Fellowship / 4-minute read
We are thrilled that Tim Schiffers is a mentor in the Fellowship Program again. He is former CEO of Parship Meet Group and now holds various Chairman and Board Director mandates in the digital space. In 2021, Tim joined the START Fellowship’s mentoring team and has since become an important member of our community. START Fellowship is a student-run accelerator program that provides 35 young founders with all the resources needed and connects them with the European ecosystem to bring their startup to the next level. The individual mentorship that each fellow receives counts as one of the highlights of the program, supporting and guiding them in building their startups.
For Tim, being a mentor is a great opportunity to give back to the next generation of founders. Last year, Tim mentored Javier Barreda Joo, CEO of Luteach, an on-demand tutoring online platform. With Tim’s expertise in EdTech, the pairing was a winning combination. Throughout the program, Tim managed to become a great support for Javier and his startup.
His main focus has been to offer a fresh perspective and encourage the team to think analytically and use the data available to them. He helped the team to sharpen their overall strategy and go-to-market approach while also providing very operational guidance, in areas like user interface and customer understanding.
One challenge that occurs in every relationship over distance is creating a strong personal connection. Tim was delighted to find that it was easier than expected and they had a great bond right from the start. The trip to Berlin intensified that relationship and was a great experience for both of them. Mentoring a young startup isn’t possible without dedication and attentiveness. Tim shared that it was a challenge to not become too forward when providing guidance since it is ultimately up to the team to decide their own path to success.
Tim keeps supporting Javier and is looking forward to their next meeting. He continues to be a Mentor for a new Startup this year as he really enjoyed his time in the Fellowship Program last year. His passion for helping students stems from his own experience at the University of St. Gallen and the connections he made there. He is excited to be able to provide support and guidance to the next generation.
