The Select Global Women in Tech (SGWIT) program aims to promote American competitiveness and technology leadership by attracting talented women leaders in emerging technology sectors to spur economic growth and innovation, as well as to support women’s economic empowerment globally.
Mentorship Network
The SGWIT Mentorship Network is a yearlong program that formally launches at the Investment Summit and introduces international women tech entrepreneurs to the U.S. market with the support of SelectUSA’s traditional data and counseling services as well as community, learning, and networking opportunities.
The SGWIT Mentorship Network offers participants access to:
- Experienced mentors from the U.S. startup ecosystem who can provide insights on scaling, promotion, fundraising, and establishing a business in the United States
- Connection to fellow mentees in the SGWIT network for peer learning and shared experiences
- Informational assistance through SelectUSA data and counseling services
- Educational content, including webinars, workshops, virtual events, and networking opportunities such as the annual SelectUSA Investment Summit
- Opportunities to make a meaningful impact on SGWIT entrepreneurs seeking to bring their businesses to the United States
- Exposure to a global network of tech startups, economic development organizations, public-sector officials, and other key players in the tech and startup ecosystem
- A supportive community of mentors and mentees
Throughout the cohort, mentees will have ongoing opportunities to connect with mentors and can choose to work closely with one mentor or engage with several. They will also be able to collaborate with fellow startup founders, sharing experiences, insights, and best practices to support one another’s growth.
Both mentors and mentees will benefit from the mentoring relationships as they build new skills, make new contacts, ignite new ideas, achieve their goals, and reinvigorate their own work.
Mentees
To participate in the SGWIT Mentorship network, interested women must be approved to attend the 2027 Investment Summit as a SelectUSA Tech startup.
Eligible startups must be:
- Founded outside the United States, and
- Developing an innovative technology product or service (a new technology, and/or delivering an existing technology to a country in new ways), and
- Looking to the United States for market-entry or growth within the next 2-3 years.
SelectUSA Tech startups must also meet at least one of the following criteria:
- 0-10 years old (Founded on/after January 1, 2017)
- 0-40 employees
- $0-10M in annual revenue
SGWIT mentee candidates indicated their interest in the SGWIT Mentorship Network on their Investment Summit application. Applications for mentees will be considered until Friday, April 16, 2027, at 12:00 p.m. EDT.
Mentors
SGWIT mentors are U.S.-based successful entrepreneurs, corporate executives, venture capitalists, angel investors, and attorneys interested in supporting international women entrepreneurs in tech in their efforts to achieve their U.S. expansion goals.
Mentors will be selected from across the U.S. startup ecosystem based on their interest in supporting women-run businesses and their expertise in supporting tech startups on their U.S. investment and expansion journeys. Prospective mentors will be evaluated based on their:
- Industry Knowledge
- Areas of Specialty
- International Expansion Skills/Experience
- Entrepreneurship Skills/Experience
- Advancing Women in Tech Experience/Interest
U.S. and Foreign Government employees and Economic Development Organization officials may not serve as mentors, but may support the network via educational content contributions or events.
Application Information
Interested mentors can apply until Friday, March 26, 2027, at 12:00 p.m. EDT. All mentors will be vetted by SelectUSA before being confirmed. Accepted mentors will be notified by mid-April.
Accepted mentors will receive more details about the mentorship network in the lead-up to the cohort kick-off in May 2027. Not all accepted mentors will receive a match.
The SelectUSA team is proud to bring together resources from across the United States to support international women on their U.S. investment journey.