- For whom
- Professionals, managers, entrepreneurs, alumni, and experts
- Language
- Italian and English
- When
- June 2026 – December 2026
- A cosa serve
Become a Mentor for Start Cup Bergamo 2026 Help turn new ideas into businesses
Start Cup Bergamo is the entrepreneurship program of the University of Bergamo dedicated to students, alumni, researchers, and aspiring entrepreneurs who want to transform innovative ideas into business projects. For more than 15 years, the program has supported startups and entrepreneurial teams through training, mentorship, networking, and business validation.
Becoming a mentor means actively contributing to the growth of new entrepreneurial ideas by sharing your experience, skills, and professional vision. Mentors support teams throughout the program by providing strategic guidance, feedback, and practical support during the different stages of project development.
By joining the program, you will also become part of the Start Cup Bergamo and CREO community: a network of professionals, managers, entrepreneurs, alumni, companies, and experts working together to strengthen the innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystem of the University of Bergamo.
Why become a mentor?
For professionals and companies, participating as a mentor means:
- strengthening engagement and employer branding initiatives.
- building relationships with students, researchers, startups, and other mentors within the Start Cup community;
- sharing and enhancing professional skills and experience;
- connecting with new ideas and innovative approaches;
- contributing to the growth of university entrepreneurship
Program timeline
Start Cup Bergamo is a program that develops over approximately five months, starting in June 2026 and concluding in December 2026 with the final business plan competition event.
The final timeline of the program and mentorship activities will be refined after June 5, 2026, once team applications and mentor-project matching have been completed.
Indicatively, the program may develop as follows:
- June 2026 — Program kick-off, team presentations, project introductions, and initial mentor-team matching.
- July 2026 — Initial entrepreneurial idea development, needs validation, problem/solution fit, and feedback on first deliverables.
- August 2026 — Summer break and possible informal discussions with teams.
- September 2026 — Activities related to prototyping, product/market validation, and project development.
- October 2026 — Focus on business model, marketing, economic sustainability, and market analysis.
- November 2026 — Preparation of the final pitch, investor deck, and presentations with mentor feedback.
- December 2026 — Final Start Cup Bergamo 2026 event and concluding team presentations.
The time commitment required from mentors is flexible and agreed directly with the team according to mutual availability.
Professionals, managers, entrepreneurs, alumni, and experts interested in sharing their experience and skills to support innovative teams during the Start Cup Bergamo 2026 program.
No specific certifications are required. We are looking for people willing to provide professional experience, strategic insight, and practical guidance to participating teams.
Applications are expected to close by June 5, 2026, the official start date of the Start Cup Bergamo 2026 program.
Yes. After applications close, an introductory session will be organized for mentors to present the program, mentorship approach, timeline, and support tools.
No. Mentors are not required to attend training sessions. However, the program calendar will be shared so mentors can stay informed about the topics covered by the teams throughout the program.
Mentors support teams in developing their entrepreneurial ideas through discussion, strategic feedback, project validation, and practical guidance during the different phases of the program.
The commitment is flexible and agreed directly with the team according to mutual availability. Generally, several discussion and mentoring sessions are expected throughout the program from June to December 2026.
Yes. Meetings can be organized online, in person, or in a hybrid format depending on the needs of both mentors and teams.
Each mentor will generally be assigned to one team.
Yes. The Start Cup team will match mentors and teams based on skills, professional experience, industry expertise, and project characteristics.
Following the project presentations on June 5, each team will be invited to an interview with the Scientific Committee.
Depending on the sector and specific characteristics of the project, some teams may be paired with mentors who have strong vertical expertise related to the idea itself, providing personalized support. For example, a biotech project may be matched, whenever possible, with a mentor experienced in the biotech sector.
Participating as a mentor means connecting with startups, young talents, and innovative ideas while contributing to the development of the local entrepreneurial ecosystem. For companies, mentorship can also represent an opportunity for employee engagement, employer branding, and open innovation initiatives.
Yes. Mentors become part of the Start Cup Bergamo and CREO community, made up of professionals, entrepreneurs, companies, alumni, partners, and mentors collaborating to strengthen the entrepreneurial ecosystem of the University of Bergamo.
No. Professionals from established companies, consulting, research, and other sectors can also provide valuable contributions to teams thanks to their expertise and experience.
Yes. The program is designed to be compatible with professional schedules, with flexible involvement agreed directly with participating teams.
Some companies offer internal welfare, corporate volunteering, community engagement, or professional development programs that include opportunities to dedicate time to mentorship and support educational or entrepreneurial initiatives.
Participation in Start Cup Bergamo 2026 may fit within these types of programs. We therefore encourage you to speak directly with your HR Manager or your company’s People/CSR team to verify whether similar initiatives or support opportunities are already available internally.