The WIB-Chicago Mentorship, Advisors, Peers, and Sponsorship (MAPS) group mentoring program is for members only. Participants cover a range of careers and levels of experience. The MAPS program aims to cultivate mentoring relationships, create supportive networks, and offer opportunities to develop and improve professional leadership skills so that members can reach their fullest professional potential. 

Stay tuned to our chapter newsletters and webpage for information on the next enrollment periods, and check our LinkedIn page for updates. For more information, contact ChicagoMAPS@womeninbio.org.

Our current programs include:

Mentoring Circles

Mentoring Circles bring together small groups. Typically two to three mentors and three to four mentees are placed in groups (otherwise called circles) based on mutual areas of interest. Mentees set goals and work towards a plan that is reviewed consistently with their mentors. Members of each circle meet monthly for six months. An additional fee applies for mentees to join the MAPS program.

Registration opens for our Mentoring Circles in the spring.  

Pitch Competitions

During the annual WIB-Chicago Start-up Challenge, our premier pitch competition in the fall, women-founded and women-led start-ups from across Chicagoland showcase their innovative businesses while gaining invaluable feedback from our panel of industry-leading judges. Pitch competitions allow entrepreneurs to present their new ideas and products by delivering their best fundraising pitch to investors and an audience. Investors provide feedback on the pitch and comment on the ideas presented, while the audience has an opportunity to rate each pitch.