The ICAP team is made up of a group of successful entrepreneurs and intrapreneurs who have participated in National Science Foundation I-Corps programs and are experienced practitioners of The Lean Startup methodology. The ICAP Mentors are the backbone of the program and provide advice and support that would otherwise cost tens of thousands of dollars. What makes working with them invaluable is that they have all experienced successes and failures that have taught them valuable lessons that guide their guidance to startups. ICAP Mentors work one-on-one with startups to provide long-term support and advising for as long as the company makes progress on their mutually agreed upon goals and action items.
Benefits of Mentorship
The overall goal of ICAP is to assist startups on their path towards success, and to provide customized support and connection to resources based on their needs – and (stage of business) when they are ready.
Guidance, Not Direction
Our team will not tell you what to do or whether or not they think you have a good idea - only the market and your potential customers can tell you that. ICAP Mentors will help guide you as you learn what the market wants/needs in order to help make data-driven business decisions
Experience That Counts
Our highly-experienced group of ICAP Mentors provide one-on-one advising for as long as you continue working on your venture
Honest, Respectful Feedback
Each ICAP Mentor is dedicated to helping startups find success. To do this, honest and respectful feedback is required. The feedback given might be that more work is needed, or a longer path, but it is always given for the betterment of the startup
Adjunct Instructors
All ICAP Mentors serve as adjunct instructors for each ICAP Introductory Course. This is the NSF I-Corps Regional Short Course for George Mason University. ICAP Mentors provide one-on-one guidance to startups as they begin and continue their customer discovery journeys
Meet the Mentors
Contact
If you are interested in learning more about ICAP and potentially being connected with an ICAP Mentor, please reach out by emailing us at icap@virginiasbdc.org.