Search Fund Garage is an intensive, hands-on, project-based course for students planning to pursue a search fund directly after or within a few years of graduation. Students will learn from the instructors, course peers, and class visitors, particularly top current search entrepreneurs, CEOs, and investors. This course is designed to assist students who are seriously pursuing a search fund. Those who have taken Entrepreneurial Acquisition (S543) or researched search funds extensively, including holding discussions with current searchers, investors, and CEO's, will benefit the most from this advanced, experiential course. By the end of the course, students will be prepared to or will already have raised search capital and launched their search, if they choose to do so. The course is not a good fit for students who do not know the basics of search funds (such as from taking S543) or are not likely to pursue a search fund upon or within a few years of graduation. Pursuing self-developed work plans that target the aspects of the search fund path most relevant to them at the time of the course, students will target industry segments and business models, evaluate investors, structure their search entity, set up their search process and outreach materials, perhaps begin to contact business owners, and develop wisdom about what makes a deal attractive or unattractive, among other experiences. Students will hear from class guests, including current searchers, standing CEO's of search-acquired companies, active investors, and former searchers (some of whom "failed" at buying a company) in order to inform their various decisions as they pursue a search fund. Each student will receive feedback on how they can be a more effective search fund entrepreneur. Teams of two are fine but not necessary. Most students join the class as individuals and all will be graded individually.This course is offered by the Graduate School of Business. It builds on the processes taught in Entrepreneurial Acquisition (S543) and detailed in the Stanford Primer on Search Funds (2020). The course provides a supportive yet challenging environment that will help students step outside of their comfort zone and accelerate learning. By the end of the course each will be better prepared to launch a search than many of the searchers who have come before.
2 units · GSB Letter Graded
Search Fund Garage is an intensive, hands-on, project-based course for students planning to pursue a search fund directly after or within a few years of graduation. Students will learn from the instructors, course peers, and class visitors, particularly top current search entrepreneurs, CEOs, and investors. This course is designed to assist students who are seriously pursuing a search fund. Those who have taken Entrepreneurial Acquisition (S543) or researched search funds extensively, including holding discussions with current searchers, investors, and CEO's, will benefit the most from this advanced, experiential course. By the end of the course, students will be prepared to or will already have raised search capital and launched their search, if they choose to do so. The course is not a good fit for students who do not know the basics of search funds (such as from taking S543) or are not likely to pursue a search fund upon or within a few years of graduation. Pursuing self-developed work plans that target the aspects of the search fund path most relevant to them at the time of the course, students will target industry segments and business models, evaluate investors, structure their search entity, set up their search process and outreach materials, perhaps begin to contact business owners, and develop wisdom about what makes a deal attractive or unattractive, among other experiences. Students will hear from class guests, including current searchers, standing CEO's of search-acquired companies, active investors, and former searchers (some of whom "failed" at buying a company) in order to inform their various decisions as they pursue a search fund. Each student will receive feedback on how they can be a more effective search fund entrepreneur. Teams of two are fine but not necessary. Most students join the class as individuals and all will be graded individually.This course is offered by the Graduate School of Business. It builds on the processes taught in Entrepreneurial Acquisition (S543) and detailed in the Stanford Primer on Search Funds (2020). The course provides a supportive yet challenging environment that will help students step outside of their comfort zone and accelerate learning. By the end of the course each will be better prepared to launch a search than many of the searchers who have come before.
Offered in Spring 2026 at Stanford University.