Free to attend. The Badger Startup Summit kicks off Forward Fest 2026.
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New this year · 1:00 – 2:00 PM · Room 1047

Mentor & Investor One-on-Ones

Sit down individually with experienced operators and investors for direct, candid feedback on your venture — whether you’re still shaping an idea or preparing to raise.

When1:00 – 2:00 PM · continues into the afternoon
WhereRoom 1047
FormatOne-on-one sessions
CostFree with registration
The idea

How It Works

A curated mentor pool

This year’s mentors and investors are hand-picked through an open call, reviewed and approved — chosen for their relevance to how companies are built today, including AI-driven ventures.

Real conversations

No stage, no audience. You and a mentor, one-on-one — talk through your problem, your pitch, or your next decision and leave with feedback you can act on.

Built into the day

Sessions run in Room 1047 alongside Workshop Block 2 and continue into the afternoon, so you can pair candid feedback with the workshops, the pitch competition, and everything else the summit offers.

Take part

Founders & Mentors

For founders

Get feedback on your venture

From first-time founders still exploring an idea to CEOs preparing for investor funding — the one-on-ones are open to every stage.

I’m Interested
For mentors & investors

Join the mentor pool

An open call for operators and investors who want to give founders an hour of honest, useful feedback. Applications are reviewed and approved.

Apply to Mentor

A new chapter: the one-on-ones replace the long-running Pitch & RePlay. Looking for competitive pitching? That now lives in the afternoon Pitch Competition — five startups, live audience voting, cash prizes.

Open call

Apply to Mentor

Operators and investors — give founders an hour of honest, useful feedback. Applications are reviewed and approved.

For founders

Interested in a One-on-One?

Tell us you’re in. Session booking details — slot times and length — will follow with the final schedule.

One honest hour can save you six monthsbring your questions.