The Mentor Capital Network (MCN) identifies and supports entrepreneurs who are starting or growing businesses to solve the world’s biggest social, economic, and environmental problems at scale in a way that others will be inspired to follow their lead.
We provide this support by connecting entrepreneurs with peers and more senior advisers who are addressing similar challenges, but not competing for the same customers.
We do this in a way that takes as little of the entrepreneurs’ time as possible.
Since our founding in 2002, we have helped entrepreneurs create more than 10,000 jobs in companies that are deploying more than a billion dollars in combined annual revenue and follow-on funding.
Apply To Our Program Here.
MCN applicants must be starting or growing a for-profit company with a social, environmental, and/or cultural mission that makes your company stronger. (If your company is a non-profit, see our friends at The Unfunded List.) You can be working anywhere in the world, and your team can be of any age or educational level. We accept applications in English, Spanish, or French, although you must be able to communicate about logistical issues with our team in English. We support companies who are raising professional investment, as well as companies that whose only cash flow comes from sales.
As of June, 2019, we have a rolling admissions process, working with a small number of companies each month. Sponsors and partners who would like to create cohorts around your particular interests can learn more about that here.
How Our Program Works
The first step of our program involves provide constructive feedback on your business plan (both in writing and via conference calls), and using that feedback as a way for entrepreneurs and mentors to choose each other.
After you fill out our short application, we will contact you to let you know if we would like you to submit a full business plan. Once we receive that plan, three things will happen.
First, MCN staff will work with you to get a sense of who the best people in our network are to engage with you. This part of the program generally happens between 2 and 4 weeks after we accept your business plan. Your commitment for this portion is to write a business plan, and to participate in one or two calls with the MCN team.
Then, we will curate a team of 10-12 individuals to review your business plan from specific and diverse viewpoints. Most of our reviewers have had experience building multiple-bottom-line companies. This part of the program generally takes place over 4 to 6 weeks. Your commitment for this portion involves participating in one or two conference calls, reviewing the feedback documents (usually around 30 pages), and following up with potential mentors who you found to be particularly helpful.
Next, we will put together peer-to-peer calls among entrepreneurs and experts who are addressing the same challenges, but not competing for the same customers. This allows you to have high-level conversations right off the bat. These calls usually take place within a few months of the business plan review.
Finally, we are a network. Once you are part of our program, we are here to support you where we can. We have alumni from more than a decade ago who are still actively involved in our work.
