Startup Science announced the acquisition of Sphere, a startup mentorship methodology and technology platform created by entrepreneur and advisor Colin Christensen, alongside the launch of a new Advisors module designed to provide structured mentorship services to startup founders. Financial terms of the acquisition were not disclosed.
According to Startup Science, the Advisors module is designed to make mentorship more accessible for startup founders by matching entrepreneurs with advisors based on company stage, expertise, and business goals.
The company said the platform addresses challenges within the startup advisory ecosystem, where many mentorship relationships currently depend on informal networks and accelerator access.
Startup Science cited research showing that mentored startups survive at twice the rate of non-mentored companies, while noting that most startup founders are unable to access accelerator programs or structured advisory networks.
Sphere was developed by Christensen through mentorship work involving more than 2,500 entrepreneurs across five continents, including founders operating in emerging markets and venture-backed technology businesses.
The Advisors module includes founder progress tracking, structured check-ins, task management, and ongoing engagement tools intended to improve mentorship continuity between advisory sessions.
Startup Science said the system is designed to bring infrastructure, accountability, and operational tooling to startup mentorship in a manner similar to how freelance marketplaces standardized contractor engagement.
Christensen will join Startup Science as Head of Advisory following the acquisition.
Startup Science currently supports more than 89,000 founders, mentors, and ecosystem organizations globally through its startup lifecycle framework and entrepreneurship platform.
KEY QUOTES:
“The mentor-entrepreneur relationship is the most sacred, the most important one in this ecosystem. Whether a founder is selling salsa in Honduras or scaling AI in the Middle East, the fundamentals are the same. The difference is whether they have a system to work through those fundamentals with a mentor, or whether they are doing it alone.”
Colin Christensen, Head Of Advisory, Startup Science
“Colin has experience in startup advisory that is distinct and deeper than anyone on our team, including me. That is exactly the kind of expertise you acquire, not replicate.”
Gregory Shepard, Founder And CEO, Startup Science
