From Concept to Pitch
Launching a Scalable Solution for International Student Success
Mento is a mentorship platform that empowers international students to succeed by matching them with university-verified mentors, including alumni and advisors. Students get personalized, trustworthy advice about visas, academics, and campus life, making the transition smoother and better informed. This idea builds on my previous project, UniLink, where I designed tools to help exchange students connect and thrive in new environments.
| Team
Brian Camilo
Max Ascolani
Shewta Ajay
Grace Wu
Toolsidass, Vriddhi
| My Role
Product Manager
| Timeline
Sep - Nov 2025
Mento
Overview
I collaborated with an interdisciplinary team from the IYA program at USC to develop a comprehensive business pitch from an early-stage concept. Our mission: solve the fragmented, impersonal experience faced by international students navigating studies in the U.S.
Problem Identification
We uncovered a major pain point, information asymmetry, where students lack credible, contextual advice. Existing support systems tend to be scattered and reactive, often leading to poor decisions and emotional distress.
Solution and Impact
We developed Mento, a verified mentorship platform that empowers universities to support international students via personalized, trusted guidance. The platform connects students with university-verified mentors (alumni, peers, advisors) for real-time advice on visas, housing, and campus life, all in one place.
Highlights
Partnered with engineers, designers, and business strategists to align on the product’s value proposition and user experience.
Collaborative Concepting
Sized the market opportunity (TAM: 2.3B globally; SAM: 1.2B) and developed a growth roadmap.
Business Modeling
Go-To-Market and Investment Pitch
Defined target B2B profiles, universities, education consultants, and sponsors, then built an investment deck and product roadmap to demonstrate scale and impact.
Full Investment Pitch
Delivered an end-to-end business pitch, covering user journey, financials, and a strategic rollout plan for investors and stakeholders.
Reflection
The result was an actionable MVP concept and a compelling pitch deck, positioning Mento as the first global, student-driven mentorship platform for international students. Our work created a strong foundation for pilots and future funding.
Outcome
What I learned
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Starting with only a rough problem statement, I learned how to use research and strategic thinking to identify real market needs and craft a solution from scratch.
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Building Mento required aligning diverse teammates, engineers, designers, and strategists around a shared vision and leveraging each person’s strengths for a winning outcome.
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Developing an investment pitch taught me the power of framing strategy, market opportunity, and product value in a way that motivates buy-in from both stakeholders and investors.