Education + Mentorship

The Polsky Center offers two free, non-credit courses for scientists at the University of Chicago and affiliated national labs who are interested in learning more about entrepreneurship and venture capital. Both courses are taught by Booth faculty members and catered to the scientific community. Each course requires a separate application to be considered for enrollment – current graduate students, faculty, researchers, and staff conducting scientific research and study at UChicago, Argonne National Lab, Fermilab, and the Marine Biological Laboratory are eligible to apply. Interested participants should complete the application; the Booth registrar’s office does not register students until after you have been accepted to the respective course. Please note that Booth students are not eligible to participate. Attendance at all class sessions is mandatory. Additional details on the courses for scientists are below.

BUSN 34501: Entrepreneurship for Science and Medicine
Taught by Prof. Robert Altman, Entrepreneurship for Science and Medicine will provide an introduction to the field of entrepreneurship, not only familiarizing participants with common topics and frameworks, but also introducing them to real-life entrepreneurs and investors. Given its audience, the course will have a special focus on entrepreneurship in scientific fields and how scientists can play a role in the commercialization of their research and inventions. The goal of the course is to provide a greater understanding around what it takes to bring a research discovery or idea to market for a larger societal impact.

Individuals interested in an introduction to entrepreneurship are encouraged to apply; neither a team nor an idea is necessary for acceptance. This course can serve as a precursor to or a continuation of the Polsky Center I-Corps Program. Entrepreneurship for Science and Medicine will be offered in the Autumn 2023 quarter. The application will be available in Summer 2023.

Questions? Contact Anna Wislocki, assistant director, sciences and the Duality Accelerator at the Polsky Center, at anna.wislocki@chicagobooth.edu 

BUSN 34502: Introduction to Venture Capital: A Toolkit for Analyzing and Financing Startups

The Introduction to Venture Capital class is a combination of Professor Scott Meadow’s Commercializing Innovation and Entrepreneurial Finance + Private Equity classes taught at Chicago Booth. This class will serve as a comprehensive introduction to the world of venture capital and equip you with the tools to analyze a private enterprise (startup). The first half of the course will focus on “building intellectual proof of concept” – a research- and data-driven approach to communicating the strategy and underlying economics of a new venture in an effective manner. The second half of the course will focus on the venture capitalist’s perspective on financing new enterprises and provide you with an understanding of valuation, security design, term sheet design, and the legal documentation and negotiation process that occurs around a startup financing event and exit. You’ll learn the methods of analysis to make the proper judgment from the investor’s point-of-view. The course will require that you develop primary and secondary research skills, a data-driven approach to creating referenceable projections, presentation skills, negotiation skills, and the ability to do meaningful analysis (i.e. to think creatively and logically).

Introduction to Venture Capital will be offered in Winter 2024. The application will be available in Fall 2023.

Questions? Contact Ellen Zatkowski, associate director for science programs and initiatives at the Polsky Center, at ellen.zatkowski@chicagobooth.edu.

The Entrepreneur-in-Residence and Investors-in-Residence programs provide mentorship and coaching to University of Chicago students and alumni. Successful Chicago-based entrepreneurs are available to meet throughout the academic year (from September through early June), and have provided key insight and mentorship to dozens of companies. We also host regular small group sessions and workshops with the EIRs and IIRs. To book an appointment with an EIR/IIR, please fill out this form to request an appointment.