13/MBA ’20, who collaborated with the Desai Accelerator program to help maximize the potential of his startup, Verbalista.
To learn more about the many ways students are using resources from ZLI to enhance their business education, we asked three current students to tell us about their entrepreneurship experiences at Michigan Ross so far.
Dillon Rich, MBA ’25
Hometown
San Francisco, California
Post-graduation career goal
Venture capital investing. I want to expand my early-stage investing experience by joining a business-to-business tech-focused venture capital firm in the Bay Area.
What resources or programs at ZLI have been most valuable to you?
The Silicon Valley Experience was one of the most eye-opening, transformative experiences of my entire MBA. While on this week-long, fully funded trip to the Bay Area, I met with more than 20 Michigan alum investors, founders, and technology executives who shared invaluable insights into their professional paths, current roles, and the investing and start-up ecosystems. These friendly, in-person sessions reinforced my commitment to a career in venture capital, expanded my network, and filled me with pride to be a Wolverine. I've stayed in touch with the incredible mentors I met on this trek, and I feel inspired to give back to future Michigan students as they did with me.
Were there any courses, workshops, or competitions that have helped you refine your approach to leadership or business strategy?
Competing twice in the Michigan Investment Challenge helped me hone my leadership skills, investing intuition, and due diligence abilities. Leveraging takeaways from my first entry into the competition, my team and I were able to collaborate more effectively, build rapport with start-up founders, and communicate conviction during our investment memo presentation. I was honored to partner with this incredible group of MBA students, win MIC, and continue on to take first place in the regional Venture Capital Investment Competition on behalf of Ross for the first time in 10 years. We could not have achieved this without the encouragement and support of Anne Perigo, associate director of student programs, Mike Johnson, Entrepreneur-in-Residence and lecturer in entrepreneurial studies, Tom Denys, student program coordinator, and the rest of ZLI.
How has mentorship through the institute impacted your overall experience at Michigan Ross?
From the beginning, the team at ZLI has made me feel like a part of their family, guided me along my journey to land multiple VC internships, and given me a platform to mentor others. As managing director of the Wolverine Venture Fund, I care deeply about paying forward all of the support I have received from Erik Gordon, faculty director of the Wolverine Venture Fund and Zell Early Stage Fund and clinical assistant professor of entrepreneurial studies, the fund's previous leadership team, and my fellow classmates as we educate new members and pursue investment opportunities together.
What do you wish other students knew about ZLI?
I've learned that, in order to land a role in venture capital, you need to be able to demonstrate that you can "do the job before you have the job." Engaging deeply with ZLI programming will give you the tools and confidence to truly stand out as an applicant. You will also get access to the ZLI Collab Space — one of the best dedicated working spots in Ross!
Cory Sihombing, MBA ’25
Hometown
I am originally from Indonesia, a country known for its rich agricultural heritage and spice trade. My home’s deep connection to farming and natural resources has always inspired me.
Post-graduation career goal
My goal post-MBA is to scale Agro Santara into a globally recognized, sustainable, and ethical cinnamon supply chain. Together with my co-founders, I aim to revolutionize the spice industry by ensuring transparency, traceability, and fair farmer compensation while expanding market reach into the United States and beyond.
What resources or programs at ZLI have been most valuable to you?
ZLI has played a critical role in shaping my entrepreneurial journey. Programs such as the Zell Entrepreneurs Venture Track, Michigan Business Challenge, Dare to Dream, and other ZLI funding resources provided me with the necessary mentorship and capital (my startup received grants of $10,000 and $300), along with free legal consultation through the Zell Clinic, and structured guidance to refine Agro Santara’s business model. The access to workshops and mentorship from seasoned entrepreneurs helped me confidently navigate the complexities of building a B2B enterprise.
Were there any courses, workshops, or competitions that have helped you refine your approach to leadership or business strategy?
