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The EWOR Advantage: 5 Reasons Northwestern University Students Should Look Beyond Local Incubators

EWOR Team
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EWOR Team
The EWOR Advantage: 5 Reasons Northwestern University Students Should Look Beyond Local Incubators

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As a student at Northwestern University, you may be familiar with the local incubators and entrepreneurial programmes offered on campus. While these initiatives provide valuable support, expanding your horizons could significantly increase your odds of long-term success. In fact, one study found that 87% of startups that went through top-tier programmes were still active after five years, compared to just 44% of those that went it alone. That’s the kind of difference the right programme can make.

But how do you know if an incubator programme is right for you? With so many rigid, one-size-fits-all options out there, finding the right fit can be tough. That’s where EWOR comes in: a uniquely flexible platform combining global mentorship, funding opportunities, and a prestigious network – designed specifically to help ambitious founders thrive.

In this article, we’ll explore five key reasons why Northwestern University students should look beyond their local incubators and consider EWOR to accelerate their entrepreneurial journey.

1. Access to Global Mentorship

Many university incubators and local programmes offer mentorship from faculty, alumni, or nearby founders. While helpful, these perspectives are often limited to regional markets and conventional startup paths.

EWOR operates borderless, on a global scale. Fellows are paired with mentors who have founded and scaled companies across continents and industries – including unicorns like SumUp, Adjust, and ProGlove. Rather than sporadic office hours, mentorship is built into the fabric of the programme – modular, consistent, and personal.

Northwestern University's local incubators offer valuable mentorship opportunities for early-stage entrepreneurs. These programs connect startups with a network of experienced mentors, including seasoned entrepreneurs, investors, and industry professionals, often drawing from the Northwestern alumni network. Local mentors provide tailored advice, strategic guidance, and help entrepreneurs navigate challenges specific to the local ecosystem. This support is crucial for refining business models, accessing funding, and building essential networks. The value of local mentors lies in their understanding of the regional market and their ability to open doors to relevant connections, significantly increasing the survival rate and potential for growth of new ventures.

With EWOR, you’ll have the chance to work with mentors who have scaled their businesses across different countries and industries, providing invaluable insights that can help your startup succeed in the global marketplace.

2. Larger Funding Opportunities

While local incubators may provide grants or limited seed funding, securing substantial capital is often a challenge for early-stage entrepreneurs. EWOR offers up to €500,000 in initial funding for selected startups, which can significantly boost your ability to develop your business. Moreover, EWOR provides access to a global network of investors, venture capital firms, and angel investors, ensuring that you have the opportunity to secure further rounds of funding as your startup grows.

Northwestern University offers various funding opportunities for student startups through its incubators and programs. The Garage, Northwestern's hub for student entrepreneurship, provides programs like Jumpstart, a pre-accelerator offering $10,000 awards and a non-dilutive prize pool. They also have the Little Joe Ventures Fellowship and the Luminate Program, providing awards up to $5,000 and $1,000 respectively for specific student groups. NUseeds is Northwestern's dedicated $4M pre-seed/seed investment fund for student-founded startups, offering $10,000 to $100,000 in exchange for equity. Additionally, VentureCat is an annual pitch competition where student ventures can compete for over $325,000 in prize money. Other opportunities include The Opportunity Fund, the Propel Program, and funding through Farley Center classes and the Resnick Family Social Impact Program.

By choosing EWOR, Northwestern University students can tap into larger funding sources, giving them the financial support needed to scale their businesses more effectively.

3. A Highly Selective and Prestigious Network

One of the main advantages of EWOR is the highly selective nature of its community. EWOR accepts only the top 0.1% of applicants, bringing together some of the world’s most talented and ambitious entrepreneurs. 

This exclusivity doesn’t just elevate the quality of each cohort — it also unlocks access to an extraordinary network of investors, mentors, and industry leaders. Just to name a few: Fabrice Grinda, one of the world’s leading angel investors and founder of OLX; Christian Kroll, founder of Ecosia, Europe’s largest search engine after Google; and Vaitea Cowan, co-founder of Enapter, (€640M IPO) and a Forbes’ 30 Under 30 in Energy. 

Northwestern University's local incubators, such as The Garage and the Querrey InQbation Lab, cultivate a strong network and community for students. These spaces are designed to be energetic hubs where students from various disciplines can connect and collaborate. The Garage, for instance, emphasizes creating a lively, diverse, and welcoming culture that encourages collaboration. Students benefit from resources like mentorship from entrepreneurs-in-residence and community partners, as well as programs that facilitate networking and provide opportunities to pitch ideas and receive feedback. This environment helps students build crucial connections and gain support for their entrepreneurial endeavors. Northwestern also connects students to the broader Chicago startup ecosystem through partnerships with organizations like 1871 and MATTER.

