jennifer fried

Jennifer earned an MBA, with Honors, in finance and entrepreneurship from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business. She also holds a BA, with Honors, in mathematical methods in the social sciences and economics from Northwestern University. 

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She received numerous awards and funding during her time at Booth, including a $70,000 Forte Fellow scholarship that paid a portion of her tuition and a $2,500 annual prize from the University of Chicago Women's Business Group, recognizing her as an MBA student likely to advance the interests and achievements of women. Jennifer has a long-held personal passion for health and wellness. She is a self-proclaimed gym rat and spends much of her free time at the gym taking a variety of group exercise classes.

Jennifer is the CEO and Co-Founder of ExplORer Surgical. The firm has created a surgical "playbook" for the operating room that allows doctors and nurses to most efficiently prepare for surgery as well as coordinating during the procedure. 

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Jennifer and ExplORer Surgical have been featured in periodicals like the Chicago Tribune, The Wall Street Journal, and Crain's Chicago Business. They received the 2017 Up-and-Comer Chicago Innovation Award, and several new-venture competitions. 

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Previously, Jennifer was a Vice President at Park Lane Ventures, a healthcare-focused fund spun out of Essex Woodlands. For over two years, she was the only non-managing director on the investment team, joining three other members with decades of investing experience. 

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She also served as healthcare associate at Hyde Park Angels, during which time she was sourcing, diligencing, and evaluating early-stage healthcare businesses in the Chicago area. 

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Jennifer began her career as a consultant at Bain & Company in Chicago after graduating from business school.

As a member of Class 20, Jennifer began her fellowship at Park Lane Ventures under the mentorship of Immanuel Thangaraj (Mentor Class 13), and completed it at ExplORer Surgical.