Mentor Hours: Startups’ chance to learn from the best

Make the most of Web Summit Rio’s contact book at Mentor Hours, and meet the founders and CEOs of leading tech companies in your industry.

This April, tech industry leaders from around the world will return to Web Summit Rio for another world-class event. Many of these industry leaders got their start as entrepreneurs in startups, and emerging companies at the event will be able to learn from their experience during our Mentor Hours sessions.

These pre-scheduled, 45-minute interactive meetings pair startups with a suitable business expert. Our data science team uses custom-built algorithms to specifically match our mentors to your industry, location and chosen content track.

Your mentor will lead a meeting in the Mentor Hours area – located on the exhibition floor – with time allocated for you to ask questions and discuss the challenges you face as a startup.

Mentor Hours applications are now open for members of our startup program.

What are the Mentor Hours’ tracks?

Mentor Hours is divided into four distinct areas:

• Lead: This track focuses on leadership, strategic planning and entrepreneurship.
• Engage: Here you can learn the ins and outs of marketing, social engagement, and PR.
• Build: Discover more about UI and UX, hardware and software development, and front- and back-end development.
• Grow: These discussions center on raising capital and general financial guidance.

Each track features different business leaders who will draw on their insights – and the collective experiences of the attending startups – to discuss the issues important to you.

What are the benefits of Mentor Hours?

Advice specific to you

Receiving wise words from a business mentor is a privilege not every startup experiences, and having this guidance tailored to your industry, market and location is priceless.

Mentor Hours is all about pairing you with a business leader who matches your startup – not just whoever is available. This means you can get a firm idea of how to tackle the issues facing your business, and how to get ahead of the competition.

Star-power mentors

Our past mentors represented some of the best-known figures in the tech and investment sectors, including Crunchbase, Nokia Solutions and Networks, Cavalry Ventures, Branch, and Sony.

These business leaders got to where they are because they understand the challenges that all young entrepreneurs face. Practice makes perfect, and you won’t find professionals with more experience in the business world than our Mentor Hours hosts.

Global expertise

Web Summit Rio will bring together tech enthusiasts and heads of companies from around the world, offering access to business mentors with a broad understanding of a range of markets.

Startups can benefit from an outside perspective on regional issues facing your business, all while having this advice is tailored to your industry.

How can startups join Mentor Hours?

Companies that are part of Web Summit Rio’s ALPHA or BETA startup programs can apply to be part of Mentor Hours. Startups can only submit one application to join Mentor Hours – multiple applications will not be accepted.

If your application is successful, you must rank the four tracks in your order of preference to determine which mentor you are paired with. Our data science team will do its best to ensure that as many startups as possible are matched appropriately.

From there, we’ll provide your mentor with your contact details so that the conversation can get underway even before the event begins.

Startup? Apply to join the Web Summit Rio startup program today.

Main image of Mentor Hours session at Web Summit Rio 2023: Web Summit (CC BY 2.0)