Dr. David Schonthal

Biography

David Schonthal is an award-winning Professor of Strategy at the Kellogg School of Management, Northwestern University. He teaches courses on new venture creation, design thinking, and healthcare innovation. As the Director of Entrepreneurship Programs, he leads the Zell Fellows Program, a selective venture accelerator aimed at helping student entrepreneurs successfully launch and acquire new businesses. David is a co-founder of MATTER, an innovation center in Chicago focused on supporting healthcare entrepreneurship. His work primarily lies at the intersection of strategy, innovation, and entrepreneurship. He has over two decades of experience in entrepreneurship, having spent ten years at the renowned design firm IDEO and currently serving as an Operating Partner at 7Wire Ventures, a healthcare technology-focused venture capital firm. David has written extensively for Forbes, Inc., and Harvard Business Review, providing insights on strategy and innovation. He is also the author of a bestselling book, 'Human Element: Overcoming Resistance Awaits New Ideas', where he popularized the Friction Theory, a methodology that explains why innovative change initiatives often struggle to gain traction with their intended audiences. David earned his MBA from Kellogg and his BA in International Relations from Boston University, graduating Magna Cum Laude.

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