University programme · Evanston, Illinois, United States

The Garage at Northwestern

Northwestern University's student startup hub in Evanston, with a Residency that gives teams desks, 24/7 access and an industry mentor, and a 10-week summer Jumpstart accelerator with funding.

Status unknown Run by Northwestern University

Verified 18 October 2026 · From the programme's own pages

Terms

Funding
not published Jumpstart teams receive a summer award, half at the start and half earned over the summer, plus a student stipend; Demo Day has a US$10,000 prize pool
Instrument
not published
Equity taken
not published
Programme fee
not published
Duration
not published
Cohort size
not published
Cohorts
not published
Delivery
In person
Stages
Idea, pre-seed
Sectors
Sector-agnostic
Open to founders from
not published
Perks
  • Dedicated desk
  • 24/7 access
  • Industry mentor
  • Weekly Family Dinner with a startup leader
  • Priority mentor office hours

Jumpstart runs for 10 weeks each summer and expects at least 40 hours a week from each team member, with no other jobs or internships.

Application dates

Status unknown

Dates not published. Resident teams are selected each quarter; Jumpstart runs each summer.

Usual timing: Resident teams are selected each quarter; Jumpstart runs each summer.

Who can apply

  • Most programmes are open to full-time, degree-seeking Northwestern students from any school
  • Residency teams need at least two members, and the team lead must have spent a quarter on the venture in the Tinker or Residency programme
  • Jumpstart teams need at least two people and must be early-stage ventures, not ones already fundraising
  • Stage: idea, pre-seed

What founders should check

  1. The programme does not publish how much equity it takes. Ask before you accept a place.
  2. It does not publish a fee. Ask whether you pay for desks, services or the programme itself.
  3. It runs in person in Evanston. Plan to be there for the length of the programme.
  4. Dates for the next cohort are not published. Resident teams are selected each quarter; Jumpstart runs each summer.

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