Johns Hopkins Technology Ventures (JHTV) has many initiatives to support early-stage entrepreneurs, including structured mentorship. The Venture Mentorship Program (VMP) is a transformative experience for aspiring entrepreneurs. It pairs seasoned mentors with budding innovators, fostering a dynamic environment where ideas can flourish and businesses can thrive. It provides business-focused mentorship to innovators from all nine Johns Hopkins University’s schools. The program is open to Johns Hopkins faculty, students, and startups, including early-stage ventures. Even if you don’t yet have a formal venture—just an idea or a problem you’re passionate about solving—the VMP can help explore, shape, and grow it into something impactful.
The VMP leverages the university’s extensive resources and internal and external networks to provide unparalleled support to its mentees. Groups of two to four mentors advise ventures through the commercialization process, meeting roughly once a month. While mentors are volunteers, they must sign a statement of guiding principles/code of ethics.
Dedicating the last decade to helping entrepreneurs, VMP mentor Karl Grover, Chief Operating Officer, BRAND Reservoir, emphasizes the importance of utilizing JHTV’s resources. “I’ve interacted with our companies to get them help on business formation, accounting issues, business intelligence, and artificial intelligence integration,” Grover notes. These resources, often inaccessible to startups, become available through the program, significantly enhancing the mentees’ chances of success.
One critical challenge for academic entrepreneurs is transitioning their innovations from the lab to the market. The VMP mentors guide mentees through this complex process. Grover encourages them to conduct customer discovery research, highlighting the value of understanding the real needs of their target customers. This approach helps entrepreneurs pivot their business models based on genuine market demands, a strategy that has proven crucial for many successful ventures.
Barbara Fox, PhD, biotech executive and entrepreneur, underscores the need to understand the investment ecosystem, markets, and exits. Her experience as a biotech CEO and board member of biotech companies provides invaluable insights to life science entrepreneurs. “The mentors can play a key role by working with the ventures on their business plan and structure,” she said.
The VMP’s impact is evident in its mentees’ experiences. Erica Lee, MD, PhD, NervMyo Co-Founder and CEO, an entrepreneur in the program, shares how the mentorship helped her think strategically about her company’s next steps. “My mentors helped me think out and structure the most appropriate next steps to progress my company forward,” she says. This guidance was pivotal in refining her applications and pitch deck, ultimately advancing her venture.
Evan Haas, CEO and founder of CurveAssure, shares his experience as a first-time medtech founder. “The structured yet flexible format of VMP distinctly sets it apart. Having multiple mentors simultaneously provides a broader range of insights than a single mentor relationship. The arrangement fosters open dialogue, deep dives into complex issues, and a collaborative atmosphere, allowing us to refine and optimize our strategic choices. It’s tailored support at each stage helps ventures move forward faster.”
The VMP is more than just a mentorship program; it is a community of innovators committed to mutual growth and success. Mentors like Grover and Fox find personal and professional fulfillment in their roles. Grover enjoys creatively solving problems and sees mentoring as an opportunity to stay connected with the entrepreneurial spirit. Fox, despite being retired from full-time work, values the connection to early-stage science efforts and the reminder of what it takes to get a venture off the ground.
For aspiring Johns Hopkins entrepreneurs, the VMP offers a unique opportunity to gain insights from experienced mentors, access valuable resources, and join a supportive community. As Lee advises, “I would recommend this program to any innovator struggling to determine next steps and who is newly expanding their network.”
As we grow, JHTV welcomes mentors and entrepreneurs to be part of this exciting journey. For more information, visit the Venture Mentorship Program page.