Introduction to Mentors and Startups Connections
The Mentor–Startup Connection feature allows administrators to facilitate and oversee the relationships between advisors and entrepreneurs. Whether you need to link one mentor to a single startup for deep-dive coaching or assign a lead mentor to an entire cohort, this tool ensures collaboration remains organized and scalable.
This feature is valuable for ensuring that mentorship is impactful and that every startup has the right support system. It streamlines communication, automates notifications, and allows for precise tracking of who is working with whom across your ecosystem.
Note: Access to bulk management and program-level settings may be restricted based on your current User Role or subscription plan. To manage these connections at scale, ensure your plan includes Advanced Program Management features.
Where to Find Mentor and Startup Connections
You can manage these connections from four primary areas within the AcceleratorApp, depending on your workflow:
- Program Settings: Best for "1-to-many" assignments (linking mentors to an entire cohort).
- Startup File: Found in the Startup Portfolio; ideal for quick "1-to-1" individual connections.
- Mentor Management: Located under the Startups tab; best for managing a specific mentor’s full roster.
- Startups Management: Also under the Startups tab; used for Bulk Actions across multiple startups simultaneously.
Step-by-Step
1. Assigning Mentors to an Entire Program (1-to-Many)
Use this method to link a mentor to every startup within a specific program.
- Navigate to the Program Page and enter the Settings of that specific program.
- Add the mentor to the program participants/mentors list.
Outcome: The mentor is automatically assigned to all startups in that program and receives an automated email notification.
2. One-by-One from the Startup File (1-to-1)
- Navigate to the Startup File of your choice from the Startup Portfolio.
- Locate the Connection section.
- Click the Edit (pencil) icon, select your mentor(s), and click Select to save.
3. From Mentor Management (1-to-1)
- Go to Startups > Mentors Management in the top menu.
- Find the specific mentor and click the Settings icon (last column).
- Open the Assigned Startups dropdown.
- Select the desired startups and Save.
4. Bulk Assigning via Startups Management
- Navigate to Startups > Startups Management.
- Check the boxes for all startups you wish to update.
- Select the Assign Mentors option from the bulk actions menu.
- Choose the mentors and hit Save.
Best Practices
For the Admin: Crucial Setup
- Define Visibility: Set the User Role to determine if mentors and co-founders can see the entire ecosystem or only their assigned connections.
- Matching Rules: Configure the mentor matching settings in General Settings to define whether connections are required for coaching sessions (Yes or No)
- Underline Manage Notifications: Customize the "New Mentor Assignation" email template under Startups > Emails to ensure the first point of contact feels personal and professional.
For the Mentor: Onboarding
- To ensure the connections are effective, mentors must complete their profile setup:
- Availabilities: Sync calendars to allow for seamless meeting booking.
- User Integrations: Connect Zoom, Teams (soon), Google Calendar, or Microsoft Calendar.
- Coaching Preferences: Define their areas of expertise so admins can make better matches.
General Strategy
- Personalize where possible: Use "1-to-1" connections for high-touch, specialized mentorship.
- Automate for scale: Use the Program-level assignment (1-to-many) for general advisors or workshop leads to save time.