Over the years, various MBA students from Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management have led promising Northwestern-generated technologies into the marketplace.
In 2012, for instance, JD/MBA student Benjamin Hernandez steered the creation of Numat Technologies, a company based on the software-driven chemistry research of Omar Farha, a faculty member in the Department of Chemistry. Today, Numat is a global leader in the field of precision chemistries, changing the way industries around the world capture and separate environmentally hazardous materials.
Other high-performing companies, such as Surgical Innovation Associates and SiNode Systems (now NanoGraf), share a similar story of MBA-student involvement driving the translation of Northwestern research.
We have the science part, but there are so many questions to work through on the business side. Having a motivated Kellogg-Q resident with us has been so valuable to understanding the market opportunities, our customers, and the current business ecosystem.”
Yosi Kratish, Co-founder, NylaNova
Too often, however, serendipity played matchmaker, which tempted fate and risked derailing the prospects of promising commercial ideas. With the Kellogg-Q Entrepreneurial Residency program, Kellogg and the Querrey InQbation Lab replace serendipity with intentionality.
Introduced in 2022, the Kellogg-Q Entrepreneurial Residency pairs Northwestern innovators with entrepreneurially minded MBA students charged to stimulate the translation of high-impact research.
Over the quarter-long residency, which counts as an independent study course, MBAs help their partner researchers build a bridge to market for their technologies. They conduct market analyses and competitive landscape reviews. They craft go-to-market strategies and strengthen business cases. Their important legwork pushes researchers’ technology further along the translational continuum, empowering the faculty entrepreneurs to anticipate and overcome regulatory, financial, or business hurdles that typically sidetrack upstart ventures.
First-year MBA student Max Engle, a consultant with the Boston Consulting Group before pursuing his graduate degree at Northwestern, was one of eight Kellogg-Q residents during the spring 2024 quarter and was assigned to NylaNova. A pre-funding company originating from research in the lab of renowned chemistry professor Tobin Marks, NylaNova’s technologies break down nylon into its virgin starting components via low-temperature, solvent-free chemical recycling. Currently, nylon chemical recycling rates sit below 2 percent, which underscores the significant market opportunity for an effective solution.
Engle devoted the spring quarter to investigating demand and the competitive landscape as well as the sourcing and cost of both nylon and recycled nylon, products commonly used in a range of industries, including apparel and automotive. Engle then accepted an invitation from NylaNova leadership to stay on for the summer, where he contributed to the startup’s marketing and fundraising efforts. Engle developed a database of some 5,000 potential buyers and partners, refined the company’s pitch deck, and helped finalize a proposal for federal funding.
Through the Kellogg-Q Entrepreneurial Residency, Northwestern innovators and startups are receiving critical business development support to strengthen their marketplace positioning and elevate their prospects for commercial success.