Getting Started

From demo to launch.
In weeks, not months.

A step-by-step guide to launching MentorNeko at your organization. Most implementations go from first conversation to live program in 2 to 4 weeks.

Your implementation timeline

Five steps from your first demo to an active mentoring program.

1

Book a Demo

See the platform tailored to your needs. We will walk through the features that matter most for your organization and answer any questions about implementation.

  • 20-minute personalized walkthrough
  • See matching, programs, and analytics in action
  • Discuss your organization's mentoring goals
  • Get a clear picture of implementation scope
2

Implementation

We configure your programs, set up your branding, and import your member roster. Most implementations take 2 to 4 weeks, depending on the number of programs and customization needed.

  • Custom branding: logo, colors, and login page
  • Profile dimensions tailored to your goals
  • Program creation with session structure
  • Member roster import via CSV
3

Admin Training

Your admins learn the platform so they can manage programs, run matching, and support participants independently.

  • Hands-on training with your actual configuration
  • Matching engine walkthrough and best practices
  • Member management and enrollment workflows
  • Reporting and analytics overview
4

Launch

Members receive their invitations, complete onboarding, and get matched. The platform handles the email flow, profile setup, and matching process.

  • Branded invitation emails to all members
  • Guided onboarding with profile setup
  • First matching round and admin review
  • Match notifications with partnership rationale
5

Ongoing Support

Monitor program health with analytics, adjust configurations as you learn what works, and get support when you need it.

  • Real-time program analytics and health metrics
  • Session completion and engagement tracking
  • Program iteration based on exit survey data
  • Ongoing customer support

What to prepare before launch

Having these ready speeds up implementation. Don't worry if you are still finalizing details; we will work through them together.

Member List

Prepare a CSV with member names and email addresses. If you have organizational data like department, seniority, or location, include those too. They help the matching engine.

  • Names and email addresses (required)
  • Department, title, and location (recommended)
  • Any existing member IDs for roster sync

Program Goals

Define what success looks like for your mentoring program. Are you focused on leadership development, onboarding, knowledge transfer, or networking? Your goals shape how we configure matching.

  • Primary objective for each program
  • Target audience (who should participate?)
  • Expected program duration
  • Session cadence (bi-weekly, monthly, etc.)

Mentoring Guidelines

If your organization has existing mentoring guidelines, partnership agreements, or codes of conduct, share them. We can incorporate them into your partnership agreement template.

  • Existing mentoring playbooks or guides
  • Partnership agreement language
  • Confidentiality expectations
  • Meeting cadence and communication norms

Choosing your enrollment mode

How members access the platform depends on your organization type and program structure.

Domain Auto-Verify

Members from approved email domains are automatically provisioned when they sign up. Best for organizations where everyone with a company email should have access.

Best for: Large organizations with a single email domain

Invite-Only

Only members explicitly added by an admin (individually or via CSV) can access the platform. Best for curated programs with specific participant lists.

Best for: Curated programs, cohort-based programs

Domain-Gated Waitlist

Members from approved domains can request access, but an admin reviews and approves each request. Balances open access with admin control.

Best for: Associations, multi-chapter organizations

Setting up profile dimensions

Profile dimensions define what data members provide during onboarding. The matching engine uses these to find the best pairings.

  • Skills and competencies (multi-select)
  • Career goals and development areas (multi-select)
  • Seniority level (slider or dropdown)
  • Communication style preferences
  • Industry or functional expertise
  • Algorithm-only fields for matching (invisible to members)

Configuring your first program

Your first program is where theory meets practice. Here is what you will decide during setup.

  • Program type: always-on or fixed cohort
  • Number of sessions and check-in spacing
  • Matching mode: structured dimensions or AI prompts
  • Enrollment: open or invite-only per program
  • Session guides with agendas and prompts
  • Partnership agreement template (optional)

Ready to get started?

Book a demo and we will map out your implementation together.