Become a Venture Mentor

Being a Venture Mentor can be a richly rewarding experience, both personally and professionally. Whether you shape the next great entrepreneur of our time or simply help someone achieve their dreams, knowing you’ve helped someone is a great feeling. It’s also a real career booster that can enhance your leadership skills as you help shape the leaders of tomorrow at the Edson Entrepreneurship + Innovation Institute. 

About

Are you a serial entrepreneur or intrapreneur with a deep passion for helping others avoid common startup pitfalls? If so, we invite you to join our Edson E+I Institute mentor network, which supports student, faculty and community entrepreneurs at various stages of venture development — from ideation to commercialization. We are currently looking for Venture Mentors, seasoned entrepreneurs who are hired and paid by ASU. As a Venture Mentor, you will be matched with six founders each semester, based on your background and areas of expertise. You will act as both an expert on the process of moving a venture forward as well as a guide to encourage entrepreneurs to plug into startup resources at ASU. 

What’s involved with being a Venture Mentor?

Over the 15-week, semester-long commitment, Venture Mentors meet with a combination of assigned ventures or by ad-hoc appointment. The weekly time commit varies based on the agreed upon contract of the venture mentor, based on the current needs of the Venture Devils program. Meetings can occur in-person or by Zoom, and mentors should be available for interim questions via email or phone. Anticipate spending three hours per week routinely meeting with mentees answering questions during ad hoc office hours. It’s not required to live in the Phoenix metropolitan area. 

Are there other mentorship opportunities?

Edson E+I is always looking for subject matter experts to host workshops and training series and judges for pitch competitions. We look forward to hearing any other ideas you might have about how you’d like to make an impact supporting ventures.

Eligibility

Venture Mentors must be serial entrepreneurs or intrapreneurs with a deep passion for helping others avoid common startup pitfalls. They must have a bachelor’s degree (or equivalent) and are required to attend ongoing training and development sessions. 

Who to contact

As you contemplate becoming a mentor, many questions may arise — from whether you and the organization have the same set of expectations to whether you have room in your schedule. We are here to answer all your questions to ensure becoming a mentor is a rewarding experience for you.

For additional information about becoming a Venture Mentor, contact Tracy Lea, director of venture development, at Tracy.Lea@asu.edu. 

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