| The Mentor Capital Network (formerly known as the William James Foundation) is getting ready to launch our 12th annual Sustainable Business Plan Competition. We use that competition to engage our pool of more than 800 mentors around to the world to support the best of the next of social entrepreneurs. That program, because it is world-wide, is mostly virtual (email, skype, etc.). However, we’ve got a great deal of talent right here in the DC area, and so we are working with two excellent local partners to create events and classes for people building world-changing companies right here in our home town. If you know an entrepreneur who would benefit from this, please help spread the word. Bethesda Green Partnership Mentor Capital Network and Bethesda Green are partnering to accelerate the growth of sustainable businesses in the Greater DC area. We will accelerate green entrepreneurs through access to mentor capital to develop investment-ready business plans and practice their pitch to investors. Applications for the 2015 Bethesda Green Cohort of the Mentor Capital Network program are now open to DC-area green businesses! Entrepreneurs should apply by January 15th, 2015. Acceptance decisions will be announced on January 22nd, and accepted businesses will be asked to submit a 5-7 page summary of their business plan by February 20, 2015. Building on MCN’s global Sustainable Business Plan Competition, companies accepted into the 2015 cohort will receive: Mentor Capital insights and advice on their business plan from up to 20 green enterprise expert mentors through the two rounds of the business plan competition;Opportunity to make a 10-minute business pitch (via Skype) to up to 10 WJF mentors One-on-one mentoring from a WJF Mentor on a specific business issue;Invitation to two peer-sharing educational events for the local green businesses Opportunity to present to an “Investor Fish Bowl” in which 4 to 6 of the green entrepreneurs will practice pitch their business to investors who work with green businesses and get a unique behind-the-scenes educational opportunity to hear how investors process and discuss the pitch. This program is supported with funds from the Montgomery County Department o Economic Development. Cultivate Ventures and Kick Incubator DC-based venture firm Cultivate Ventures is running an intensive eight-week business incubator, the Kick Incubator, in partnership with Mentor Capital Network and Netcito this March – April 2015. Kick is an MBA-caliber program that pushes and enables entrepreneurs to develop or refine their minimum viable product (MVP), launch their MVP in the market to obtain customer validation, and prepare their pitch deck for pitch delivery. Regardless of your company’s stage, Kick assists in taking your business to the next level, whether than be from concept to prototype, or from seed stage to growth. Applications for the Winter 2015 Cohort are open now through January 20th. Space is limited so it is to your advantage to apply early. Successful applicants to KICK will automatically be enrolled in the Mentor Capital Network program as well. The two programs are set up to compliment each other — KICK providing in-person education, and the MCN providing feedback from mentors from all over the world. |
Ian Fisk Executive Director The Mentor Capital Network www.mentorcapitalnet.org |