One of the most important parts of the RBPC is the mentoring component. Startups accepted to the competition have the opportunity to engage experts before, during and after the event. Our mentoring program helps founders make their startups stronger, better, more equipped to fundraise and excel in the entrepreneurship ecosystem.
Mentoring from Entrepreneurs, Leaders and Investors
In the lead-up to and during the competition, startups will have these mentoring and training sessions:
Business Plan Feedback Before the Competition
All startups submit a business plan or investor pitch deck for the competition, and judges in your first round are able to offer feedback on the business plan or investor deck before the competition begins. Feedback is given to the startups, and they may use to refine their plan or deck to consider how they may pitch in the competition.
Pre-Competition Mentorship
The RBPC partners with the Entrepreneur Futures Network, or EFN (full details below), to match competing startups to one or more of the 120 EFN pre-qualified participating mentors for conversations to answer questions, review business plan or deck, give feedback, and help teams practice their pitches. Startups get pre-competition pitch training and coaching with EFN experts, and engage with RBPC alumni who give one-on-one advice. Past RBPC winner pitches are reviewed.
Practice Round
The day before the competition practice your full pitch followed by a feedback session with RBPC judges on how to improve and be successful at the competition.
Feedback Session
After your initial pitch that is scored for competition, startups gather again with judges from their flight and receive feedback. This can be used to help tailor your pitch for the second round of competition.
Networking Throughout the Event
Startups are surrounded by judges who are investors, sector specialists and enthusiasts of the RBPC! You will meet, run into, speak with, get advice from, and network with RBPC participants (judges, investors, prize sponsors, accelerators) throughout the competition. There is mentoring everywhere! Our surveys report that team members make several contacts at the competition who they follow-up with, and also continue to engage their EFN mentors.
"The RBPC/EFN mentoring program was a great experience and our mentors were incredible.”
Ramses Alcaide
CEO, Neurable
The RBPC partners with Entrepreneur Futures Network (EFN) (www.entrepreneurfutures.org) to administer a mentoring program for 3-4 weeks in advance of the RBPC. Each of the 42 competing teams will be matched with, or select on their own, an expert mentor(s) to help prepare them for the competition. Since 2013, approximately 90% of our semi-finalists (top 15 startups) actively participated in the mentoring program.
EFN has served more than 5,000 entrepreneurs, over 100 universities, 40 accelerators, and has the privilege to have over 500 mentors who volunteer to coach hundreds of innovators each year. EFN has mentored winners in most major, U.S and global competitions/prizes. Teams EFN has mentored have raised over $1B. Several alumni companies have had successful exits.
If you are an experienced entrepreneurial, business and technology expert interested in joining EFN as a mentor, you can apply to become a mentor today. All new mentors are trained.
EFN is global non-profit entrepreneurial organization based in San Francisco founded in 2003 whose mission is to empower and develop young entrepreneurs through mentoring, training and acceleration. EFN’s network is comprised of over 5,000 mentors, entrepreneurs, educators, industry experts and investors. EFN’s more than 500 mentors worldwide coach over 150 university start-ups a year at more than 50 universities.
