Incubators
Mentor Program
What is the NYU Alumni Mentorship Program?
The NYU-Poly Mentorship Program looks to introduce the NYU alumni community with startups from the NYU-Poly Incubator, which is home to over 60 startups, many founded by students, faculty and other alumni. These startups are looking to connect with the external expertise of the Alumni of the University to complement the skills of the founding team. Drawing on the NYU-Poly alumni network allows teams to tap into a pool of talented, dedicated people that they originally would not have had access to or known about.
Who are Mentor Companies?
The mentor companies are startups based at the 2 NYU Poly incubator locations in DUMBO Brooklyn (20 Jay St., Suite 312, 11201) and Soho Manhattan (137 Varick St., Floor 2, 10013). These companies are working on building a technology product that focuses on solving specific problems in many industries ranging from mobile applications, wireless telecommunication, digital media, enterprise software, to energy monitoring, healthcare IT applications. The company size ranges from 1-10 people and range from pre-seed funded to venture backed.
Who is a Mentor?
Mentors are NYU-Poly alumni who are looking to share their experience, knowledge, and network in specific industries, technologies and markets. In the past mentors have provided guidance in diverse areas including management, technology and product development, business development, and strategy. The ideal candidate collaborates well with small teams and can offer the company guidance on process in addition to industry knowledge.
What are the benefits?
The mentorship experience is an opportunity to strengthen the startup ecosystem within NYU by increasing collaboration and building relationships. In addition to helping NYU, mentorship grows the New York City economy by helping startups build successful businesses.
Grow your Network
- Becoming a mentor gives you the opportunity to interact with over 60 startup teams of talented founders, serial entrepreneurs, designers and developers working on a diverse range of products and technologies. Additionally, mentors interact with external entrepreneurs, consultants, angel investors and venture capital firms through events held at the NYU-Poly Incubator.
Learn and Experience
- NYU-Poly Incubator companies are building new products and technologies to solve problems new and old industries. By joining the mentorship program, alumni get a firsthand look at some of the newest technologies coming out of the New York startup ecosystem.
What is the Structure of the Program?
- The program is structured around the needs of each company with interaction schedule and breadth tailored to the particular needs outlined by the startups and the schedule of the mentor. The incubator will facilitate the mentor-company relationship but the relationship and goals are driven by the startup.
- Step 1: Please fill out the application form (link) to allow us to get a better understanding of you and your schedule.
- Step 2: The Incubator management team will reach out to you and allow you to get a better glimpse of the companies. From there you can provide us the names of specific companies you would like to be introduced to. In similar fashion, companies can ask for introductions to you.
We look forward to meeting you and are excited to bring the Alumni back to the university.
Here are 5 Great Articles on Mentorship
1. Startup Mentoring, The Socratic Way – Fred Destin
2. Mentoring the mentors: Advice and inspiration for startup mentors – Rick Turoczy
3. 8 Rules to Being a Good Techstars Mentor – Micah Baldwin
4. How I Try To Mentor Startups – Ben Yoskovitz
5. 10 Keys to Real Entrepreneur Mentoring Satisfaction