SparkLab connects working entrepreneurs, investors, and operators with high school students who are building real businesses. Two volunteer paths — both flexible.
Two ways to get involved
Most of our volunteers start as a judge and graduate to mentoring a team the following cohort. Some do both. Both are essential.
Walk a team through the program.
Be paired with one or two student teams. Meet bi-weekly to offer guidance, feedback, and the perspective of someone who has built and run a business.
Score and give feedback at the final event.
Join the panel for the in-person pitch competition. Evaluate teams, ask the kinds of questions real investors ask, and help decide the cash prize winners.
Why mentor or judge
A few hours of your time will be referenced by students for years.
Your perspective compounds for decades in the careers of the students you reach.
The SparkLab mentor pool is a community of Michigan founders, investors, and operators.
Volunteer for one cohort or come back every year. Two role options to fit your bandwidth.
What we look for
The best SparkLab mentors are operators who can give a high schooler the kind of feedback they'd give a junior teammate — honest, kind, and useful.
Tell us a bit about your background and which role appeals to you. We'll match you with the next cohort.
