Interviews with numerous entrepreneurs and supporters throughout 2017, revealed that connecting to quality mentors was a key opportunity to support their entrepreneur success. As a result and after talking with several partner communities in Atlanta, the Triangle, Boston and others, we identified the MIT Venture Mentoring Service (VMS) as a program that we could bring to Charlotte to fill this. In February, the Innovate Charlotte team and some of our community partners traveled to Boston to participate in the 3 day MIT Venture Mentoring Immersion Program. It was an amazing experience, learning about this 20-year-old mentoring program that seventy-nine hubs around the world have implemented in their communities and envision how Charlotte can become number eighty.

MIT Venture Mentoring Service (VMS), which has the following advantages:

1. Tested approach refined over 20+ years of experience
2. Mentors have the opportunity to interact with, learn from, develop relationships with like-minded peers on your team
3. Mentor colleagues provide excellent sounding boards
4. It is easier for you as a mentor to move on from mentoring a specific venture when other expertise is needed

Apply to become a mentor on our website.