Entrepreneurship Programs

It Takes a Village

It takes a village to raise a startup and at the University of Miami, student entrepreneurs have the opportunity to work closely with experienced mentors from a wide range of industries and functional backgrounds.

The University of Miami Venture Network is a university-wide network founded by the School of Business, the College of Engineering and The Launch Pad to connect qualified, experienced mentors with University of Miami students and help them develop an innovative idea/service or launch their business.

Venture Mentor Network Approach

Venture Network mentors, like Robert Rubin, the CEO Skypatrol (right), are alumni and friends of the University who volunteer their time and expertise to help University of Miami ventures grow and succeed. Venture Network mentors’ careers represent a wide range of experiences as founders, CEOs, CTOs, CMOs, CFOs, general counsel, and directors of successful companies. Mentors may be connected directly to a venture suited to their experience, or they may identify the ventures they would like to work with following a presentation. Student interested in being matched with one of our mentors can email us at SBAEntrepreneurship@bus.miami.edu.

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Current Mentors

The Venture Mentor Network employs a team mentoring approach. This model allows for many approaches to a venture’s needs and gives mentees different point of views and skill sets from various team members. Within a team, one mentor will emerge to lead the team forward.

Oscar Callejas
Co-Founder and Vice President, Operations
Voalte

Walter O’Leary
Managing Partner
South Pointe Capital

Roberto Palenzuela
Senior Founding Partner and CEO
ClareMedica Health Partners

Robert Rubin
CEO
Skypatrol

Monica Wood

Vice President, Global Consumer and Member Insights
Herbalife

Qualifications, Guiding Principles, Benefits and Responsbilites

Qualifications and Characteristics of Venture Mentors
- Strong startup expertise
- Active listening skills
- Time and enthusiasm
- No personal agenda
Guiding Principles for Mentors
- Provide a safe and trusted environment for student entrepreneurs.
- Maintain confidentiality; mentors and staff must sign a blanket NDA.
- Abstain from the solicitation of professional, advisory, investment and any other services from students.
- Abstain from offering to invest in or consult for student ventures while the student is enrolled at the University.
Mentor Responsibilities
- Attend monthly meetings with mentees.
- Commit time to mentor companies.
- Minimum of two hours per month.
- Listen carefully to entrepreneurs and other mentors.
- Be polite and respectful.
- Understand and focus on entrepreneurs’ needs/aspirations.
- Coach the entrepreneurs in setting targets and next steps (give homework).
- Constructively critique progress, suggest methods to improve.
- Build personal relationships (venture and mentor team).
- Engage, assess, advise — actively contribute to ventures!
- Be honest and avoid potential or actual conflicts of interest.
Mentor Types
Lead Mentor
- Drives efficient meeting management.
- Clarifies entrepreneur’s agenda and objectives.
- Distributes discussion among mentors.
- Ensures adherence to guiding principles and mutual respect.
- Reinforces homework recap and review.
- Leads mentor debrief.
General Mentor
- Adheres to responsibilities.
- Builds relationships with entrepreneurs.
Mentor Specialist
- Special skills/experience.
- One-time or limited engagement for special expertise (e.g.,legal opinion, pitch scrub, financial advice, etc.).
- Request for advice can be initiated by entrepreneur or lead mentor.
- Lead mentor ensures that mentor team remains fully apprised and involved.
Benefits to Mentors
- Access to the wide network of successful entrepreneurs and executives
- Opportunities to be recognized through BusinessMiami, the UM website and press releases
- Opportunity to prepare teams to compete in national competitions such as ACC InVenture Prize, eMerge Americas Startup Showcase, as well as the School of Business- Business Plan Competition, and more.
Entrepreneur Responsiblities
- Regular meeting attendance.
- Mutual goal setting.
- Meeting agendas in advance and summaries promptly sent.
- Meeting/mentor team evaluation.
- Completed homework assignment.
- Provide regular venture status updates.
- Report inappropriate mentor behavior.

Popular Links

Entrepreneurship Programs

It Takes a Village

Vision

Mission

Venture Mentor Network Approach

Current Mentors

Qualifications, Guiding Principles, Benefits and Responsbilites

Lead Mentor

General Mentor

Mentor Specialist