1. Come prepared!

Find out the mentor's background. Find out where they have worked and what projects they have been involved in. This way, you can ask the mentors questions that they can really help you with. Remember that the mentor does not know anything about your idea, so preparing your business model and one-pager is vital! Any visual presentation of your idea, such as a design of an application drawn on paper or a visualization of the customer's journey, also helps the mentor better understand your idea.

2. Use your time well!

The meeting with one mentor lasts about 12 minutes, so it is important to clearly state your idea and problem areas where the mentor can help you. When presenting an idea to a mentor, the most important parts of the idea must be highlighted. Highlight what you have already done, what your plans are and what is preventing you from getting there.

3. Ask as many questions as possible!

A mentor is an expert in their field who often has many years of experience! He knows how it should work and where to focus the development of the idea in the first place. By asking as many questions as possible you will get to look at your idea from another angle. Don't ask too many multiple-choice questions (do you think?; Which one is better?), but use guiding questions to generate new ideas and thrive your project forward.

4. Don't be afraid of feedback!

By asking mentors questions, you get honest feedback from a stranger and maybe a potential client. Often, start-ups tend to fall in love with their idea, so they only see the good sides of the idea. When interacting with a stranger, you get their opinion of your idea. Stay polite and take constructive criticism as an opportunity to move forward.

5. Take notes!

When talking to a mentor, the conversation often gets so fast that many topics are discussed. After the meeting, there is so much information that some of it may get lost. Therefore, it is wise to have one team member take constant notes or take them yourself. This way, you always have these notes in front of you and you can see what needs to be improved!

Take the most of the interview with the mentors and don't forget to thank them for your time! Mentors want to help students develop ideas and offer their support. Even negative feedback can be positive because by validating the idea, you will reach the best possible solution.

The Starter programme is financed by the European Social Fund.

Additional information: Kristian Kutsar, Startup Lab Communications and Marketing Specialist, 5628 6536, kristian.kutsar@ut.ee