For Mentors

What you get:

  • Opportunity to interact with, learn from and develop relationships with a community of like‐minded peers
  • Don’t feel like you are carrying all the weight of a venture's success
  • Mentor colleagues provide excellent sounding boards
  • Easier to move on when other expertise is needed
  • Giving back - to the University, to the community, to entrepreneurship
  • The satisfaction of helping to develop entrepreneurs
  • Exposure to exciting ventures, clever ideas, and leading‐edge products and services
  • Real enjoyment in sharing one’s experience and expertise

What makes a good mentor?

  • Significant and relevant experience (business/startups, technical and/or industry/sector)
  • No personal agenda
  • Enthusiasm for the program
  • Ability to advise and coach
  • Listening skills
  • Respected by colleagues
  • Positive attitude
  • Comfortable with team mentoring
  • Time to participate

Time commitment

Minimum 2-2.5 hours equivalent per month, more if the venture you are mentoring requests additional meetings or if you decide to join more than one mentoring team.

  • Bi-monthly Mentor Meeting (1 hour)
  • 1 mentor session per month (1.5 hours)
  • Communications, reviewing venture documents, venture follow-up (up to 30 minutes)

Remuneration

VMS mentors are volunteers.

How to become a VMS Mentor?

If you would like to know more about being a VMS mentor and our program's principles please submit an expression of interest.

Submit an EOI

An I2N representative will be in touch to arrange a Zoom meeting. Once we've ascertained your alignment with the program, you'll be formally invited to participate as a mentor.

To ensure a seamless process, please prepare in advance the following information before making the EOI:

  1. Name, email, phone, LinkedIn profile URL
  2. Interest in participating
  3. Industry experience
  4. Areas of expertise
  5. New venture creation experience