Mentoring is often cited as a critical support element for new businesses, however, in small or fragmented economies access to good mentors can be limited or the pool too small, not to mention the quality and cost constraints of running a mentorship program.  Online mentoring — connecting mentors and mentees through an online platform — offers a potential work around and widens the pool, but how effective is it? And how does this process and experience differ compared to traditional face to face mentoring?  This webinar will cover the recent World Bank pilot on online mentoring, provided by MicroMentor to a clean tech incubator, the Caribbean Climate Innovation Center that ran from January to June 2018. The session will cover the key features of the MicroMentor online platform, CCIC staff and entrepreneurs will speak to their experiences participating in the pilot program. We will also discuss potential next steps for rolling out the platform to other CBIN members.

 

This webinar is offered by The World Bank Group’s Open Learning Campus (OLC) and Climate Technology Program (CTP). The World Bank’s Climate Technology Program (CTP), housed in the Finance, Competitiveness, and Innovation Global Practice (FCI GP), empowers developing countries to proactively and profitably adapt, develop, and deploy climate smart technologies and business models that meet local needs and drive growth, competitiveness, and employment. CTP has established a network of eight Climate Innovation Centers (CICs) - in Kenya, South Africa, Ethiopia, Ghana, Nigeria, Vietnam, Morocco, and the Caribbean - to support early stage climate technology companies with a holistic set of services including proof-of-concept grants, business advisory and training, and access to business/technical facilities. As a core part of the Climate Business Innovation Network (CBIN), CTP aims to improve the operational effectiveness of its CICs and other intermediary organizations supporting green startups and growing businesses in developing countries. 

 

For information on CBIN’s Webinar Series please contact Task Team Leader Elaine Tinsley (etinsley@worldbank.org), and Susannah Horton (shorton@worldbank.org).