Mentorship

JHTV offers a variety of avenues to engage with its innovators, each with different time commitments. The following are all the opportunities available to support the advancement of emerging technologies and innovative research at Johns Hopkins.

If you are interested in participating or learning more, please contact Justin Berger at [email protected].

LONG-TERM COMMITMENT

Venture Mentorship Program (VMP)

The VMP fosters deep engagement with innovators from all nine Johns Hopkins schools, providing business-focused group mentorship to advance emerging technologies. Upon acceptance into the program, mentors join a diverse community of peers with business and scientific backgrounds, all eager to give back to the Johns Hopkins community. Small groups of two to four mentors guide their assigned venture through the commercialization process, meeting roughly once a month, requiring a commitment of 2-4 hours per month. The VMP office handles applications, group pairings, and scheduling mentor sessions to ensure high-quality engagement and ease for everyone involved.



SHORT-TERM COMMITMENT

Hexcite Team Advisors
Over the 16-week Hexcite program, advisors guide healthcare entrepreneurs in creating software solutions to improve patient care. This role supports diverse teams through the Lean Start-up methodology, helping them build their technology, pilot it at Johns Hopkins, and launch a startup in Baltimore. This is an opportunity to shape the future of healthcare by supporting the next generation of innovators.



I-Corps Advisors

Over the 4-week Johns Hopkins I-Corps program, advisors guide a couple of teams of innovators in refining their business models and gaining customer insights. I-Corps advisors leverage their industry expertise and networks to support the team’s success by identifying market opportunities, connecting them with potential customers for customer discovery conversations, and providing strategic feedback.


Non-Dilutive Translational Funds Application Reviewers (Internal Funds)
JHTV offers Johns Hopkins researchers two non-dilutive funding opportunities for emerging technologies: Cohen Translational Engineering Fund and Louis B. Thalheimer Fund for Translational Research. The Cohen Fund is exclusive to faculty at the Whiting School of Engineering, while the Thalheimer Fund is open to faculty from all schools. Both funds award $25,000 to $100,000 seed funding for proof-of-concept and validation studies. Application reviewers are instrumental in advancing innovative technologies by selecting the most promising projects for funding.


Translational Funding Advisors (External Funds)

These advisors review and provide feedback on grant applications for translational funding mechanisms like the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) grants. These programs support researchers in developing and commercializing innovative technologies, bridging the gap between basic research and market-ready products. Feedback from Translational Funding Advisors ensures promising projects receive necessary resources.

FLEXIBLE COMMITMENT

5-5-5 Lunch Participants
Participants gather for a casual discussion on market trends and opportunities. JHTV carefully selects a small pool of innovators, investors, and entrepreneurs to ensure the event remains informal, with no formal pitches.

Lunch and Learn Participants
Participants help lead JHTV’s Lunch and Learns, which are informative sessions that introduce attendees to technology transfer, commercialize research, and \translate research into viable products and services. Typical attendees include Johns Hopkins faculty, students, and staff.


Tech Talk Participants
Participants form a small panel of domain experts who engage with a promising inventor working with JHTV. This technology-specific discussion covers topics such as market fit, research direction, and next steps. The panel typically includes investors, industry professionals, and consultants.

Pitch Deck/Pitch Practice Reviewers
Reviewers assist startups in one of two ways: 1. Evaluate and provide feedback on pitch decks, ensuring startups effectively communicate their value propositions to investors. 2. Help startups refine their pitches through practice sessions, enhancing their presentation skills and confidence.

Ad Hoc Advisors
These advisors provide one-off, informal guidance on technical, business, or design challenges. Their expertise helps shape innovative projects, offering flexible support as needed.

Funding Source Connectors
This role facilitates connections between JHTV startups and various relevant funding mechanisms, helping startups secure the financial support they need to grow.