Frankel Commercialization Fund
Overview | Student Participation
| Application for Funding
| Portfolio | Advisors
The Frankel Commercialization Fund (FCF) is a pre-seed investment
fund established to identify and accelerate the commercialization
of ideas generated within the University community and the surrounding
area. The team adopts a hands-on approach to investing that
leverages the talents and resources available at the Stephen
M. Ross School of Business at the University of Michigan to
make a real impact for the entrepreneur and the University.
The Frankel team is actively looking for entrepreneurs seeking
pre-seed funds to turn big ideas into exceptional companies.
The goals of the FCF are to:
- Identify and enable the commercialization of research and
ideas originating within the University of Michigan community.
- Create a financially self-sustainable process of research
commercialization, by which exits from past investments fund
future investments.
- Provide hands-on business strategy assistance to the entrepreneur
to help position them for success.
- Enable an action-based educational experience for Ross
MBA students in early stage company formation and evaluation.
- Build excitement within the University community about
the prospects of research commercialization.
The strength of the Frankel Fund is directly derived from the
core team of Ross MBA students ("Frankel
Fellows"), selected for their depth of experience in
health care and technology industries and their interest in
early stage company formation. The Frankel Fellows are organized
into two investment teams, one specializing in health care investments
and the other on technology investments.
Each Frankel team may invest up to $100,000 per investment
(in multiple installments) to entrepreneurial ideas with great
potential and a vision for the future. The teams are mentored
by Tom
Porter, the Fund's managing director and executive-in-residence
at the Zell Lurie Institute for Entrepreneurial Studies at the
Ross School, and guided by an advisory
board, consisting of experienced executives in health care
and information technologies and early-stage company formation
and investing.
Student Testimonials
“Being a Frankel Fellow has been an amazing and practical
experience. Our team worked all steps of the early stage investment
process, from originating a host of potential portfolio opportunities,
through due diligence, to a final recommendation and deal completion.
No other student managed investment experience offers the kind
of real world experience as the Frankel Fund.” Scott Peterson,
Ross MBA 2007
“My experience in the Frankel Fund has without question
been the most enriching aspect of my MBA education. The unique
blend of real world experience infused with academic structure
has helped to solidify both my classroom knowledge and ability
to add value to the early-stage technology commercialization
process.” Carl Timm, Ross MBA 2007
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