For successful founders: volunteer as a godparent
We’ve designed French Tech Tremplin to level the playing field by offering participants some of the advantages enjoyed by entrepreneurs from more privileged backgrounds. Top of those benefits is the presence of a strong role model to guide them to the finish line. Godparents are the true backbone of this program. We’re looking for battle-tested founders who are willing to take one of our participants under their wing for up to 6 months. Our program goes beyond regular mentorship programs, where you may only visit the company 2 or 3 times. And that’s why we demand a stronger and more personal commitment of our Tremplin “Godparents”.
The time commitment for this role is estimated at 1 hour per week.
In this article (in French), our director Kat Borlongan answers all questions that godparents can have.
About the job
At the beginning of the program
- Attend a briefing session organized by our national partners on how to be a great mentor to Tremplin participants.
- Support your buddy during the ideation phase of the program as they fine-tune their idea ahead of the bootcamp.
- Help them budget their stipend of 17K.
- Recruit their circle of mentors, people in your network you believe should meet with them at least once during the mentor hours of the program.
- Participate in the Program kick-off.
During the program
- Check in every week to provide guidance, expertise and feedback.
- Organize their 2-week “Startup Immersion” at your company, allowing them to understand how all parts of a startup function from the inside. (Note that during these two weeks you will be asked to provide lunch and, if necessary, dinner for your mentee.)
- Help them develop certain soft skills by allowing them to regularly shadow you (ex. Meetings with your C-levels, lunches with your investor, tech conferences, etc.)
At the end of the program
- Participer au Demo Day
- Assist them with the transition: help them to join an incubator/accelerator and obtain the Bourse French Tech Tremplin or to pursue a career in a startup.
About you!
- You are a battle-tested tech entrepreneur. You have successfully founded a startup that has made it to at least Series A, and are willing to share what you’ve learned from that journey. You will help propel your mentee forward because you’ve been there, seen the landscape, and know what it takes to be successful.
- You strike the right balance between empathy and the ability to deliver honest feedback.
- You’re a visionary problem solver: you know how to help yourself and others look beyond the daily operational and tactical issues of a startup to build a grander vision.
- Your strong connections in the industry and the local ecosystem allow you to open multiple doors for your mentee.
- You genuinely care about the issue of socio-economic diversity in the French tech ecosystem, and want to make a difference.
