E+I Mentoring

Become an E+I Mentor

Mentors are a critical element of the Edson E+I ecosystem.

By sharing your experience and insight, you help students, community entrepreneurs, and changemakers turn ideas into impact. Whether guiding early-stage thinking or supporting business growth, your involvement fosters a culture of innovation, inclusion, and collaboration across Arizona and beyond.

E+I supports a diverse range of innovators—including entrepreneurs, nonprofit leaders, social impact creators, and changemakers—in growing scalable, impactful ventures. More than guidance, mentorship offers relationship-driven support from cross-sector experts who understand how to scale in real-world contexts. Deeply embedded in ASU’s entrepreneurial ecosystem, the program integrates with venture development, targeted programming, and pitch experiences to deliver research-based, strategic feedback at every stage. By focusing on both personal growth and organizational strength, Edson E+I mentoring empowers innovators not just to start—but to scale—with purpose and confidence.

Our mentor network is designed for individuals who can provide experienced, external, and objective guidance to founders. Because our formal mentor network is intended to provide external, experience-based guidance, currently enrolled students are typically routed to peer mentor, founder support, ambassador, or community engagement opportunities.

Formal mentors are typically individuals who bring meaningful professional, entrepreneurial, or domain expertise and are positioned to support founders through objective guidance, accountability, and practical insight.

Ideal mentor candidates often have one or more of the following:

• Founder, startup, or business operating experience
• Senior leadership or functional expertise
• Industry-specific knowledge
• Investment, commercialization, or innovation experience
• Experience working closely with entrepreneurs, small business owners, startups, innovators, or community-based ventures
• Connection to Phoenix, Arizona, or another ASU campus community
• Familiarity with local entrepreneurial ecosystems, Edson E+I programming, or community-based venture support
• Ability to commit time consistently
• Strong coaching mindset and collaborative approach
• Capacity to serve in a non-transactional, founder-first role
• Ability to provide experienced, external guidance; at this time, we are not looking for peer mentors or currently enrolled students

Why mentor with Edson E+I?

• Be part of a thriving, mission-driven innovation ecosystem
• Become more embedded with ASU and its entrepreneurial community
• Expand your professional network through connections with founders, researchers, and changemakers
• Gain access to exclusive events, learning opportunities, and thought leadership
• Stay inspired and sharp by engaging with bold new ideas and creative energy
• Play a direct role in shaping the future of innovation in Arizona and beyond

Who we serve

Our diverse mentor community supports a wide range of audiences, including:

• K–12 students and teachers exploring innovation and creative problem-solving
• ASU and Maricopa County Community College students launching ventures or projects
• Community-based and ASU alumni entrepreneurs and changemakers
• ASU faculty and researchers working to commercialize ideas or expand impact

Types of mentorship opportunities

Mentorship at the J. Orin Edson Entrepreneurship + Innovation Institute is designed to be flexible, accessible, and responsive to the needs of diverse entrepreneurs across our network.
Opportunities include:

Open-Mentorship

Available to ASU students and community entrepreneurs outside of formal programs. This flexible, request-driven model allows individuals to connect with experienced mentors for guidance on specific challenges or opportunities, often through mentor directories, office hours, or ad hoc introductions. Mentees will connect with you through our Edson E+I online community Mentor Hub.

Additional Opportunities:

As opportunities arise, mentors may also be invited or volunteer to participate in additional roles, such as:

• E+I Program-Specific Mentor
• Fireside Chat Speaker
• Mentor-in-Residence
• Office Hours Mentor
• Panelist
• Pitch Competition Judge
• Special events and networking opportunities
• Subject Matter Expert
• Workshop Host or Facilitator

Responsibilities

Mentors play a critical role in supporting ventures through a variety of engagement opportunities and by modeling the values of ASU and the Edson E+I Institute. As a mentor, you are expected to:

• Provide strategic support
  Offer guidance, encouragement, and honest feedback to help ventures grow.
• Engage consistently
  Participate in 1:1 meetings, office hours, or workshops as your schedule allows. Attend pitch competitions, milestone events, and other key programming.
• Help ventures advance
  Support goal-setting, identify and help overcome roadblocks, and assist in developing key deliverables.
• Facilitate connections
  Connect ventures to relevant people, tools, and opportunities when appropriate.
• Maintain professional integrity
  Refrain from soliciting paid services or taking equity from mentees. Mentors may transition into paid roles only after formally exiting the mentor community.
• Complete required processes
  Finish mentor onboarding, utilize provided technology to log mentorship activity and feedback, and complete brief evaluation forms to track venture progress and improve experiences.
• Uphold institutional values
  Represent the charter, mission, and values of ASU and the Edson E+I Institute in all interactions.

What you bring

• A desire to give back and support the next generation of innovators
• Experience in entrepreneurship, startups, innovation, creative industries, community development, or a related field
• Strong communication, listening, and collaboration skills
• A commitment to inclusion and respect for diverse backgrounds and perspectives

Edson E+I Mentor Onboarding Process

Please Note: The mentor application will ask applicants to provide a recommendation as part of the review process. This helps Edson E+I better understand each candidate’s alignment with our relationship-driven, founder-first approach to mentorship, as well as their connection to the entrepreneurial ecosystem and ability to support ASU students, community entrepreneurs, and changemakers.

Find an E+I Mentor

No matter where you are on your entrepreneurial journey—whether you’re an ASU student, faculty, alum, or community member—Edson E+I Mentors are here to help you grow. Join our online E+I Community and explore the E+I Mentor Hub to find the right mentor and schedule a meeting today.

Inquire

For additional information about becoming a mentor with Edson E+I, contact [email protected]