The universities of Sheffield, Leeds, and Manchester are proud to announce the launch of the Northern Triangle Mentor Network, a dynamic initiative designed to propel commercialisation opportunities and empower early-stage spinouts.
The mentor network connects aspiring entrepreneurs with a curated community of globally-connected mentors, providing them with invaluable guidance and support as they navigate the journey from concept to commercial success.
The initiative, which is funded through Research England, builds on previous work through the Northern Triangle Initiative (NTI) to strengthen the entrepreneurial ecosystem for spinouts across the three universities. A significant outcome of the project was the launch of the highly successful Northern Gritstone, a £312 million fund which launched in 2021.
Andy Hogben, Commercialisation Director at the University of Sheffield said: “This new mentor community is designed to bring some of the leading minds in industry together with our spin-out companies and help them grow and scale quicker.
It is a really exciting time to be a spin-out at Sheffield, Leeds or Manchester as we’re creating a world-class ecosystem to support academics that are transforming groundbreaking ideas into tangible, commercial realities”.
Ken Nettleship, Mentor Community Manager of the Northern Triangle Mentor Network said: “We’re on the lookout for experienced founders, specialists, and experts who are passionate about empowering the next generation of innovators and entrepreneurs that are spinning out ideas from the Northern Triangle universities.
A mentor’s role is pivotal in the early stages of setting up a business as they can help shape the success of the business or idea at a critical stage of its evolution. From sharing real-life experiences to guiding founders on their journey - this is a really exciting time to join this global network of mentors”
The Northern Triangle Mentor Network will provide a range of support from speed networking events through to a 12-week programme that will build meaningful relationships between mentors and founders on the commercialisation journey.