Student Names: Sam Lines and Niels Zellers (M.B.A./M.S. '11); Jennifer McLaughlin and Imogen Taylor (M.B.A./M.S. ’10).

Four students at the School of Natural Resources and Environment were among dozens of entrepreneurs recognized with Dare to Dream program awards this week by the Zell Lurie Institute.  The students are all dually enrolled with the Ross School of Business and are members of different classes at the Erb Institute for Global Sustainable Enterprise.

Awarded $1,500 Assessment grants were the following studnet-founded companies:

Lodestone Capital: Sam Lines and Niels Zellers (M.B.A./M.S. '11). The company bridges the divide between energy services companies and property owners reluctant to invest in energy efficient projects.

Nalu Solar Tools: Jennifer McLaughlin and Imogen Taylor (M.B.A./M.S. ’10). The company develops Web-based software that provides operational support for solar PV contractors. Other members of the Nalu Solar Tools team are Prashanth Prasad (M.B.A. ’10) and Kelly McKenzie (M.B.A./M.S.W. ’09).

The Dare to Dream program, a hallmark of the Zell Lurie Institute, has been aiding student-run high growth business concepts since 2002. The program distributes up to $100,000 per academic year.