Multiple courses at Ross contributed to my entrepreneurial mindset and business acumen. New Product Innovation Management (MKT 625) helped me understand market positioning and customer segmentation, while New Venture Creation (ES 615) challenged me to think critically about business models and venture scalability. Additionally, participating in the Zell Entrepreneurs Venture Track, MBC Impact Track, and the Dare to Dream program pushed me to refine Agro Santara’s mission, ensuring that social impact and business growth go hand in hand. These experiences shaped my approach to leadership, stakeholder engagement, and strategic decision-making.
How has mentorship through the institute impacted your overall experience at Michigan Ross?
Mentorship at ZLI has been invaluable. Guidance from experienced entrepreneurs, industry professionals, and faculty members helped me refine Agro Santara’s strategy and avoid common pitfalls. Special thanks to my mentors, Gregg Latterman, executive director and clinical assistant professor of entrepreneurial studies, and Steve Janssens, director of student and alumni programs, for their tremendous support. Conversations with mentors shaped our blockchain-enabled transparency model, emphasizing how technology can enhance the spice trade’s credibility and efficiency. The ability to learn from successful founders gave me the confidence to push forward despite challenges.
What do you wish other students knew about ZLI?
ZLI offers more than just funding; it provides a comprehensive ecosystem of mentorship, networking, and structured support that can take an idea from conception to execution. Many students underestimate the value of participating in competitions like the MBC, but these platforms allow you to pressure test your ideas in a real-world setting. Additionally, the ZLI community fosters collaboration, where you meet like-minded individuals who can become co-founders, advisors, or lifelong supporters of your entrepreneurial journey. My advice to students: leverage these resources early and often.
Jonah Liss, BBA/BS ’25
Hometown
Bloomfield Hills, Michigan
Post-graduation career goal
After graduation, I will continue to work at MeetYourClass, a company I co-founded. My goal is to be a lifelong entrepreneur, and I hope that MeetYourClass is one of many early-stage ideas I can help bring to life and scale to maturity.
What resources or programs at ZLI have been most valuable to you?
The Zell Entrepreneurs Program has been the most valuable resource for me individually as an entrepreneur. However, for MeetYourClass, the Zell Lab for Technologies changed our company's trajectory forever. Through ZLT, with the support of Entrepreneur-in-Residence Rashmi Menon and a graduate student from the School of Information, we spent an entire summer completely rebuilding our platform from the ground up. We had already brought MeetYourClass from zero to one; however, this set us up to go from one to 100. Following the program, the graduate student we were paired with has continued working with us full-time.
Were there any courses, workshops, or competitions that have helped you refine your approach to leadership or business strategy?
Outside of the Zell Entrepreneurs Program and ZLT, we have also had the privilege to participate in the Dare to Dream Program, the Customer Acquisition Program, the Michigan Business Challenge, as well as receive support from the Zell Law Lab. Outside of ZLI, other great resources that have helped define me as an entrepreneur and MeetYourClass as a company include the Center for Entrepreneurship, clubs (e.g. V1, UpRound), and the MAP Capstone Project. I also learned a lot from taking Entrepreneurial Management (ES 395), New Product and Innovation Management (ES 425), and Entrepreneurship Hour (ENTR 407).
How has mentorship through the institute impacted your overall experience at Michigan Ross?
With so much of the business world based on apprenticeship, mentorship has been at the heart of my experience at Michigan Ross. In particular, part of what I think makes Ross so special is that apprenticeship does not just come from classes but also through upperclassmen, clubs, alumni, and school-run programs outside of classes.
What do you wish other students knew about ZLI?
I believe the most underutilized resource through ZLI and, frankly, the university as a whole, are the speaker and alumni spotlight events. Going through Ross, it is sometimes easy to view the different post-grad career paths people take as siloed "tracks." However, everything in the business world is so connected, and I think attending speaker and alumni spotlight events are some of the best opportunities to zoom out and see how that whole ecosystem operates.
In particular, I would urge students to seek out speaker and alumni engagement events outside of the fields they are interested in. Even though I plan to go into entrepreneurship post-grad, some of my most formative learning experiences have been from attending events and spotlights hosted by people working in finance, consulting, sales, etc.
