Mentoring and Advising

Welcome to OBI’s 9-month structured Mentoring Program

“Mentoring is an ongoing relationship of learning, dialogue, and challenge.” -Thomas Hørdam

FAST FACTS ABOUT OUR MENTORING PROGRAM

MENTORS

  • Mentors are volunteers
  • Mentors are guides, rather than advisors or consultants
  • Mentoring has great benefits
    • Free mentor training
    • Exclusive access to handpicked startups
    • Exclusive network of mentors
    • Give back to your community
    • OBI highlights its mentors in the monthly newsletter
  • Mentors are matched with a mentee in a structured matching process
    • Matching process takes into account mentor’s and mentee’s preferences
    • Includes mentor training and a pre-matchmaking session
  • Mentors volunteer ~2 hours per month with their mentee for 9 months, from September through May
    • Mentors must sign a non-disclosure agreement with mentee before beginning work together
  • Mentor fills out an exit survey at the end of the program
  • Mentor and mentee may continue the mentoring or other business relationship after the program ends

Timeline:

  • Current 2023 cohort is now full
  • Please check back in summer for the 2024 application

Mentor Application Form

MENTEES

  • OBI’s free Mentoring Program helps you grow your business!
    • A recent survey from Kabbage found that only 22% of businesses had mentors when they started their business
    • 92% of businesses who have a mentor say mentoring has directly impacted their business growth and survival
  • Mentees are matched with mentors in a structured matching process
    • Prospective mentees prepare and record a 5-minute pitch for the mentors
    • OBI matches mentees and mentors after mentee training and a pre-matchmaking session
    • Formal mentoring program lasts for 9 months, from September through May
  • Mentoring time commitment
    • Mentee meets with mentor ~2 hours a month for 9 months
    • Mentee checks in with OBI once per month
    • Mentee is always responsible for their own outcomes
  • Mentee fills out exit survey at the end of the program and again after one year
  • Mentor and mentee may continue the mentoring or other business relationship after the program ends

Timeline:

  • Current 2023 cohort is now full
  • Please check back in summer for the 2024 application

Mentee Application Form

This Oregon Bioscience Incubator Mentoring Program is specifically focused on Oregon entrepreneurs. If you identify as a woman, and are employed in bioscience and seeking professional development mentorship, consider the OBW Mentorship Program.

ADVISING PROGRAM

We have a network of >90 Advisors who are available to provide short-term pro bono advice and assistance to promising life science and digital health entrepreneurs across the state of Oregon. Our Advisors have valuable expertise in a wide range of business topics that are integral to the success of early-stage life science companies, including:

  • Accounting
  • Business Plan
  • Digital Health
  • Gov’t Funding
  • Health IT
  • Legal/IP
  • Licensing
  • Machine Learning/AI
  • Management
  • Manufacturing
  • Market Analysis
  • Marketing
  • Private Funding
  • Product Development
  • Regulatory/FDA

If you would like to become an advisor or request free help, please fill out the appropriate form below. Mentors may also register as Advisors. For questions, contact OBI Associate Director Rene Miller.

Become an Advisor

Request Free Advice

OUR BIO MENTORS

Andrew Barofsky

Thomas Barrett

Kenneth Bates

Angela Blackwell

Ernest Bonat

Jane Boutwell

Chris Brasfield

Mark Bruns

Anne Carlson

Claire Celeste Carnes

Bill Carroll

Anne Cherry

Kevin B. Clark

Marilyne Coblentz

Kate Corcoran

Simon Craw

Frank X. Curci

Keith Daellenbach

Eric Distad

Jon Down

Duffy DuFresne

Ryan Dunlap

David F. Eastman

Eric Eggers

Chris Elsenbach

David H. Farrell

David Forman

Mark Friess

Peter Galen

Doug Garnett

Jeff T. Gautschi

Tim Gee

Wendy R. Gerlach

Grant Gibson

Bruce Girton

Christina Glabas

Michael Gursha

Suzanne Hanifin

Eric Hanson

Susan Hart

Brad Hathaway

Gordon Hoffman

Rick Hou

Lisa Wernli-Hunt

Daniel Hurwitz

Harsh Jain

Andrea Jones

Michael Jones

Douglas Kawahara

Theodore “Ted” Khoury

Jeff King

Robert A. Kirschner

Laura Kubisiak

Jill Lam

Anna Leef

Nathan Lillegard

Molly Lindquist

Peter Lovely

Kate Lyons

Les Mace

Ralph Makar

Ajay Malhotra

Janina Malone

Don Megrath

Ryan Miller

Merry Ann Moore

Peter Murray

William Newman

David Niebauer

Michael Phillips

Marc Philouze

Brigitte Piniewski

Adrian Polliack

Vinay Rao

Brendan Rauw

Charles Replogle

Holly Rouault

Kate Ryan

Richard (Dick) Rylander

J. Corey Schmid

Kathleen Sego

Ron Shigeta

Dorota Shortell

Jeff Smith

Matt Smits

Paul Sochacki

David Starr

Audrey Staton

David Stroup

Joe Sullivan

Alyssa Thomas

Charla Triplett

Erik I. Tucker

Doug Vanisky

Serg Vinyarskiy

Anthony Vitucci

Jurgen Vollrath

Jamie Weishaar

Patti White