Gies Business Launches Illinois' First Student‑led Venture Capital Fund

Thanks to a generous gift from Illinois alumni Douglas and Deborah Ackerman, Gies College of Business is pleased to announce the launch of a new student‑led venture capital investing program—Orange & Blue Ventures.

In Orange & Blue Ventures, Illinois students will invest real money in promising startups and build relationships with startup founders across a wide range of industries. This exciting new program is an extension of the Origin Ventures Office of Entrepreneurship, and it will be led by Department of Finance faculty, in collaboration with several campus and industry partners.

Orange & Blue Ventures will connect students with the extensive cache of expertise throughout Gies Business and the University of Illinois System, giving them early insights into the relationship between entrepreneurship and early‑stage investing.