Services for startup mentorship in Vibecoding (Post-Hackathon Mentorship Program)

1. Background and context

INOTEK is an innovation and entrepreneurship centre based in Cahul, Southern Moldova, with the mission to strengthen local capacities, support entrepreneurship, foster innovation, and contribute to the sustainable development of the region.Within the framework of its entrepreneurship and innovation support activities, INOTEK is implementing the “Vibehack South Moldova” project in the southern region of Moldova. The program aims to stimulate innovation, entrepreneurial thinking, and rapid prototyping by supporting teams in transforming validated ideas into functional digital solutions.Following the implementation of the Vibecoding (Vibehack) Hackathon, INOTEK aims to further support the most promising teams by providing a structured post-hackathon mentorship program. The program is designed to help selected teams transition from prototype-stage solutions to early-stage startups with validated market demand and clear growth pathways.To this end, INOTEK intends to contract a qualified organization to design and deliver a hybrid mentorship program combining group-based clinics and conditional one-to-one mentoring.The program is implemented by the INOTEK Foundation, with the financial support of UMAEF and Sweden, in partnership with the Startup Moldova Foundation.

2. Objective of the ToR
The objective of this Terms of Reference is to select a Contractor to design, coordinate, and deliver a structured post-hackathon mentorship program supporting selected teams in refining their MVPs, validating market demand, and preparing for acceleration, funding, or incubation opportunities.

3. Scope of services

The selected Contractor will provide the following services:

Design and implementation of the post-hackathon mentorship framework
Delivery of hybrid mentorship (group clinics and one-to-one sessions)
Assignment and coordination of mentors based on team needs and milestones
Continuous progress tracking, validation, and performance monitoring
Support for MVP refinement, business modeling, and go-to-market strategy
Facilitation of pitch readiness and next-stage planning

4. Program duration and format

Duration: 7–8 weeks (March – May 2026)
Teams: 8–10 teams selected post-hackathon
Format: Hybrid mentorship model

Mandatory themed group clinics
Conditional one-to-one mentoring sessions

5. Mentorship structure and delivery

Each selected team will benefit from:

Up to 8 one-to-one mentoring sessions per team (30–60 minutes each), delivered conditionally based on performance and compliance
Weekly themed group clinics rotating across core dimensions:

Build clinic (product development, no-code, MVP refinement)
Business model clinic
Go-to-market clinic

6. Mentorship roadmap

Weeks 1–2

Problem and solution refinement
Customer discovery and validation (interviews, pilots, letters of intent)

Weeks 3–4

Market research and competitive analysis
Business and revenue model development
Go-to-market strategy definition

Weeks 5–6

MVP refinement and technical troubleshooting
Early user testing and feedback integration

Weeks 7–8

Pitch deck development and storytelling
Preparation for acceleration, funding, or incubation pathways

7. Deliverables and performance indicators

By the end of the mentorship program, the Contractor is expected to deliver:

Refined and tested MVPs
3–6 month product and business development roadmaps
Investor-ready and sales-ready pitch decks
KPI dashboards for each participating team
Final mentorship report summarizing progress, outcomes, and lessons learned

The performance of the assignment will be assessed against the following indicators:

4–8 mentorship hours delivered per team
Up to 80% of teams completing the full mentorship cycle
Minimum of:

20 B2C customer interviews per team, or
5 B2B customer interviews per team

Up to 60% of teams reaching “validated startup” status

8. Eligibility and qualification requirements

Applicants must demonstrate:

Proven experience in startup mentoring, acceleration, or incubation programs
Experience supporting early-stage teams through validation and go-to-market phases
Access to a multidisciplinary mentor pool (technical, business, go-to-market)
Experience working with innovation hubs or donor-funded programs is an asset

9. Evaluation criteria

Applications will be evaluated based on:

Quality and clarity of the proposed mentorship methodology
Experience and qualifications of mentors
Practical orientation and validation-driven approach
Cost-effectiveness of the financial proposal

10. Financial proposal

The financial offer shall include a clear and itemized breakdown of costs covering the following components:

Program design and management – hourly rate and total amount, for up to a maximum of 10 hours
Mentorship facilitation and coordination – hourly rate and total amount, for up to a maximum of 55 hours
Progress monitoring and feedback – hourly rate and total amount, for up to a maximum of 10 hours
Final reporting – hourly rate and total amount, for up to a maximum of 10 hours

All costs shall be indicated in USD and/or MDL and shall be exclusive of VAT (if applicable).

11. Application procedure

Interested applicants are invited to submit:

Technical proposal describing the approach and methodology
Company profile
Financial offer

Applications shall be submitted electronically to nmocanu@inotek.md and rnegru@inotek.md by February 13, 2026, 4 pm.
The extended deadline for submitting bids is: February 18, 2026 3:00 PM local time.

12. Contracting and timeline
The selected Contractor will sign a service contract with INOTEK. The services shall be delivered according to the agreed schedule and in close coordination with the INOTEK team.

13. Additional information
Submission of an application does not guarantee contract award. All materials developed under this assignment shall become the property of INOTEK. The Contractor may use the materials for portfolio purposes only, with prior written consent of INOTEK.