EBAN Interviews

ENTREPRENEDU Mentoring & Coaching Programme: Insights from European Business Angel Network

It was our pleasure to learn more about ENTREPRENEDU Mentoring & Coaching Programme with Jacopo Piccagli, EU Project Manager  at European Business Angels Network (EBAN).

Please, briefly introduce yourself and tell us more about ENTREPRENEDU Mentoring & Coaching Programme’ goals and benefits?

My name is Jacopo Piccagli, I am an EU project manager at EBAN (European Business Angel Network) currently working on four EU projects. My responsibilities encompass participating in the coordination and implementation of EU-funded projects aimed at facilitating angel investments and supporting Entrepreneurs. 

The ENTREPRENEDU Mentoring & Coaching Programme aims to equip young entrepreneurs with the necessary knowledge and tools to transform their business ideas into actual start-ups.

By providing over 60 hours of mentoring on vital entrepreneurial topics, the programme assists participants from ideation to execution and commercialization, helping them develop a functioning product and a profitable growth model.

The programme offers a tailored learning experience, ensuring comprehensive training on fundamental entrepreneurial skills often overlooked in academic settings, especially in low/moderate innovation regions in Europe. Start-ups are guided to identify funding opportunities, understand tech due diligence, and develop sound business models and plans.

The Programme includes 6 mentoring modules and yours is about “Investment Pitch and Quantifying Your Funding Needs”. Can you tell us a bit more about the module itself? What mentees can expect from it?

The “Investment Pitch and Quantifying Your Funding Needs” module is designed to equip mentees with essential skills and knowledge for effectively pitching their startups and understanding their funding requirements. The module includes three pre-recorded training videos, each lasting about one hour, covering core principles of investment pitching, different funding sources, and financial forecasting.

Participants will learn how to craft compelling investment pitches, tailor them for various audiences, and understand the different funding stages and sources appropriate for their startups. The first video covers the art of investment pitching, including structure, storytelling, and tailoring pitches for different investors. The second video details various funding sources, ideal equity percentages at different startup stages, and strategies for financial sustainability. The third video focuses on financial projections, market size, key financial metrics, and exit strategies, helping participants quantify their funding needs accurately.

In addition to the videos, the module includes a non-mandatory quiz to assess understanding, a live workshop to apply theoretical concepts, a Q&A session for addressing specific queries, and individual mentoring sessions for personalized guidance. These components collectively ensure that participants can refine their pitches, develop a sound financial strategy, and gain confidence in presenting to potential investors. The module culminates in a reflection session to encourage self-assessment and ongoing development.

The participants of the Programme are winning teams of three HackTheBusiness competitions organised by ENTREPRENEDU. In your opinion, what are key potential takeaways for our participants after they conclude the Programme?

The ENTREPRENEDU Mentoring & Coaching Programme offers participants several key takeaways. Participants learn to identify the unique value of their business ideas and develop their business models. They gain entrepreneurial skills such as technical feasibility assessment, business model development, and quantifying funding needs.

Personalised guidance and feedback support individual growth, while networking with peers, mentors, and industry experts fosters future collaborations. Participants enhance their presentation and communication skills, understand market dynamics, and learn to analyse customer needs and competition. The programme encourages innovation, helping mentees develop unique solutions and deliver effective pitches to investors.

Finally, the comprehensive coverage of the entrepreneurial journey prepares participants to address common startup challenges, such as achieving product-market fit, establishing a clear business model, building the right team, and understanding how to meet investors.

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