Suggested by 
Santiago Rodriguez
over 1 year ago
Fortunately I was blessed with mentors throughout High school + college, but I was very lucky to be connected to those people. Many first generation kids + underrepresented kids are born without generational network/wealth. There is no easy way for someone to seek guidance + help. People who come from that background need mentor ship, and those willing to give mentor ship are looking for those willing to listen and ready to change their lives.
More specifically, students who cannot afford tuition receive funding from donors and do not have a clear way to communicate thanks and nurture that relationship. Students are missing out on an insane value on the table. Donors continue to donate money to organizations and never see the end result of their offering.
There is not a tried and true mentorship platform. Linkedin/iMentor? The lack certain aspects.
Are you interested in addressing this Unmet Need?
Brianna Brazle
🎓
Jules Sanders
🎓
?
+ Recommend someone to provide expertise
Are you interested in addressing this Unmet Need?
Brianna Brazle
🎓
Jules Sanders
🎓
?
+ Recommend someone to provide expertise
Technology and National Security Fellow @ National Security Innovation Network
@Jules Sanders @Santiago Rodriguez this looks like a great potential connection :)
@Jeremy Burton
The main driver for this post was my high school has a coexisting Student/Donor structure but there was no connection between the student and the Donor. Donors were not able to see the growth + success of the student and students would not be able to extract valuable advice/connections from their donors.
I know every student will benefit from the mentor ship in my high school.
As for this issue at my high school is not unique and permeates in different forms in other schools and universities. Especially if a institution does not have a strong alumni network, and rising cost of education.
Features of the solution
Typically Schools have preexisting donors who donate for the sake of good works + other reasons. Thats why I never seen the "what's in it for me?" aspect.
Let me know your thoughts
@Brianna Brazle
Very interesting niche product, I would love to chat more about your journey. And see where you are going with the company.
Founder @ CultureLancer
Yes lets connect, I would love to get more info about your thoughts and ideas.
CEO | Founder | Managing Partner @ Platform Venture Studio
It sounds to me that the primary unmet need is for donors to get feedback on the impact they've had. I think that's a common unmet need across the non-profit/giving world. When you donate to a non-profit, most of the time the next email you receive is asking for more money, not showing you the impact you've had.
I'm not saying that the mentorship is not important but it sounds as if the primary role of the other side is as donor, not mentor. I think that changes the dynamic because, as a "donor", they have already decided what's in it for them, in many sense.
CEO | Founder | Managing Partner @ Platform Venture Studio
We went deep on this space earlier in the year, as far as building a V1 MAP and trying to drive growth.
We were unable to make it work, primarily because we found it impossible to solve the "what's in it for me?" for the mentor side of the equation.
Although the mentee side was somewhat easier, we also learned that the severity of the problem in the mentee's mind was not as large as we originally thought - the majority mentees seemed to be ok with existing methods of finding mentors.
I'd love to see someone make it work but it does appear to be something of a graveyard of startups.
CEO/Co-Founder @ Rhiz
@Jeremy Burton this is tangentially related to the unmet need @Carolina Sculti posted and the "Play It Forward" idea. Chance of overlap with demographics and a potential solution for the "what's in it for me?" Sport could be the way in but lots of life issues are interconnected!