Serving as an industry mentor for the Great Plains I-Corps Hub is a great way to give back to the community and help further build our local entrepreneurial ecosystems.
In the world of entrepreneurship, having a mentor can be a game-changer for a team’s success. This is particularly true in I-Corps, where mentors provide a variety of roles to help teams transition their technology out of academic labs and into the marketplace. These mentors are typically experienced or emerging entrepreneurs who have a deep understanding of the industry and can help teams navigate the complicated process of customer discovery.
One critical role of a mentor is to serve as a third-party resource for the team. They can help the team recognize and reduce confirmation bias throughout the customer discovery process. A mentor is typically someone that has industry contacts and knows the ecosystem of the target market area. They participate in all cohort activities, whether at the Regional, or National I-Corps level.
Eligibility
To be a mentor for the Great Plains Regional I-Corps, you should be an experienced entrepreneur or corporate innovator comfortable working with early-stage, deep-tech teams. You should be able to “lead from behind” and serve as a coach, not a consultant, with a respectfully direct approach, and be able to commit the time to help teams within your area of expertise, and representative of our nation’s diverse population.
As a mentor, your role is to help the teams test their hypotheses about their business model. Mentors should teach teams how to network, engage with customers, and conduct interviews to understand customer unmet needs. A mentor is expected to point out confirmation biases and help the team synthesize their learnings to create the foundation for a company.
What’s the expected time commitment?
While the time commitment varies, Great Plains Regional I-Corps mentors typically spend 10-15 hours per week engaging with the team over a 5-week time period.
What are the benefits?
Mentors benefit from working closely with incredibly smart, motivated technologists and help them make an impact in the world by establishing a foundation to turn their innovations into marketable products. You will learn about cutting-edge technology that has the potential to disrupt the status quo and network with other mentors. You may even join a team in the national I-Corps program, which provides additional training, networking, and resources. Mentors may also have the opportunity to advance into an instructor role, if appropriate.
Being a team mentor in an I-Corps program is a rewarding experience that offers significant benefits. It allows you to help teams navigate the complex process of customer discovery and create a foundation for a successful company. If you are an experienced entrepreneur or corporate innovator, comfortable working with early-stage, deep-tech teams, and have the time to commit, consider becoming a mentor. The key to the success of offering our Regional I-Corps training program is having high-quality mentors. Mentors are an extension of the teaching team and share responsibility for the success or failure of their teams.
Your expertise can make a significant difference in helping teams transition their technology out of academic labs and into the marketplace.
