MentorPRO Awarded Competitive Grant from the U.S. National Science Foundation

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

MentorPRO Secures Prestigious NSF SBIR Grant to Advance AI-Powered Mentoring for Student Success

Manahawkin, NJ – January 15, 2025 – MentorPRO, a leading provider of evidence-based digital mentoring solutions, has been awarded a competitive U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) grant. The funding will accelerate research and development of artificial intelligence (AI) integration within MentorPRO’s proven mentoring platform, expanding access to personalized student support in higher education.

MentorPRO’s platform merges AI-driven analytics, machine learning, and natural language processing with decades of research on effective mentoring practices. This innovative approach delivers personalized, data-informed guidance while preserving the authentic human connection that defines successful mentoring relationships. The advancement addresses a pressing challenge in education: scaling high-quality student support services to reach underrepresented and at-risk students.

“NSF accelerates the translation of emerging technologies into transformative new products and services,” said Erwin Gianchandani, NSF Assistant Director for Technology, Innovation and Partnerships. “We take great pride in funding deep-technology startups and small businesses that will shape science and engineering results into meaningful solutions for today and tomorrow.”

Nancy McNamara, CEO of MentorPRO, emphasized the transformative potential of this grant:

“This NSF award will help us revolutionize how colleges and universities support student success. By combining our evidence-based mentoring platform with advanced AI capabilities, we can dramatically expand the reach and effectiveness of student support programs—without losing the human connection that makes mentoring so impactful.”

All proposals to the NSF SBIR/STTR program, also known as America’s Seed Fund, undergo rigorous peer review. Companies awarded Phase I grants, like MentorPRO, become eligible to apply for Phase II funding and additional supplements totaling up to $2 million.

About the NSF SBIR/STTR Program

America’s Seed Fund powered by NSF invests more than $200 million annually in startups and small businesses that transform scientific discovery into products and services with commercial and societal impact. Companies can receive up to $2 million to support R&D, helping to de-risk early-stage technology and bring breakthrough innovations to market.

About MentorPRO

MentorPRO (mentorpro.com) is an AI-enhanced, evidence-based mentoring platform designed to improve student engagement, retention, and career readiness. Built on three decades of mentoring research and innovation, MentorPRO equips colleges, universities, and workforce development programs with scalable solutions that combine data-driven insights and authentic mentor-mentee connections.