EARTH

Executive Advisors and Review Team Honorarium

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Business opportunities that emerge from academic research often require significant shaping and refinement to evolve into a clearly articulated business case that can attract credible management and investment. This evolution requires individuals with a range of executive and technical expertise that rarely co-locate with rurally located universities.

The Executive Advisors and Review Team Honorarium (EARTH) project will provide a core support structure for innovators in the region to access the complementary expertise needed to shape and forward early-stage ventures. Developing and adapting this cross region-referenceable platform for rapid, early-stage team building will facilitate the fluid assembly of the right paring of expertise to shape an emergent opportunity.

Meet Our Team

Leveraging the EARTH

We will partner with University of Washington (UW) through purchasing an additional “track” of their mentor matching software, Chronus. From Washington State University’s (WSU) alumni database of 7,000+ individuals who hold advanced technical degrees and currently work in the private sector and from sp3nw’s engaged mentors, we will recruit a group of executive advisors (aka, Executives-in-Residence or EIRs) who have shown motivation to coach early-stage companies. This pool of executive advisors, a “review team”, will populate our “track”. Two virtual matching events in the form of a startup pitches to the review team and subsequent startup interviews of self-selected executive advisors will be followed by a 10- to 12-month partnership between the matched executive advisor and the startup company.

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1. Enroll
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2. Matchmaking
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3. Execution
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1. Enroll

Pay and outcome metrics are anticipated to deepen the executive advisor engagement, accelerate startup growth and increase the chances of successful startup commercialization.

2. Matchmaking

A shared platform allows mentors to have a single profile and be found across multiple tracks, thus optimizing startup to executive matches beyond word of mouth and affinity groups.

3. Execution

Executives and startups can engage virtually and optimize matches beyond geographical constraints.

Frequently Asked Questions

How are the executive advisors recruited?

Executive Advisors are recruited from the FIRE External Advisory Board, CoMotion mentors, and the regional ecosystem. If you would like to join our executive advisor group please click the “Get Involved” to connect.

How are startup teams selected?

FIRE External Advisors will attend pitch events throughout the region to identify startups with complimentary skills/knowledge gap where the executive advisor could provide value and has an interest.

What does the matching and commitment look like?

The startup company and executive advisor will meet and determine if mutual benefit and alignment exist. Upon mutual agreement, the new partnership will create a 10-month project charter identifying milestones and a monthly meeting schedule

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120 N Pine St, Ste 270 Spokane WA 99202

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