Entrepreneurial mentoring programs: beyond dyadic relationships

Purpose Entrepreneurial mentoring is increasingly recognized as a valuable form of support in entrepreneurial ecosystems. However, research remains heavily focused on dyadic mentor-mentee relationships and gives limited attention to broader program-level dynamics. This study addresses that gap by examining how mentoring is structured and delivered in an independent entrepreneurial mentoring program. We draw on formal mentoring theory and the entrepreneurship literature to view mentoring as a program-level process embedded in its ecosystem context. Design/methodology/approach Our research adopts an exploratory case study approach to examine a mature and independent entrepreneurial mentoring program. Data were collected through interviews with mentors, mentees, and program organizers, which was complemented by participant observations and secondary data. A template analysis was used to identify the key elements. Findings Our findings highlight distinctive program-level features of entrepreneurial mentoring, captured through an integrative mapping of three interconnected dimensions: the program model, the role of organizers, and the emergence of a mentoring community. Originality/value Our study proposes a new three-dimensional entrepreneurial mentoring organizing (EMO) framework that reframes entrepreneurial mentoring programs as organizational contexts and independent support organizations within entrepreneurial ecosystems. The framework offers a stronger basis for understanding and analyzing how program-level mechanisms shape mentoring as it is organized and delivered to entrepreneurs.