About the Search Funds Lab
The Search Funds Lab provides students with a practical introduction to entrepreneurship through acquisition and the search fund model. Throughout the program, participants attend workshops led by industry professionals and experienced searchers, and receive guidance from mentors who have worked in private equity, search funds, and company acquisitions. Working in teams, students explore industries, develop investment theses, identify potential acquisition targets, and learn how search funds are structured and financed. The lab combines technical learning with a collaborative student experience, giving participants a clear view of how entrepreneurs identify, acquire, and operate companies through the search fund model.
The program runs two intakes per year, in January and December. Applications are open to all current students and alumni who graduated within the past year, offering participants the opportunity to explore entrepreneurship through acquisition while remaining connected to the IE entrepreneurial ecosystem.