Start of Main Content

Entrepreneurship is a career path for many students upon graduation or later in their career. Launching a new venture raises unique challenges given that a sustainable business model has yet to be determined and financial resources are initially limited. A second path to entrepreneurship is through acquisition of an existing company, which brings challenges of its own and reaches across all business functions.

This pathway offers a curriculum that combines strategy, finance, organizations, and marketing in pursuit of successful new venture creation or acquisition of an existing company. For those interested in new ventures, the pathway includes a sequence that allows students to develop and launch new companies (ENTR 462, 464, and 466), coupled with courses that develop discipline-based skills of particular relevance to building new firms. For those interested in acquiring a company, the introductory course (ENTR 905-5) is followed by courses to develop the skills required to complete the acquisition as well as to be a successful operator.

Faculty sponsors: Ben Jones (Strategy), Mitchell Petersen (Finance).

New venture

1 | Foundational
Discover, Test, Launch Series


2 | Depth

  • Entrepreneurial Finance and Venture Capital: FINC 445
  • Global Entrepreneurial Finance: FINC 477
  • Entrepreneurship: Building Innovation, Teams, and Cultures: MORS 952-5
  • Introduction to Software Development: ENTR 451
  • Digital Marketing Implementation: MKTG 956
  • Business Law: BLAW 435
  • Launching and Leading Startups: ENTR 470
  • Startup Branding: ENTR 973-5
  • Intellectual Property for Entrepreneurs: ENTR 935-5*
  • Intellectual Capital Management: STRT 441*
  • Entrepreneurial Selling: ENTR 454
  • Entrepreneurship and Market Creation in Emerging Markets: ENTR 906-5

*These two courses have significant content overlap and students should not take both courses.


3 | Industry-Focused And Experiential

  • Medical Product Financing and Commercialization: HCAK 611
  • Social Innovation Practicum SSIM 452
  • Real Estate Entrepreneurship: REAL 465
  • Commercializing Innovations: ENTR 958
  • Digital Health for the Entrepreneur: HCAK 975-5


4 | NUVention Cross-University

NUVention courses offered through McCormick include discover, test and launch phases.

Entrepreneurship through acquisition

1 | Foundational

  • Entrepreneurship through Acquisition: ENTR 905-5


2 | Depth - Finance, Accounting and Legal


3 | Depth - Leadership And Communication


4 | Depth - Sales And Marketing


5 | Depth - Operations

  • Strategic Decisions in Operations: OPNS 454


6 | Depth - International And Emerging Markets

  • Strategic Challenges in Emerging Markets: STRT 466
  • Global Entrepreneurial Finance: FINC 477

If you are interested in this pathway, you may also want to view the Growth & Scaling and Venture Capital & Private Equity pathways.

Last edited May 14, 2024. For any questions regarding this page, please email kellogg-registrar@kellogg.northwestern.edu.

Contact us about the Full-Time MBA Program at Kellogg

Full-Time MBA Application Deadlines

Round 1: Sept. 11, 2024
Round 2: Jan. 8, 2025
Round 3: April 2, 2025