NAI Langer-Sanberg Mentorship & Innovation Leadership Award
Primary Applicant Information
First Name
Last Name
Title/Position
Institution/Organization
Department/Center/Program
Email
Phone
LinkedIn/Profile URL
NAI Membership Information
Are you:
An individual NAI Member
A representative of an NAI Member Institution
Both
NAI Member Institution Name
Co-Applicants / Team Members (Optional)
First Name
Last Name
Title/Position
Institution/Organization
Role in Program
Mentorship Program Information
Program/Initiative Title
Mentorship Focus Areas (select all that apply)
Innovation Mentorship
Entrepreneurship Mentorship
Invention & IP Mentorship
Translational Research Mentorship
Student Inventor Development
Faculty Mentorship
Startup & Commercialization Mentorship
Leadership Development
Workforce Development
Interdisciplinary Mentorship
Peer Mentorship
Mentor Training & Development
Other
Other
Stage
Pilot/Early Stage
Established Program
Expanding/Scaling Program
Institutional Initiative
Multi-Institution Collaboration
Website
Year Program Started
Delivery Format
In-Person
Online
Hybrid
Primary Participants (select all that apply)
Undergraduate Students
Graduate Students
Postdocs
Faculty
Researchers
Inventors
Entrepreneurs
Clinicians
Community Participants
Industry Professionals
Other
Other
Executive Summary
Short Program Summary (150 - 250 words)
Provide a concise overview of the mentorship initiative and its impact on innovation, invention, entrepreneurship, translational research, or professional development.
Mentorship Narrative
Main Narrative (750 - 1500 words)
Describe the mentorship program or initiative in detail, including: mentorship philosophy and goals, participant engagement model, innovation and entrepreneurial development, mentor matching or training approaches, ecosystem engagement, and how the initiative supports long-term learner and innovator success.
Mentorship Excellence & Innovation
1. What makes this mentorship model innovative or distinctive? (250 - 500 words)
2. How does the program support innovation, invention, entrepreneurship, or translational impact? (250 - 500 words)
3. Describe mentor engagement approaches, mentor preparation, or mentor development strategies. (250 - 500 words)
4. Describe any experiential, entrepreneurial, research, startup, invention, or commercialization-related mentorship activities. (250 - 500 words)
Participant Impact & Outcomes
1. Approximately how many participants are impacted annually?
2. Describe measurable participant outcomes (250 - 750 words)
Examples may include:
student advancement,
startup formation,
invention disclosures,
commercialization activity,
faculty advancement,
innovation leadership,
research translation,
workforce outcomes,
confidence and engagement gains,
interdisciplinary collaboration.
3. Share one or two representative student success stories or mentorship impact examples. (Optional)
Scalability & Sustainability
1. How can this mentorship model be expanded, replicated, or adopted by others? (250 - 500 words)
2. Describe institutional support and long-term sustainability plans. (250 - 500 words)
3. Does the initiative include:
Mentor Training
Mentor Onboarding
Train-the-Trainer Model
Faculty Development
Online/Virtual Learning Assets
Leadership Development
Cross-Department Collaboration
Cross-Institution Collaboration
Industry or Ecosystem Mentors
Collaboration & Ecosystem Engagement
1. Describe partnerships or collaborations involved in the mentorship initiative. (250 - 500 words)
Examples:
industry,
investors,
accelerators,
research institutions,
innovation centers,
government,
nonprofits,
ecosystem partners.
2. How does the program connect participants to real-world innovation ecosystems? (250 - 500 words)
Assessment & Continuous Improvement
1. How do you assess mentorship effectiveness and participant outcomes? (250 - 500 words)
2. Describe how participant feedback and evaluation are used to improve the initiative. (250 - 500 words)
Optional Uploads
Upload any files such as surveys, mentor assessments, evaluation summaries, impact reports and/or engagement data.
Strategic Alignment (Optional but Encouraged)
Describe how the mentorship initiative aligns with broader innovation, workforce, entrepreneurial, research translation, or societal impact priorities. (250 - 500 words)
Examples may include: AI, healthcare, energy, semiconductors, national security, sustainability, workforce development, economic mobility, regional innovation ecosystems.
Supporting Materials (Optional)
Applicants may submit up to 5
Mentorship frameworks
Onboarding guides
Mentor training materials
Participant resources
Videos
Presentations
Publications
Testimonials
Impact summaries
Program screenshots
Learning modules
Type
Please select...
Mentorship frameworks
Onboarding guides
Mentor training materials
Participant resources
Videos
Presentations
Publications
Testimonials
Impact summaries
Program screenshots
Learning modules
Edit this text
Letters of Support (Optional but Recommended)
Upload 1–2 Letters
Suggested from:
Provosts
Deans
Innovation leaders
Participants/alumni
Industry partners
Ecosystem collaborators
Edit this text
Final Statements & Permissions
Applicant certification
I certify that the information presented in this application is accurate, that I am affiliated with an active NAI Member Institution or am an active NAI Member, and that my submitted materials may be reviewed for evaluation purposes.
Applicant certification
I authorize NAI and Langer Sanberg to reference this program in future mentorship and educational promotional materials if selected.