Techscaler Programme 2022-2024: early evaluation - executive summary

Mentor feedback

Mentor engagement with the Techscaler Programme is strong

Mentor engagement with the Techscaler Programme is strong, with most surveyed mentors bringing extensive prior experience in founding, scaling, and investing in tech companies. Around two‑thirds of mentors surveyed have been involved in the programme for more than a year, and over half have been matched with mentees many times, offering a depth of knowledge and continuity to Techscaler mentees.

Primary motivations for mentor involvement

Mentors’ primary motivations for involvement in the Techscaler mentorship programme are to share expertise, support founders, and give back to the tech community, reflecting a strong commitment to ecosystem building.

Financial compensation is widely valued, with 93% of mentors who responded to the survey welcoming remuneration as recognition of their expertise and as an enabler to commit more time, while also signalling to mentees the professional value of the service.

Satisfaction with onboarding and relationship management is mixed

Satisfaction with onboarding and relationship management among mentors is mixed, though 95% of mentors surveyed rated CodeBase’s relationship management as good or very good.

However, mentors highlighted the need for clearer communication, single points of contact, and stronger feedback loops to ensure their insights are fully harnessed.

A minority reported to have received formal training, though shadowing and peer meet‑ups were valued, with calls from mentors surveyed for more structured facilitation and advance scheduling to strengthen peer learning and mentor engagement.

Matching process works well but there are areas for improvement

The matching process was viewed as generally effective, with 65% reporting good alignment, but some mentors noted mismatches with very early-stage mentees and suggested stronger filtering, clearer role definition, and group mentoring options.

Significant benefits for mentees and mentors

Mentors reported significant benefits for mentees, both personal and business.

Founders were said to gain improved knowledge of startup fundamentals, sharper focus on priorities, and supportive challenge, alongside increased confidence and networks. Business impacts for mentees mentioned by mentors included for example, stronger strategy development, greater resilience, and enhanced investor readiness.

Mentors also emphasised the unique value of actionable advice and networks that cannot be replicated by playbooks.

Importantly, mentors themselves have also derived benefits, with 90% reporting satisfaction, sharpened skills, inspiration, and expanded networks, reinforcing their sense of belonging to the wider tech ecosystem.

Overall, 85% of mentors said the programme has met or exceeded expectations, citing positive matches, engaged mentees, and tangible impacts on founder journeys.

Lessons learned

• Impact is maximised when mentoring is structured, intentional, and integrated with other programme supports.
• The mentor community is a strategic asset and there is untapped strategic value this network — CodeBase could harness mentors as co‑designers, not just service providers.
• Matching needs stronger filtering, better segmentation, and clearer communication to ensure mentors meet founders who are ready and aligned.
• Flexibility is essential — founders need different things at different times, and the programme should adapt to that reality.
• A more sophisticated relationship management approach should be considered — one that treats mentors as strategic partners and closes the loop on feedback.
• Structured mentor development (training, peer learning, facilitated meetups) strengthens quality and consistency.
• Better data and clearer definitions would improve matching, mentoring quality, and programme evaluation.
• Targeted, expert-led, practical support is what founders value most and what mentors are best placed to deliver.

Summary

The Techscaler mentor feedback demonstrates that the mentorship programme is highly valued and is delivering clear benefits to both mentees and mentors. Improvements in onboarding, communication, training, and matching could further strengthen effectiveness, while financial compensation remains a critical enabler of mentor commitment. More structured feedback loops, peer learning, and recognition of successes could unlock additional value from the mentor network, ensuring the programme continues to play a pivotal role in Scotland’s entrepreneurial ecosystem.