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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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