MENTOR EXPECTATIONS

Mentors, Speakers, and event attendees will provide the core value of the AEIC experience, focused on building a top-tier community
AEIC will build upon the large base of local alums who are excited to work with student entrepreneurs and focused on creating a positive experience

Mentors

Expect: Three to five-hour time commitment that involves meeting with one startup team four or five times over the course of the program.
Value: Develop a process for mentors to meet with teams and rank who they were most excited to work with, to be valuable.
Have several investor mentors invest in their CV mentee post-program.
Mentors receive an invite to a mixer at the beginning of the quarter, weekly updates from their mentee team on progress, and a survey from AEIC and core team mid-quarter and at the end of the quarter to gauge their satisfaction with the program.

Expect: One-hour time commitment to come speak with the AEIC cohort and answer student questions.
Value: Investors gain visibility to student founders and the ability to engage with startup teams before pitch day. Operators get visibility for their company, which will help them recruit for intern/full-time roles from AEIC founder cohort or their friends.
Speakers to receive an event confirmation as well as instructions to the venue and a list of companies/teams that would be in attendance.
They will receive a thank-you note afterwards.

Expect: Come to the AUD campus for three hours to watch AEIC Startup companies give 5-minute pitches, and network with them afterwards.
Value: Opportunity to learn about and potentially invest in promising early-stage AEIC Startup companies.
To cater the pitch day with great food and drinks.

The most important component of the program will be recruiting teams!
Teams - Classes and clubs can help students come up with an idea, find a team and do some initial research through entrepreneurship programs, student clubs, or students could come on their own or through the mindset change course of BUSI 121
For the first few sessions of AEIC, a key component of marketing to students will be the quality of speakers and mentors to be recruited.
It would be important to schedule speakers early (months in advance) and ask permission to include their name or photo in emails or flyers.
Important for AEIC is to build up a great brand as quickly as possible, so focused on making every interaction with outside parties (speakers, mentors, event attendees) as professional as possible — especially when it comes to scheduling.