September 2, 2026

Two Minutes to Connect: Founders + Friends Brings Entrepreneurs and Mentors Together at the ERC

What can happen in two minutes?

At the Entrepreneur Resource Center’s recent Founders + Friends: Meet the Mentors, two minutes was enough time to introduce an idea, ask a question, share an experience and, in many cases, find the beginning of a connection worth continuing.

The event brought founders, entrepreneurs and experienced professionals together at the Entrepreneur Resource Center (ERC) at the Virginia Tech Corporate Research Center for an evening designed around one simple idea: sometimes the most valuable resource for someone building something new is another person who has been there before.

And there was plenty of experience, ambition and curiosity in the room.

Making the First Conversation Easier

Meet the Mentors took a fast-paced approach to networking. Mentors were stationed throughout the ERC while founders rotated from seat to seat, with approximately two minutes for each conversation and 30 seconds to make the switch.

Think speed networking, but with a purpose.

Founders had the opportunity to meet multiple mentors in a single evening, introduce what they were working on and quickly explore where a mentor’s experience might intersect with their needs.

The short format also took some of the pressure out of networking. No need to figure out who to approach from across the room or wonder how to start the conversation. Just sit down, introduce yourself and begin.

Two minutes went quickly.

The conversations didn’t end there.

Following the rotations, participants had time for open networking, giving founders and mentors an opportunity to return to the conversations that sparked their interest and dig a little deeper.

Different Experiences. Different Ideas. Shared Curiosity.

One of the most striking parts of the evening was the range of people and ideas represented.

The room included recent college graduates alongside seasoned professionals, business owners, experienced entrepreneurs and people building a company for the first time.

The ventures were just as varied.

Conversations touched everything from nonprofits and therapeutic implants to business radio capabilities, AI-powered travel, 3D mapping and printing, new products and emerging services.

That diversity is exactly what the ERC is intended to bring together.

Innovation rarely follows one path, and founders rarely need the exact same kind of support at the exact same time. One entrepreneur may be working through customer discovery while another needs help thinking about commercialization, funding, intellectual property, leadership or scaling.

Creating opportunities to connect with people who bring different experiences to those questions can help founders see possibilities they may not have considered on their own.

It can also work both ways.

One mentor reflected after the event that she arrived expecting to share her own perspective and experience but left thinking differently about her own organization and industry.

That exchange is an important part of building a strong entrepreneurial community. Mentorship isn’t simply about one person having all the answers. It can be about asking better questions, sharing what experience has taught you and remaining open to learning from the person sitting across the table.

From Introductions to Relationships

Meet the Mentors wasn’t designed to end when the event did.

Following the evening, founders and mentors were asked to identify the people they felt could be a strong fit for continued conversation. The ERC team is using that feedback to help facilitate mentor connections and give participants an opportunity to build on what started during those two-minute introductions.

That approach reflects a larger goal of the ERC: helping entrepreneurs find the right resource, expertise or connection for where they are in their journey.

Located within the Virginia Tech Corporate Research Center, the ERC serves as a front door for founders, startups and growing companies seeking support. Through mentorship, coaching, educational programming, events and connections across the regional entrepreneurial ecosystem, the ERC helps entrepreneurs navigate the questions and decisions that come with building something new.

Founders + Friends is one way to make those connections happen.

Because while programs and resources matter, sometimes progress begins with something much simpler:

A conversation.

A question you hadn’t considered.

An introduction to someone with experience you need.

Or two minutes with the right person at the right time.

Ready to Make Your Next Move?

If Meet the Mentors demonstrated anything, it’s that there is no single starting point for entrepreneurship. Some founders walk through the ERC doors with an established business. Others have an early idea, a problem they want to solve or a question about what comes next.

All stages are welcome.

And for founders ready to dig deeper into those questions, there’s an immediate opportunity to get started.

Apply Today for the ERC E-Series

Applications are now open for the ERC E-Series, an eight-week program designed to help entrepreneurs navigate the decisions that come with moving an idea or venture forward.

Beginning September 15, weekly classes will explore the questions founders encounter throughout the entrepreneurial journey, including discovery and validation, commercial pathways, intellectual property, business planning, legal structure and funding.

The goal isn’t to assume every founder starts in the same place. It’s to help you better understand where you are, ask the right questions and determine what comes next.

Have an idea? Already building? Somewhere in between? Apply for the ERC E-Series today.

Want to Get Involved with the ERC?

The ERC is continuing to grow its community of founders and mentors.

If you’re an experienced entrepreneur, business leader, subject matter expert or professional interested in sharing your knowledge with founders, we want to hear from you.

If you’re a founder looking for guidance, connections, resources or simply a place to start, we want to hear from you, too.

Interested in mentoring or joining the ERC as a founder? Contact the ERC team at erc@vtcrc.com to start the conversation.