Where K-State innovators and entrepreneurs come together to WIN

The Wildcat Innovation Network is more than a mentoring program — it’s engaging an ecosystem that supports K-State startups and innovators doing good in Kansas and across the world.

Our WIN strategy is simple: Pair early-stage K-State teams with experienced alumni, industry leaders and investors as they translate research and ideas into viable startups that change the world.

Are you an experienced professional ready to give back to the K-State entrepreneurial community? We'd like to hear from you.

Fill out our intake form to learn more about the Wildcat Innovation Network.

Mentored businesses survive at 2 times the rate of nonmentored businesses (SBA)

70% percent of mentored businesses make it beyond five years, compared to 35% of nonmentored businesses (SBA)

Startups with mentors are 1.7 times more likely to raise funding and 3.5 times more likely to grow significantly (Entrepreneur)

Together, we can bring next-generation innovation to market.

About WIN

WIN is operated by the Kansas State University Research Foundation and is a mentor/advisor program for early-stage K-State venture teams. Learn more about WIN and how it serves K-State innovators.

What WIN does

WIN provides structured guidance to help K-State innovators translate research and ideas into startups. Some of the goals of WIN include:

Accelerate the commercialization of K-State research and innovation.
Increase quantity, quality and survival of university-derived spinouts and startups.
Create a repeatable, scalable support infrastructure for K-State innovators.
Provide faculty teams and founders with experienced, unbiased, actionable guidance at critical early stages.
Engage alumni and external partners in meaningful, high-impact mentorship roles.
Drive regional economic development and next-generation land-grant university impact.

Who WIN supports

WIN serves K-State innovators at every career stage:

Faculty and staff with discoveries or technologies that have commercial or societal impact potential.
Graduate students and postdoctoral researchers with research-driven venture ideas.
Undergraduate students with venture concepts from coursework, competitions or independent projects that have completed the College of Business Administration's Entrepreneurship Accelerator Program.
Alumni entrepreneurs leading early-stage ventures or interested in K-State intellectual property.
External entrepreneurs engaged with K-State partner institutions (by arrangement).

**Participation is selective to ensure mentor quality and meaningful engagement for every team.

Mentorship opportunities

Are you interested in becoming a WIN mentor? Learn how your experience can help K-State innovators. If you're ready to get involved, fill out our Wildcat Innovation Network intake form to support K-State innovators as a mentor, advisor or champion.

Mentor expertise areas

WIN mentors bring experience across multiple domains:

Product and technology development — MVP definition, prototyping, manufacturing scale-up, technology transfer
Customer and market development — Customer discovery, market validation, go-to-market strategy, pricing
Fundraising and capital strategy — Angel and VC fundraising, SBIR/STTR, pitch development, non-dilutive funding
Legal, IP and governance — Startup formation, equity design, patent strategy, regulatory compliance
Leadership and founder development — CEO coaching, PI-to-CEO transition, team building, strategic planning
Operations and execution — Financial operations, KPI development, cash flow management, compliance
Business development and growth — Corporate partnerships, government contracting, licensing, M&A, exit planning

Become a mentor

WIN offers several ways for alumni and industry professionals to contribute their expertise:

Startup team mentor — Serve on a mentor team matched to a specific venture. Monthly meetings plus initial training.
Subject matter expert — Provide targeted guidance on specific challenges on an as-needed basis.
Venture reviewer — Participate in venture reviews, offering structured feedback on progress and strategy.
Event participant — Judge pitch competitions, join roundtable discussions or speak at workshops.
NSF I-Corps industry mentor – Offer valuable insights to early-stage startups as they participate in an NSF I-Corps regional program.

“When you're building a company, you don’t know what you don’t know, and the right advisor can compress months of trial and error into a single conversation …. It’s not about having a board of famous names. It’s about people you trust who fill genuine gaps in your knowledge or network.”

Graham Krizek '15, Founder and CEO, Voltage

“Strong advisors can provide perspective that helps avoid some pretty big mistakes. In a lot of ways, the trajectory of a startup can be heavily influenced by the quality of its mentorship: Great advisors can help accelerate a company’s growth, while poor advice at an early stage can set a company back significantly.”

K-State student, founder & CEO