How To Apply for the Summer Cohort
- First, read this page.
- Note that the timeline below says “Spring” (for the current cohort). We will be announcing the timeline for the Summer 2023 Cohort in a month or two. That is the one you would be applying for.
- Then, fill out THIS FORM.
- If you are selected for an interview, you will be notified on a rolling basis.
- Cohort acceptances are announced on or before February 6th.
What We Do
- Connect entrepreneurs to mentors who have dealt with similar problems but are not competing for the same customers. We carefully curate teams who provide written and video-call feedback on your ideas. Then you and your potential mentors chose each other based on how useful and interesting you found each other. Think of it like a (non-romantic) dating site.
- Provide detailed and constructive feedback on your business documents. While not all of the 8-12 individuals who will review your plan will end up as mentors, all of them will provide feedback on your business model. We offer a two-track program — one track for those who can submit a full business plan, and another for companies that just have an executive summary and a pitch deck. If you submit a full plan, this page describes what we expect it to cover.
- Help companies succeed. Companies that we work with, as opposed to companies we almost worked with (that were qualified, and we would have worked with if not for space, timing, etc.) are 32% more likely to be in business when compared year-by-year. Read what our alumni have to say.
- We do NOT offer Funding.
When (Spring 2023 Timeline)
- February: Business Documents Submitted for Review
- March: Business Documents Distributed to Reviewers
- April: Clarification Calls
- May: Feedback returned to Entrepreneurs
Who Should Apply
- Entrepreneurs who are building for-profit companies that has social and/or environmental values built into how the business makes money.
- Entrepreneurs who are open to feedback on their business model.
- Entrepreneurs who can commit to the following actions:
- 4 phone/video calls – 2 with MCN team, 2 with prospective mentors. (A partial list of our mentors is here.)
- Entrepreneurs who can submit documents in English, Spanish, or French. Your lead contact must be able to communicate with our team in English.
- Reviewing the 20-30 pages of feedback we provide on your plan
- Following up with all of your reviewers — either with a simple thank you for their time, or to begin a mentoring relationship with those you found particularly helpful.
Alumni
MCN alumni including companies that are addressing some of the most important challenges in the world. A list of alumni companies still active under their own names can be found here. Some examples include:
- Increasing the amount of healthy food and healthy farmers in our world, like Ignitia & Elevated Honey.
- Bringing healthy food and drink to your table, like Kuli Kuli, Back to the Roots, Runa, & The Jackfruit Company.
- Providing access to financial services, like Tala, First Access, & Kopo Kopo.
- Improving the quality of, and access to, health care, like Access Afya, PACE MD, Sproxil, & Maternova.
- Creating safer living and working conditions for women, like Wello Water, & Pinkcollar.
- Generating affordable, clean, and renewable energy, like Husk Power Systems, ARED, & Gham Power.
- Cleaning the water, air, and/or environment for those who need it most, like Folia Materials, Chakr Innovation, and Sanivation.
- Creating a path out of poverty for employees, like Wash Cycle Laundry,
- Training and educating people to make their way in the world, like GogyUp
- Designing sustainable products, like Tonlé, WholeForest, & Yellow Leaf Hammocks.
Related Links
- Entrepreneur Application (Spring 2023)
- Overview for Entrepreneurs
- What your business plan should cover
- Review Form used in 2022 (Not Current, Example Only)
- Alumni Testimonials