While local incubators at Northwestern University may provide valuable networking within the campus or regional ecosystem, EWOR’s global network opens doors to entirely new levels of collaboration. Fellows work alongside peers from dozens of countries and industries, connecting with elite investors, unicorn founders, and seasoned operators.

As many fellows have said, the community is one of the most unexpected – and most valuable – parts of the experience. “The real magic lies in the community: the kind of conversations, insights, and connections that lead not only to breakthroughs – but to lasting friendships with some of the most fascinating people they’ve ever met”.

4. Flexibility and Remote Access

Many local incubators require in-person participation, which can be limiting for students balancing coursework, part-time jobs, or other commitments. 

Northwestern University offers several resources for student entrepreneurship, including The Garage and INVOHub. The Garage is a physical 12,000-square-foot on-campus space designed to foster innovation and connect students with the entrepreneurial community. It houses student-founded startups and provides various resources like conference rooms, labs, and events. INVOHub is another incubator program focused on accelerating research-based startups, offering resources like mailbox rentals, short-term space, and access to university facilities. While some programs like The Garage are explicitly in-person spaces, the accessibility of other programs can vary. Northwestern also has memberships at Chicago-area accelerators like 1871, MATTER, and mHub, providing affiliates with access to their physical spaces and programming. The format of specific programs within these incubators (in-person, remote, or hybrid) can impact student participation, with hybrid and remote options potentially offering greater flexibility for students who may not be able to be on campus full-time.

EWOR’s fully remote programmes are built for modern entrepreneurs – offering the flexibility to participate from anywhere, on your terms. Northwestern University students can access top-tier mentorship, founder-led education, and global resources without needing to relocate or follow a rigid schedule. Whether you’re validating an idea or scaling your first product, you’ll have the freedom to build around your life, not the other way around.

And if you're worried about missing out on in-person connection – don’t be. EWOR hosts real-world gatherings like the EWOR Connect and EWOR House, a multi-day retreat where fellows, alumni, and investors connect in person. We also organise city-based meetups and our flagship Grand Pitch event, which brings hundreds of top-tier investors together twice a year. So while the programme is remote-first, it’s far from remote-only.

5. Comprehensive Entrepreneurial Education

Local incubators often provide valuable workshops and learning modules, but they may be limited in scope and depth. EWOR offers over 200 exclusive videos, workshops, and educational modules designed by top entrepreneurs and industry experts. This comprehensive entrepreneurial education covers everything from refining your business idea to scaling and securing funding, ensuring that you develop both as an entrepreneur and a leader.

Northwestern University's local incubators, such as The Garage, provide significant educational support for students interested in entrepreneurship. The Garage actively encourages collaboration across disciplines and supports numerous student startups each quarter. Northwestern offers various courses and learning opportunities to develop entrepreneurial skills. These include courses like "Principles of Entrepreneurship," which covers key topics such as customer discovery, finance, and marketing. Other courses delve into areas like "Engineering Entrepreneurship," focusing on technology-driven ventures, and "Startup Accounting and Finance." The university also provides courses on entrepreneurial sales and marketing, personal branding, and even social enterprise. These offerings aim to equip students with the knowledge and practical skills needed to launch and grow new ventures.

With EWOR, you’ll gain access to a more extensive and detailed entrepreneurial education, giving you the tools needed to overcome challenges and succeed in today’s competitive startup landscape.

That’s a Wrap

While Northwestern University's local incubators offer great resources for students starting their entrepreneurial journey, EWOR provides an unmatched opportunity for those looking to take their startup to the next level. With access to global mentorship, larger funding opportunities, a highly selective network, flexible remote programmes, and comprehensive entrepreneurial education, EWOR offers Northwestern University students the chance to build and scale their startups on a global stage. If you’re ready to look beyond local incubators and accelerate your entrepreneurial success, EWOR could be the ideal platform for you.

Image credits: Andrew Stutesman on Unsplash

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EWOR Team

EWOR Team

EWOR is a radically selective fellowship backing the world's top 0.1% of founders. We invest €500,000 per founder and provide intensive, bespoke support from full-time unicorn builders (SumUp, Adjust, ProGlove). Our virtual-first model helps outliers scale faster and smarter anywhere globally, tackling significant challenges and raising substantial follow-on funding.

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