Hello! Looking for an experienced mentor in global social impact projects. Any suggestions about platforms?

Did you try adding him on Linked In? Its works insanely well - just include a thoughtful message about why you want to be connected and most will accept

As a 500 Startup mentor I would suggest the following 1) Blog about distribution, design and data. Those are the things that 500 values most and usually the fastest way to get on their radar. 2) Interact with @davemcclure (and all other partners) on Twitter 3) Attend geeks on a plane or other events they host. It's all about relationships and perception, so create opportunities to increase the probability of showing them that you have skills that are relevant to the companies they invest in. Hope that helps.

A mentor should be someone who has successfully accomplished a goal that you wish to accomplish or have great insight. I personally would like a mentor that is helpful, patient, provides good direction, and doesn't mind communicating with me.

I have had a lot of experience of being mentored and mentoring. I think you should separate the search for a mentor from the search for an investor. A mentor should be a disinterested guide to life and business. An investor is going to look at you and your business as a way of buying a retirement condo! They want different things. A mentor wants to feel valued, to feel that they are helping to build something of value, to feel appreciated. You find such a person by looking for people whose expertise you think is useful (in Meetups, or conferences, or via LinkedIn) and politely approaching them to ask their advice. You will need to talk to a lot of people this way. Once you find someone with whom you "click" then you can see if the relationship develops from there. Investors are a whole different ball game. They want to see evidence of competence, capital, talent, cashflow forecasts. They don't want to hear that you are struggling, that you have dilemmas, that you need advice. Don't mix the two! Feel free to ask me more :-)

There are a number of different ways of reaching angel investors. First, identify the type of angel investor you are looking for. Then initially look within your own network, share what you are doing and you might be surprised. Next research where your investors hang out and try and be part of the conversation. Maybe there are incubators or accelerators that would be suitable and who can support you or facilitate investor introductions, meetings, and pitch events. Maybe it might make sense to seek a grant or get funding from a partner who would also benefit such as in the education sector? Another option that takes time is to find and connect to your investor audience through networks such as LinkedIn. You can then nurture those relationships over time, ask for advice, keep them updated, take conversations offline, and establish trust. Then probably after 6+ months of nurturing when you do raise funds, you should have earned a warm relationship that will allow you to approach them with regards to potentially funding your business. Warm intros are definitely the best approach. Once you have your initial investors keep building relationships and they may recommend new investors next time round. Worth noting with angels there is smart and dumb money and you may find that a coach/mentor from your sector provides more value compared to an angel who may be able to support you but on a more general high level. But as a rule of thumb always ask for support, your investors will usually provide, they are aligned with your potential success. Good luck!