My journey through mentoring. Alien Technology Transfer’s CEO shares her experience with mentorship

Mentorship is an ancient practice. It is generally cited that the concept originated with the character of Mentor in Homer's Odyssey. In the masterpiece of Ancient Greek's epic poems, Odysseus entrusts his young son Telemachus to the care of Mentor, his trusted companion, when he goes to fight in the Trojan War.

From the Ancient Greece to the European Commission

After 3000 years, mentorship is still a concept widely popular and embraced by organisations of any type. The New York Times referred to mentorship as the ‘fabric’ of contemporary culture, and today nearly three-quarters of Fortune 500 companies have some form of employee mentoring programme. Also large institutions such as the European Commission are now investing in the creation of large-scale mentorship programmes. In March 2021, Mariya Gabriel, Commissioner for Innovation, Research, Culture, Education and Youth launched a new initiative called ‘Women TechEU’ exactly to provide female CEOs and founders of deep tech start-ups in Europe with first-class coaching and mentoring activities.

Mentorship at Alien Technology Transfer

In our firm, mentorship is particularly valuable because it ensures that, over time, knowledge, experience, and hard-won insight transfers from the management to the new colleagues. Mentoring and coaching activities support the team at Alien Technology Transfer to improve self-confidence, break inner blocks, define a passionate vision, set goals and work towards achieving them. This is particularly true also for our CEO, Valentina Loisi, who benefitted from the guidance of two exceptional mentors: Alien Technology Transfer's founders Alessandro Rufo and Fabio Manzi. Valentina shared what her mentoring experience has been like on a recent LinkedIn article:
"In my professional experience, I can say that I have been lucky enough to benefit from the guidance of two mentors. From my very first days at Alien Technology Transfer - when I was still graduating from university - to this day, serving as CEO, Alessandro Rufo and Fabio Manzi, founders of AlienTT, began sharing with me their knowledge, expertise and wisdom, kicking off what would have become a long term inspiring, friendly and supportive mentorship. They serve as a sounding board in critical situations, they give support in identifying and avoiding pitfalls, helping me see things from a different perspective without giving me the answers, pushing me outside my comfort zone, while always having in mind my best interest and my personal and professional growth. It is true that so far I had male mentors, but they always respected me not only as a person but also as a woman finding her own career path and enhancement".
Keep reading what Alien Technology Transfer's CEO, Valentina Loisi has to say about her experience with mentorship. You will learn what her journey has been like and why she is now committed to sharing her knowledge and skills mentoring young women and female entrepreneurs:
"I have recently started mentoring female entrepreneurs and young women in two different programmes. These experiences make me reflect on the role of mentors in my professional and personal life, and on the type of mentor I aspire to be".

It continues here

Published Date:04/13/2021