Mentor Opportunity! 2018 WHOI Pitchathon

WHOI OTT is looking for experienced Business Advisors to take part in this year’s Pitchathon competition. This annual event- now a part of Innovation Month – has grown immensely since it’s first year in 2015.

Each year, WHOI innovators are matched with a Business Advisor to craft a pitch for their technology over the course of two months. Applicants then make their pitch in October to a panel of judges in hopes of gaining Proof of Concept Funding to advance their project.

We were lucky last year to have a very talented group of  Business Advisors volunteer their time- and as the number of applications increase- we are looking to expand the volunteer pool.

Interested in helping out? Here’s what we are looking for:

• Volunteers willing to share their business experience & expertise
• Experienced mentors who enjoy sharing knowledge & are passionate about the WHOI mission
• Passion for teaching in all aspects of the innovation process – from business plan to commercialization
• Willingness & ability to travel to Woods Hole 3-4 times from July 2018- September 2018 for a training presentation, in-person meetings with inventors,  rehearsal pitches, & the Pitchathon event. Local volunteers are preferred.

Although meetings will be arranged between the Business Advisor & Inventor, here are some key dates Business Advisors will need to be available to travel to WHOI:

• June 20, 2018 – Business Advisor Training Session
• July 2018- September 2018- flexible schedule for on-campus meetings with WHOI Inventors
• September 20, 2018 (tentative) – Rehearsal Presentations
• October 5, 2018 – Pitchathon Event

To learn more about what we look for in our Business Advisors or to register, visit our Tech Mentors & Champions page and fill out the form here. If you have already previously registered via our site and are interested in participating this year, please email Allison Markova directly at anangle@whoi.edu.

To learn more about the competition and previous winners- check out our annual report and previous newsletters on our News & Events page.