Entrepreneurship Through Acquisition Program

Chicago Booth Entrepreneurship through Acquisition (ETA) is supported by the Svider Private Equity Program and comprises a suite of programs and resources designed to provide graduating students and alumni with access to the education, capital, mentorship, and resources necessary to acquire and grow small businesses.

These offerings include a credit-bearing course on the ETA process, an annual conference, ETA and CXO workshop series, active student groups, various programs, and access to a robust network of alumni pursuing careers in ETA.

Chicago Booth ETA Course

Taught by industry experts, the ETA course gives students frameworks and real-world solutions to use if they decide to pursue an acquisition and lead a company. The class walks through the life cycle of a typical path toward finding and running a business, including information on fund formation, raising capital, searching for a company, buying a business, leading that business, and then, ultimately, selling it.

Approximately half of the course covers critical points leading up to buying a business, while the other half addresses key issues executives face while running a company. Although the main focus is on buying and running a business, the class is designed to be applicable to many other career paths, including private equity, venture capital, and entrepreneurship.