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ETA Discovery Cohort

The Entrepreneurship through Acquisition (ETA) Discovery Cohort provides curated opportunities for students at Chicago Booth to explore ETA. This program is open to Chicago Booth MBA students, Master in Finance, and Master in Management students. Participation in the ETA Discovery Cohort serves as the next step for students who are considering ETA career paths.

Interested students can register for the ETA Discovery Cohort for the fall and/or winter quarters. The Cohorts are open to all students exploring ETA who can commit to active participation and attendance at three mandatory Cohort events: an ETA educational workshop, a Discovery Talk, and a Cohort lunch facilitated by a Booth ETA Professor.

Additional opportunities may be provided, such as mentorship meetings with Visiting ETA Advisors. Discovery Talks, workshop topics, and Visiting ETA Advisors rotate each quarter to provide students with new programming. Students who sign up for the ETA Discovery Cohort will be given priority if they decide to apply to the ETA Fellows Program in their second MBA year.

The Winter 2026 registration is now closed. Fall 2026 cohort registration will open in September 2026.

Program Details:

  • Open to current Chicago Booth students in the MBA Full-Time and Part-Time programs, EMBA program, Master in Management program, and Master in Finance program who are interested in exploring entrepreneurship through acquisition.
  • Offered twice per year: fall quarter and winter quarter
  • Intake in early and late fall quarter through an ETA Discovery Cohort registration form
  • Exclusive program components:
    • Peer networking within the ETA Discovery Cohort through social events
    • Weekly emails with current Booth ETA events, news, and deadlines
    • Discovery Talks with searchers, investors, and operators
    • ETA Resource Guide used for maintaining ETA resources
    • Quarterly cohort lunch facilitated by Chicago Booth ETA Faculty Member
  • Participation expectations:
    • Participants in the ETA Discovery Cohort will commit to attending the following during the respective quarter: 1) at least one Polsky ETA workshop; 2) an ETA Discovery Talk; and 3) the ETA Discovery Cohort kick-off lunch or social event