With the support of the Innovation Offices of Indiana University, Purdue University, and the University of Notre Dame, and 16 Tech, Indiana Biosciences Research Institute, and BioCrossroads, AXIS is creating an inclusive and supportive community of highly experienced mentors and promising entrepreneurs (“mentees”) based on a unique and proven mentoring model from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Venture Mentoring Service (MIT VMS).
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How does it work?
- AXIS pairs a team of mentors who have significant industry, start-up, and academic institution knowledge with burgeoning innovators.
- They meet at a regular cadence (every 4 to 6 weeks) to focus on immediate challenges facing the mentee.
- The mentoring team provides a trusted, confidential environment to brainstorm and work through solutions, leveraging the diverse experiences of everyone around the table.
What differentiates the MIT VMS model from other mentoring frameworks:
- Unique team mentoring methodology: a strict code of ethics to assure objective, conflict-free and confidential advice
- Established best practices: for recruiting, training, and retaining a community of highly qualified and committed volunteer mentors
- A singular focus on the entrepreneur: Interactions are face to face