The Annual Booth-Kellogg Entrepreneurship through Acquisition (ETA) Conference is hosted by the ETA Group at Chicago Booth, the Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation, and the Kellogg Innovation & Entrepreneurship Initiative. It brings together the ETA community to meet one another and share insights into this fast-growing area.

Search fund entrepreneurs, investors, MBA students, faculty, service providers, and anyone else already in, or interested in, the ETA ecosystem.

More than 1,000 entrepreneurs, investors, students, faculty, and other ETA participants register for the conference annually. We have seen about a 30% growth in conference registration over the last three years. 

Friday, October 30, 2026, at the Hyatt Regency Chicago, 151 E Wacker Dr, Chicago, IL 60601.

Registration and coat check open at 8:00 AM in the Grand Foyer. Programming runs from about 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM.

Yes. Coat check is in the Grand Foyer, next to registration, from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM.

Like most events downtown, we recommend ride share or public transit to avoid parking fees. If you drive, paid parking is available at the hotel and nearby garages. 

The Hyatt Regency Chicago is downtown on Wacker Drive, within walking distance of several CTA "L" and bus lines and Metra’s Millennium Station. See the hotel’s website for directions. 

Yes, an alumni discount is available for the University of Chicago and Northwestern University. Ticket registrants must use their alumni .edu email address to qualify for a alumni-discounted ticket. If you no longer have access to your school email, contact kylie.gilmore@chicagobooth.edu for more information.

Use this link to login and modify your registration information. If you cannot access your registration, email kylie.gilmore@chicagobooth.edu and resend your registration confirmation. 

Refunds are available until 24 hours before the conference begins (8:00 AM Central on Thursday, October 29, 2026). Refunds are not available after that time.

Use this link to login and modify your registration information. If you are having issues with requesting a refund, email kylie.gilmore@chicagobooth.edu and resend your registration confirmation. 

No, we can not transfer your ticket to someone else. If you are unable to attend the conference, please request a refund within the policy window.

Please register online in advance. On-site registration is not guaranteed.

There is not a virtual option to the conference, it is in person only. Sessions are recorded and released at the discretion of the conference and the speakers.

You can use the conference app to view and connect with attendees that have opted into sharing their contact information.

Only the information you opt in share during registration will be made public. If you are looking to update information shared, use this link to login and modify your registration 

Yes. This year’s conference app is Go Attend by Swoogo, the same platform used for conference registration. The app is made available two weeks before the conference. 

Use the app to view the agenda and build your personal schedule, read speaker bios, find and connect with other attendees, and follow the Community Board for updates during the day. If you are hosting an event around the conference, you are welcome to post it in the app.

• Download the app: Search “Go Attend” in the Apple App Store or Google Play.
• Log in with your email: Enter the email address you used to register.
• Verify your login: Check your inbox for a verification email to log in.

Make sure you are logged in with the same email you used to register and have checked your spam folder. If the email to log in still does not appear, email kylie.gilmore@chicagobooth.edu for help. 

Yes, a continental breakfast, a buffet lunch and refreshments throughout the conference at the networking reception are included with your ticket. 

Note any dietary restrictions when you register as we take these into account. Please come to the customer service desk at the conference if you require a special meal not available at the buffet. 

The dress code for the conference is business casual.

Session materials are not generally distributed and are up to the discretion of the speakers. Check with the speaker at the conference to learn if any materials will be shared. 

The ETA Community will sometimes host their own events nearby. Organizers of those events are encouraged to post them in the conference app. The conference does not publish an official list of side events.