• Entails acting as an advisor/"guru" to young, emerging growth companies, most likely located in the Baltimore-Washington-Northern Virginia triangle.
• Serves emerging companies in various states of growth, but most are in the very early stages of their corporate lives. To be eligible, the firm must provide us with an executive summary of its business plan and a written request for services which anticipates its requirements. The Dingman Center then makes a determination of the suitability of the entrepreneur for the mentor program. The companies may be in one of the area incubators (UMCP, UMBC, John Hopkins, etc.) or they may be unaffiliated.

Time Expectations:
A typical mentoring relationship lasts for about six months and involves one meeting a month of a few hours supplemented with several updates via telephone. In addition, mentors sometimes spend a few hours a month outside of meetings performing such tasks as reviewing business plans or making contacts (with customers, financiers, etc.) for the entrepreneur. Because each project is different, we make every effort to ensure that the needs of the entrepreneur are matched with the expertise and availability of the mentor.

Location:
A mentor can arrange meetings with the entrepreneur at his/her office, at the company site, at the Dingman Center College Park, or any other convenient location.

Meeting Reports:
Fees are paid by the entrepreneurs to the Dingman Center for mentor services. These fees are designed to cover the expenses incurred in administering the program. To assist in the billing process, mentors are asked to fill out a record of the time spent with each entrepreneur.

Program Policies:
The Dingman Center’s Mentor Program policy is designed to eliminate potential conflicts of interest or perceptions of conflict. For a full view of the policies, CLICK HERE.

Back to the Dingman Center's Mentor Program