Mentor
Become a Mentor
Industry experts, seasoned entrepreneurs and community leaders are needed to guide budding entrepreneurs as they grow and develop their ideas and startups. Mentors provide candid and honest appraisals of students’ ventures providing options and recommending courses of action. Equally as important, mentors provide emotional support as the startups face challenges, leap over hurdles and meet with success.
![Students participating in the "Hen Hatch" startup funding competition giving their semifinal presentations and meeting with mentors in the Venture Development Center. As part of the Horn Program in Entrepreneurship in the Alfred Lerner College of Business and Economics, Hen Hatch "provides entrepreneurial students, alumni, faculty, and staff with the opportunity to make connections and collect feedback on their ideas while competing for startup cash and prizes totaling $100,000." [http://lerner.udel.edu/] - (Evan Krape / University of Delaware)](/research-innovation/horn/people-partners/joinhorn/mentor/_jcr_content/par_udel_panel/panelforpages/par_1/columngenerator/par_0/image.coreimg.jpeg/1573236452688/he-startup-village-callout.jpeg)
Venture Mentoring Service
The Venture Mentoring Service (VMS) program is for the most developed University of Delaware startups. Mentors from the corporate and entrepreneurial communities are matched with startup teams to provide direction, coaching, advice, inspiration and motivation. Mentors are highly qualified founders, presidents, executives and leaders in successful companies. The time commitment is at least one hour per month..
Summer Founders
The Summer Founders program in a 10-week program designed for students with early stage startups to work on their ventures and receive a stipend, mentorship and education sessions. Student teams meet with mentors weekly to discuss growth and progress, stumbling blocks and areas in need of support. The time commitment is one afternoon, approximately 5 hours.
