Every AI Startup Needs a Mentor – This is What 20 Years in Startup Growth Taught Me, Why I Still Bet on Mentorship First

Every AI Startup Needs a Mentor – This is What 20 Years in Startup Growth Taught Me, Why I Still Bet on Mentorship First

By Farhad Reyazat – PhD in Risk Management

Author’s Profile as a Fintech Entrepreneur and Academic

When I first started helping Polish entrepreneurs expand into the UK market back in 2004, few believed that small businesses from Warsaw or Kraków could scale internationally. Since then, I’ve worked closely with over 500 Polish firms as they expand their businesses, helped launch more than 2,000 businesses across Europe, and raised over £450 million for UK startups and small to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).

Across every venture, every pitch deck, and every boardroom negotiation—whether I was dealing with £1.5 billion trade finance mainly with Peugeot structure in France, chairing an SME credit committee in the Middle East at early 2000, or mentoring AI entrepreneurs at university of Oxford, Southampton, or the UAE—one truth has remained constant:

              Startups succeed not just because of good ideas, but because of great mentors.

And in the world of AI, where complexity, capital, and competition are on steroids, having the right mentor is no longer optional. It’s essential.

What Makes AI Different?

Unlike other tech sectors, AI founders face a unique mix of challenges:

              •            Ethical concerns (bias, privacy, regulation)

              •            Technical hurdles (model performance, data access)

              •            Strategic dilemmas (build vs. buy, API vs. product)

              •            Speed of evolution (GPT-4 today, GPT-5 tomorrow)

In this landscape, even brilliant founders can get lost. I’ve seen it firsthand—as a founder of Smarty Software and Smarty Studio, and as an investor in AI and fintech disruptors like Academy of Robotics, Plum Fintech, Money Dashboard, and Pepper Software. The ideas were there, but the pathway was foggy.

That’s where the right mentor makes all the difference.

My Role as a Startup Mentor (And Why It Matters)

Throughout my career—whether sitting on the board of ADFIAP (Association of Development Financing Institutions in Asia and the Pacific), helping structure cross-border financing deals, or guiding deep-tech founders—I’ve focused on one mission:

              Bridge the gap between vision and execution.

Here’s what I’ve found most valuable when mentoring AI founders:

1. Challenging Their Thinking

Founders often think they’re building tech. I remind them they’re solving problems. Whether we’re discussing neural architecture or customer acquisition, clarity of purpose drives better decisions.

2. Speeding Up Capital Access

I’ve raised and deployed hundreds of millions across the UK and Europe. A great mentor doesn’t just know the fundraising landscape—they shape it. I coach founders not just on pitch decks but on structuring terms that won’t haunt them later.

3. Connecting the Dots

AI is borderless, but ecosystems are still local. Through my extensive networks in Europe, the Middle East, and the Asia-Pacific region, I connect founders with the right talent, customers, and capital partners.

4. Keeping It Human

Let’s face it: founding a startup is brutal. As someone who has helped build everything from automation platforms to hotel brands (Mr. & Mrs. Smith Hotels), I’ve learned that mentorship isn’t just about strategy—it’s about psychological resilience. Founders need someone in their corner who’s been through the wars.

Why You—The AI Founder—Should Care

If you’re building in AI today, you’re part of one of the most consequential waves of innovation since the internet. But unlike Web 1.0, this time:

              •            Investors demand traction faster.

              •            Regulators are watching more closely.

              •            Markets are noisier than ever.

Mentorship helps you:

              •            Avoid blind spots.

              •            Make sharper decisions.

              •            Scale sustainably.

              •            Protect your equity—and your sanity.

Whether you’re a solo founder in your twenties or an ex-corporate exec entering the AI space, mentorship is your multiplier.

Final Thoughts: From Boardrooms to Bootstraps

Over the past two decades, I’ve worn many hats: founder, investor, chairman, mentor. I’ve worked with automotive giants and two-person AI teams. And what I’ve learned is this:

              No one builds alone. Not in AI. Not now.

So if you’re an AI entrepreneur reading this, here’s my advice:

              •            Seek out mentors who’ve walked where you’re headed.

              •            Don’t look for cheerleaders—look for challengers.

              •            And when you succeed, pay it forward. The next generation will thank you for it.

Because at the end of the day, startups don’t just need capital—they need wisdom. And that’s what a great mentor brings.

Farhad Reyazat