More about Mentoring

Mentors listen, coach, and advise. Mentors provide candid and honest appraisal of the mentee teams and their technologies and/or startup companies, pointing out options, considerations and recommending courses of action.

• A team mentoring approach is used with a minimum of two mentors assigned per mentee team, attending the same mentor meetings, which provides a diverse and engaging perspective

• Mentor/mentee meetings are flexible as determined by mentors and mentees, given the time required to accomplish key next goals/milestones

• Mentor/Mentee meetings occur on average once per month, via virtual video conference or in-person meeting as driven by the mentor

• The length of a mentor/mentee pairing is flexible, but generally 6 to 12 months, or longer

• Networking events are held throughout the year to facilitate networking and relationship building among existing and prospective mentors and mentee teams

• OSU mentee knowledge gained regarding business and technology commercialization during a mentor relationship is prioritized over specific technology’s successful commercialization outcome.Getting to no-go recommendations on some inventions are just as important as moving others forward

OSU Program Support

• Providing commercialization training to OSU innovators on intellectual property, customer discovery, industry engagement and technology commercialization

• Matching mentors and mentees based upon mentee need and mentors’ experience and/or interest

• Facilitating communication between mentors and mentees including help with sending meeting reminders and scheduling meetings

• Conflict of interest management in situations such as when mentors becomeinterested in investing in startups, or assume compensated or uncompensated role with startups