Gabelli School of Business Responsible Business Center and the Lupoff/Stevens Family Office Announce Funding of a New Pilot Fellowship Program

Responsible Business Center | Dec 17, 2024 | Gabelli School of Business

Fordham University’s Gabelli School of Business Responsible Business Center and the Lupoff/Stevens Family Office are pleased to announce the funding of a pilot fellowship program that will place a Gabelli School student as a fellow with Investors Circle (“IC”), a venerable angel investing non-profit, and will be focused on early-stage investing in social enterprises.

The first awarded IC Fellowship recipient is Karan Sacheti, a current M.B.A. degree candidate and a finance professional with over five years of experience in forensic accounting and financial due diligence at EY India. Sacheti has worked extensively with start-ups and high-growth businesses, deepening his passion for venture capital and entrepreneurial ecosystems through his role at Focus Opportunity, a family investment office. Most recently, during his summer internship with OFI (Olam Food Ingredients), he contributed to a mergers and acquisitions strategy by identifying potential acquisition targets in the U.S. food and beverage market. His career reflects a commitment to empowering innovative businesses through strategic investments and analytical rigor.

Sacheti will work closely with the senior leadership of Investors Circle regarding onboarding and curating prospective investees, coordinating due diligence for IC members contemplating investment, as well as other general activities of the organization. Most recently, IC and some of their angel investor financed companies were showcased at the Fordham Family Stewardship Council Breakfast Forum held at Fordham’s Lincoln Center campus on October 11, 2024.

The Lupoff/Stevens Family Office is committed to achieving a just and sustainable world, seeking acceptable financial returns alongside demonstrable social/environmental impact benefiting people and planet from its primarily Sustainable Investment Portfolio. Its investment mandate and policy objectives support social and climate equity and justice. It is a signatory to Divestinvest, pledging divestment of all fossil fuel investments and The Belonging Pledge, committing to address racial equity through investment.

“We are thrilled to collaborate with like-minded institutions such as the Gabelli School Responsible Business Center and Investors Circle,” said Peter Lupoff, founder and principal of Lupoff/Stevens Family Office. “This fellowship represents a shared commitment to fostering the next generation of socially conscious business leaders. We hope this pilot program will not only continue annually, but that it will expand in the number of fellows supported.”

“The Gabelli School of Business Responsible Business Center is deeply grateful for the opportunity the newly established IC Fellowship provides for this outstanding student,” said Barbara M. Porco, Ph.D., managing director of the Responsible Business Center and associate dean of graduate students. “We are very excited about the launch of this pilot program and the ways in which it will enrich this student’s academic and professional experience. We look forward to building and growing this fellowship program in the coming years to empower more of our students to take advantage of the unprecedented opportunities it provides.”