Apply Now – Select Global Women in Tech Mentorship Network 2026

Application Deadline: March 26, 2026 

The Select Global Women in Tech (SGWIT) program aims to boost the competitiveness and technological leadership of the United States. It does this by attracting skilled women leaders working in emerging technology sectors, a strategy designed to drive economic growth and innovation while simultaneously promoting women’s economic empowerment worldwide.

Mentorship Network

Launching formally at the Investment Summit, the SGWIT Mentorship Network is a year-long program designed to introduce international women tech entrepreneurs to the U.S. marketplace. Participants receive support through SelectUSA’s established data and counseling services, in addition to community, educational, and networking prospects.
Participants in the network are granted access to:

• An experienced U.S. startup ecosystem mentor who serves as an informational guide for challenges related to scaling, promotion, fundraising, and business establishment in the United States.
• A dedicated mentoring platform.
• SelectUSA data and counseling services.
• Educational content, which includes webinars, workshops, and virtual events, alongside networking opportunities many of which are centered around the annual SelectUSA Investment Summit.

For the 2026 cohort, the schedule is outlined as follows:

• Kick-off: May 3–6 during the SelectUSA Investment Summit.
• Preparing for Matching: May 7 through June 30.
• Matching: July 1 through August 31, conducted via the SGWIT mentoring platform.
• Active Mentoring: Continues through May 31, 2027 (the program’s official end date).

Throughout the cohort’s duration, virtual events will be hosted by SelectUSA to disseminate information and foster connections among Mentorship Network participants.

The mentoring relationships are designed to be mutually beneficial. Both mentors and mentees can develop new skills, expand their professional networks, generate innovative ideas, accomplish their objectives, and find renewed inspiration in their work.
For those interested in joining the SGWIT Mentorship Network, more specific details are provided in the sections below.

Mentees

Participation in the SGWIT Mentorship network as a mentee requires prior approval to attend the 2026 Investment Summit as a SelectUSA Tech startup.

To be eligible, a startup must satisfy all the following conditions:

• Be founded outside the United States, and
• Be developing an innovative technology product or service (this can be a novel technology or a novel application of an existing technology in a new market), and
• Have plans for U.S. market-entry or expansion within the next 2-3 years.

Furthermore, SelectUSA Tech startups are required to meet at least one of these criteria:

• Be 0-10 years old (founded on or after January 1, 2016).
• Have 0-40 employees.
• Generate $0-10M in annual revenue.

SGWIT mentee candidates can express their interest in the Mentorship Network directly within their Investment Summit application. The deadline for mentee applications is Thursday, March 26, 2026.

Mentors

SGWIT mentors are accomplished U.S.-based professionals including entrepreneurs, corporate executives, venture capitalists, angel investors, and attorneys who are keen to support international women tech entrepreneurs in reaching their U.S. expansion goals.

The selection of mentors from across the U.S. startup ecosystem will be based on their interest in supporting women-run businesses and their expertise in guiding tech startups through U.S. investment and expansion. Evaluation of prospective mentors will consider their:

• Industry Knowledge
• Areas of Specialty
• International Expansion Skills/Experience
• Entrepreneurship Skills/Experience
• Experience/Interest in Women’s Empowerment

U.S. and Foreign Government employees and Economic Development Organization officials are ineligible to serve as mentors. However, they may contribute to the network through educational content or events.

Advantages to mentoring

• Make a meaningful impact on women aiming to establish their business in the United States.
• Join a supportive community of dedicated mentors and ambitious women entrepreneurs focused on U.S. expansion.
• Strengthen or extend your organization’s international reach by engaging with the Foreign Commercial Service and participating in worldwide in-market events.
• Elevate your organization’s profile within a global network of tech startups, economic development organizations, public officials, and other key players in the tech ecosystem.
• Gain access to:

• A wealth of networking opportunities.
• SelectUSA’s diverse programming, including virtual events and the annual Investment Summit.

• Receive consideration for speaking opportunities with SelectUSA.
• Have the option to submit your organization’s profile for inclusion in the SelectUSA Service Provider and U.S. Startup Ecosystem Directory.

Application Information

Interested mentors may submit their applications until Thursday, March 26, 2026, at 12:00 PM EDT. SelectUSA will vet all mentor applicants before confirmation. Notifications of acceptance will be sent by mid-April.

Accepted mentors will be briefed on the matching process ahead of the cohort kick-off in May 2026. Please note that not every accepted mentor is guaranteed a match. The process is mentee-led, utilizing the mentoring platform’s algorithm to prioritize aligning the specific needs of mentees with the specialties of mentors.

Apply Here

The SelectUSA team takes pride in uniting resources from across the United States to bolster international women on their journey to invest in the U.S. market.