September 10, 2021

Rafael Ilishayev and Yakir Gola were Drexel University sophomores when they first drafted the plan for the business that would eventually become Gopuff, an everyday essentials delivery service that’s revolutionizing the way customers shop. Back then, the friends made all the deliveries themselves, shuttling snacks and other essentials around campus from the back of their car. Almost a decade later, Gopuff has expanded its operations to hundreds of cities and micro-fulfillment centers around the U.S., and its co-CEOs earned spots on Forbes’ coveted “30 Under 30” list in 2017 and CNBC’s Disruptor 50 list in 2021, amongst other accolades.

Now, the Drexel alumni are paying their success forward. In February 2020, Ilishayev and Gola announced they would be donating $25,000 to establish a scholarship with the Close School of Entrepreneurship. The startup founders hope that the scholarship, which will be distributed to one Drexel student over the course of two years, will help encourage other aspiring student entrepreneurs like themselves.

In a press release published on Gopuff’s website, Rafael Ilishayev said, “We put everything we had into our business while at Drexel. Since then, we’ve sought to engage with other entrepreneurs and provide support whenever we can. Donating to the Charles D. Close School of Entrepreneurship is a great way to continue doing this.”

Students interested in applying for this opportunity can find more details on the Gopuff Scholarship page.

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