Find a startup mentor in founders who have done it
A startup mentor is most useful when they have faced the exact problems you are facing now. Innovation Bay takes a peer-led approach: founders are placed in forum groups of 8 to 10 with others at a comparable stage, and Expedition, our founder retreat, is built around peer-to-peer mentoring.
Membership is by application and starts with a short, no-pressure conversation.
Partners
How do founders find a good startup mentor?
Most founders find mentors through their network: investors, other founders, accelerators and communities. The best mentors have recently solved the problem you are working on, give you honest feedback and have time for you.
Many founders end up getting more from a group of peers than from a single mentor, because they hear several experiences instead of one opinion. That is the idea behind a founder peer group.
How peer mentoring works at Innovation Bay
Sharing experiences, not advice.
Get matched with peers
Founders are vetted and placed with 8 to 10 others at a comparable stage, so the people in the room have faced the same calls.
Learn from experience
Members share what happened when they made similar decisions, instead of telling each other what to do.
Go deeper at Expedition
Expedition, our multi-day retreat, combines peer-to-peer mentoring, outdoor exploration and strategy sessions.
Three kinds of founder support
Peer groups
Small, confidential forum groups where founders at the same stage work through real decisions together.
One-to-one mentors
Useful for specific skills or decisions. Look for someone who has solved your exact problem recently.
Founder advisers
Innovation Bay's Founder Advisory Board, with founders and CEOs from Hutly, HowToo, black.ai, Mentorloop and HIVERY, guides the community.
What to look for in a startup mentor
Whether it is one person or a group, the same qualities matter.
- Recent, relevant experience. They have solved the problem you have, at a similar stage, not a decade ago in a different market.
- Honesty. They tell you what you need to hear, not what you want to hear.
- Time and attention. A mentor who never has time is a name, not a mentor.
- No conflicts. Be careful when advice comes with something to sell.
- More than one view. Hearing several founders' experiences helps you avoid copying one person's path.
"As a founder who has directly benefited from this I can highly recommend it on all levels. It's very well run, and is a super respectful/humble/open format."
Iain McDonald, Founder, 8seats
Learn from founders who have been there
Join the founder community
Get matched into a forum group of 8 to 10 founders at your stage, plus the events calendar and member network. Membership starts from $5,000 a year and is by application.
Apply for membershipPitch to investors
Apply to pitch at an upcoming investor event to our angel and venture capital communities. Open to startups in every sector, with no membership needed.
Apply to pitchApply for membership
Startup mentors: common questions
How do I find a startup mentor in Australia?
Most founders find mentors through investors, other founders, accelerators and founder communities. Look for someone who has recently solved the problem you are facing and can give you honest, regular feedback.
What is the difference between a mentor and a peer group?
A mentor gives advice from their own experience, usually one to one. A peer group brings together several founders at a similar stage who share what happened when they faced the same decisions, without telling each other what to do.
Does Innovation Bay offer mentoring?
Innovation Bay takes a peer-led approach. Founders are placed in forum groups of 8 to 10, and Expedition, its founder retreat, includes peer-to-peer mentoring. The community is guided by a Founder Advisory Board of experienced founders and CEOs.
Is it worth paying for a startup mentor?
It can be, if the mentor has directly relevant experience and you have a clear goal. Many founders find that a peer group gives them a wider range of experience for a similar investment.
How much does Innovation Bay membership cost?
Membership starts from $5,000 a year and includes your peer group, the events calendar and the member network. You apply through the form on this page and start with a short conversation to check the fit.
Not ready to join yet?
Get the monthly briefing and our podcast, Open the Pod Bay Doors, for how founders across Australia and New Zealand are building and scaling.