University Entrepreneurship & Innovation Consulting

Build What Matters.

We help universities design entrepreneurship centers, programs, and operations that actually work — built by a practitioner, not a consultant.

See Our Services About Mike Raab →

BUILD

I Believe

1 Now, more than ever, it's imperative that universities have resources for aspiring student entrepreneurs.
2 Entrepreneurship centers act as a flywheel for university ecosystems: attracting ambitious prospective students, enriching the student experience, and allowing accomplished alumni to engage with the ecosystem in a meaningful way.
3 No matter the available resources or funding, any university can stand up or improve their entrepreneurship offerings. The most crucial components to having a big impact are the programming strategy and people, not just competitions with large prize pools.
4 Every university — whether a flagship research institution or a small liberal arts college — deserves world-class support for their student entrepreneurs. Ambition isn't determined by endowment size.

Most consultants
study great centers.
We built one.

Mike Raab is the Executive Director of The Garage at Northwestern University — one of the country's most active student entrepreneurship centers, engaging more than 3,000 students per year. He's spent over a decade building programming, scaling operations, and designing spaces where students bring their ideas to life and solve the problems that they see in the world. Companies from The Garage have gone on to raise over $1.5 billion.

He's also the award-winning author of Founded: The No B.S. Guide for Student Entrepreneurs — an Amazon bestseller, and the book he wished he had to hand to ambitious student entrepreneurs.

Now he advises universities that are ready to build something real.

What We Do.

Three focused engagements — designed to meet you where you are and move you to where you want to be.

Entry Engagement

Assessment + Roadmap

An honest evaluation of where your entrepreneurship center stands today — across space, programming, and operations — and a clear, prioritized plan for what to build next. Includes one full on-site visit, stakeholder interviews, and a formal report presentation to leadership.

Written Report + Leadership Presentation

Project Engagement

Programming & Curriculum Build

Focused engagement to design a full programming calendar, signature events, and student engagement model from scratch. Primarily remote with one on-site working session. Delivered in 6–8 weeks.

Programming Calendar + Implementation Guide

Project Engagement

Center Launch or Rebuild

Full-scope engagement to design and launch — or significantly revamp — your entrepreneurship center. Covers space strategy, program design, staffing model, and launch plan. Includes multiple on-site visits and ongoing remote support over 3–6 months.

Full Deliverable Package

Ready to
Build
Something
Impactful?

Whether you're opening a new center or rethinking an existing one — the best first step is a conversation. No agenda, no pitch. Just an honest talk about what you're building.

Start the Conversation

or email directly: mike@serendipitystudios.co