Establishing a Powerful Mentoring Program

Abstract

There are many entrepreneurs in your universities and in your community who want to start businesses, and many SME’s in your community that want to grow their businesses. Successful startups and growing SMEs create jobs and economic activity, and they are far more likely to succeed when they can draw on the advice and guidance of a group of mentors with proven skill and experience. Over 16 years the mentors in the MIT Venture Mentoring Service have advised about 3500 entrepreneurs in over 2,200 ventures. What we have learned from doing this - and from the entrepreneurs - has developed into a unique model of mentoring that is very effective and sustainable, and it already has been adopted by almost 65 organizations in 17 countries. We would like to share this experience with our GW-October colleagues and discuss the applicability to your organization and your community.