The rest of the 100 (in alphabetical order): Emily Zaycosky, program co-ordinator, Zell Lurie Institute, Zell Founders Fund
As program co-ordinator for University of Michigan’s Zell Lurie Institute, Emily Zaycosky is responsible for supporting the student-led Zell Founders Fund.
The $10m fund was set up in 2016 and is led by a committee of students who are nominated by faculty and are responsible for identifying investment opportunities. The fund was part of a $60m endowment made in 2015 by Sam Zell, a University of Michigan alumnus and chairman of investment firm Equity Group Investments.
Aside from overseeing this fund, Zaycosky manages the Zell Entrepreneurs elite mentoring program at the university and a number of other student-led investment funds.
One of the Zell Founders Fund’s most recent deals was a $100,000 investment in September in SMPL, an organic snack brand set up by graduate Ellis Fried.
In August this year, the fund invested the same amount in plant-based jerky producer Mindwell.