The Mentor Program is designed to connect highly qualified professionals with student startups and researchers, giving them access to industry-specific knowledge and experience that helps them avoid pitfalls and increase their chances of success.

We work with both bachelor’s and master’s students as well as researchers who wish to turn their academic insights into concrete solutions. As a mentor, you become a central driving force in their development and an important bridge to the business community.

A mentoring process typically involves a series of meetings over an agreed period. The scope is adapted to each case and agreed directly between the mentor and the team. We work with a framework agreement that sets the number of meetings, while the frequency can be adjusted as needed. Specific obligations are outlined in our Code of Conduct.

At SE, you will meet teams that have already completed AAU’s Startup Program and worked with business advisors on, among other things, problem validation and business models. The mentoring process is intended to prepare them to run a sustainable business and ensure a smooth transition when they complete the programs offered by AAU.

Admission Process
Once you have completed the application form, we will introduce mentors and teams to each other at the next matchmaking sessions. Your mentor profile will be publicly visible on AAU’s website.

Business Panels
Each year, you will receive several invitations to participate as a panelist in AAU Business Panels, where students pitch their startup. The expectation is that you help qualify AAU startups. We focus particularly on uncovering each startup’s blind spots by asking relevant questions.

At the TTO, a close sparring process is offered throughout the commercialization journey - from invention disclosure, patenting, and funding opportunities to company registration (CVR). Each team is assigned a business developer and a mentor when needed.

When you register, or are referred to the AAU Mentor Program, you will first be screened based on your qualifications and professional experience. You may then be invited to a follow-up meeting with the program coordinator and a business developer from Aalborg University. The purpose of the meeting is to align expectations and assess the potential for a good collaboration.

If the meeting goes well, you will be admitted to AAU’s Mentor Program and can then be matched with relevant cases. Matching may happen in two ways:

Matchmaking Sessions
A selected group of teams pitch their ideas to carefully chosen mentors. If chemistry and experience align, a mentoring arrangement is established.

Direct Match
Our business developers carefully select mentors based on the team’s current needs and the mentor’s expertise, ensuring a strong match for optimal guidance.

The Investor Program is primarily aimed at researchers and selected student startups that are close to completing the startup program.
You may choose to register as both a mentor and investor (requires separate registration).

The admission process is the same as for the Mentor Program, but as an investor, you will also be invited to exclusive events featuring presentations from promising cases.

As a registered investor, you will receive an invitation to the Aalborg Investor Summit, held annually in May at AAU INNOVATE.

• No guarantee of match: We cannot guarantee that you will be matched with a team, either now, or in the future. Matchmaking depends on the current needs of the teams and the mentors’ expertise.
• Pro bono nature: Being a mentor is a voluntary effort. Your motivation should be driven by a genuine desire to give back and help others succeed.
• Possibility of co-founding: If you are interested in founding a company together with the team you mentor, this is a possibility. However, it must be disclosed as early as possible to ensure transparency.
• Investment opportunities: If you wish to invest capital in the team you mentor, this must be disclosed in advance. Additional documentation will be required to formalize the agreement.
• Code of Conduct: Admission requires signing our Code of Conduct.