Hacker Lab and the Capital Region Small Business Development Center are partnering to provide free business support mentorship to help entrepreneurs start and grow their businesses.
The mentorship program will assist Sacramento region current and future business owners with their goals, lean startup sessions, design thinking sessions, business loan and financial planning, business plan resources and more.
Hacker Lab and the SBDC began partnering earlier this year as part of a push to support cofounders, creatives and makers in the area, which according to a recent analysis is one of the best in the country for a startup.
As part of Hacker Lab’s new class packs discounts program, offering classes in bulk to help members level-up, Hacker Lab is featuring stories on the people and groups that make Hacker Lab special.
“It ranks No. 1 among mid- and large-size cities nationally in the recent growth rate of people in their mid-20s and 30s who have a bachelor’s degree in science or engineering,” The Bee continued. “. . . and saw a 45 percent increase during five recent years in the number of computer, engineering and science jobs.”
For the full list of mentoring topics, our first round of mentors and how to get started, read the post below:
Hacker Lab & SBDC launch mentorship program
Hacker Lab and Capital Region Small Business Development Center have partnered up to provide you FREE business mentorship to help you start and grow your business.
If you are thinking about or have already started a business, reach out and we'll help you save time, money, and stress by getting you started on the right track!
How our mentor program can help you:
- Personal meetings and mentorship
- Goal and milestone planning
- Pitch deck resources and feedback
- Business plan resources and feedback
- Ideation sessions
- Prototyping sessions
- Lean startup sessions
- Design thinking sessions
- Business loans, financing preparation
- Personal connections and introductions to designers, developers, business leaders, investors, designers, artists, craftsmen and women, business leaders, investors, and more.
HOW TO GET STARTED
We accept new mentees to the program on a rolling basis. Complete our new client intake form to get started. We review new clients forms on a rolling basis and will reach out via email to schedule your mentor on-boarding session. Once you are in the system and have received your initial on-boarding session, you'll be paired up with a lead mentor, who will work with our team to connect you with specialists, track progress, and support you throughout your entrepreneurial journey.
CLICK HERE TO COMPLETE NEW CLIENT INTAKE FORM
FEATURED MENTORS IN OUR NETWORK
ALAN WARE: PRODUCT DESIGN
3D printing, CNC machining, mechanical engineering amongst many products.
DAN CASAS-MURRAY: LEAN STARTUP
Building your audience before launching your startup. Business Model Canvas, Value Proposition Design, Market Research, and Traction Testing. Testing for observable customer behavior.
GINA LUJAN: STARTUP BOOTSTRAPPING
Gina Lujan is the Founding CEO of Hacker Lab and a serial Entrepreneur. She has started many of her endeavors on a shoestring budget and self taught methodology.
DAN KOELLEN: ELECTRONICS / FUNDRAISING
Helped build a pre-revenue startup to $300M sales and $3B valuation, active angel investor, startup mentor, longtime electronics maker and fledging hacker.
JAKE ELIA: DIGITAL PRODUCTS
Started first business at seventeen years of age. Since then has launched several ventures and numerous digital products.
LUISA HUNTER: SEWING & TEXTILES
I turned a passion for designing clothing into a successful career in the apparel industry. My early experience in sewing proved invaluable in prototyping my ideas.
MICHAEL BALSTAD: FINANCIAL PLANNING
Michael Balstad is an SBDC mentor focused on financial planning for small businesses.
MICHAEL MENDELSON: AI / MACHINE LEARNING
Turned an idea from his high-school math class into an education company and now helps 1000s of developers start their first AI projects with Nvidia.
NILE MITTOW: IOT / ELECTRONICS
Hacker Lab CTO with a background in Embedded devices, IoT, and a wide array of prototyping techniques including CAD, 3D Printing, and all things Maker.
NOLAN ERCK: APPS, WEB APPS, SOFTWARE
Independent consulting for 12+ years on web/mobile technologies. Worked w/ Adobe, Intuit, startups and other agencies.
ROGER MULKEY: CNC, PM, WOODWORKING
Electrical engineer, woodworker, CNC Machinest, and retired Intel Project manager.
STEVE HUNTER: ROBOTICS
I turned my early passion in robotics into a successful career in automation design and repair. I now use my lifetime education and experience to help others with similar interests and aspirations.
Sign-up here to start accessing free mentorship today!