Collaborate, lead, propel

Be a part of the energy and enthusiasm guiding entrepreneurs along the journey of launching big ideas to bigger impact.

Our mentors (also referred to as Entrepreneurs-in-Residence or EIRs) are experienced professionals who bring entrepreneurial perspectives and significant depth in establishing growth-oriented businesses. They support clients’ growth by sharing industry or market segment expertise, providing market perspective, and helping to establish corporate governance, strategy, and milestones. Most have strong technology industry backgrounds and specific expertise with the many issues facing startup and high-growth companies.

Lead EIRs

Lead EIRs coach and advise our ventures' CEOs, meeting regularly to set and reach milestones for their next stage of development. They provide guidance to VentureLabs programs and events, and help clients in scaling up their businesses with input and advice on product market fit, market validation, product development, manufacturing and distribution, operations, raising capital, and other matters relevant to the development and growth of their businesses.

Lead EIRs share insights and give guidance by:

  • Providing feedback and advice to participating ventures.
  • Meeting with appropriate clients to review status, discuss challenges and opportunities, provide feedback and recommendations, and establish objectives for client engagements.
  • Introducing client ventures to prospective management team members, board members, advisors, customers and/or investors.
  • Participating in quarterly client review meetings and periodically participating in new applicant initial screening and intake review meetings.
  • Periodically contributing ideas and articles to SFU VentureLabs, blog and social media feeds on topics related to marketing and startup company development.
  • Speaking at events organized by SFU VentureLabs or its partners.
  • Attending network and other meetings, workshops, and events with SFU VentureLabs partners and affiliates as may be requested from time to time.
  • Developing and delivering, workshops and/or masterclasses on marketing and sales strategy and methods covering topics relevant to market entry, business growth, scale-up, and market expansion including marketing and sales strategy, management, methods, techniques, tools, examples, case studies, etc.
  • Working with partners in the community to attract quality clients to join VentureLabs.
  • Working with various SFU faculties to help bring intellectual property and promising technologies from the research world to the private sector to build viable commercial entities.
  • Carrying out such other duties as may be reasonably requested from time to time by VentureLab’s Executive Director.
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Hon. Mary Ng addressing women WEKH Power Panel on June 4, 2019.

Review Panel Volunteers

Review panel volunteers join our periodic company reviews process, bringing market perspective to help our venture clients establish corporate strategy and milestones. Review panel EIR volunteers have specific industry or market expertise and provide advice and guidance to the VentureLabs client companies.

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Specialty EIRs

Specialty EIRs jump in to help a CEO or company with a specific opportunity or challenge. Whether it’s reviewing a launch plan, providing insights over a product strategy, or providing an independent industry perspective. Speciality EIRs are asked to work with companies for a few hours, a day, or on a short-term project. Specialty EIRs are experts in finance, marketing, sales, development, HR, or other functional areas. Or they may have deep industry knowledge that they can share with the client company. Specialty EIRs may also provide training and workshops to our learning community.

Apply now to become an EIR

Complete the form and submit your application to become a mentor at SFU VentureLabs