Open Advisor is changing the game for the tech startup industry, triggering the reevaluation of corporate responsibility.
Advisory panels are quickly becoming sought after and for a good reason. With hundreds of startups emerging every day worldwide, the founders need a beacon with the wisdom of someone who has built businesses from the ground up.
Josh Adler, a pioneering serial entrepreneur, has stepped in to fill that gap.
Adler is the CEO and founder of ConvrtX, the fast-growing venture studio that prides itself in building the next best thing in the domain of SaaS startups. ConvrtX, which currently has startups across five continents, equips founders with everything from a researched business strategy to an MVP.
What helps apps succeed in a fiercely competitive market comes down to good leadership advice and management.
Josh sealed 2021 with the launch of his impressive CSR project, Open Advisor. The networking platform matches credible advisors from multiple industries and it also serves as a centralized hub for startup founders with extensive market experience. The site welcomes advisors from all over the world looking for opportunities to mentor and guide other startups, all while helping the new businesses scale and succeed. The goal: help new startups and businesses connect with and utilize valuable insight to help them thrive.
Adler is motivated to make a global impact.
“I want to impact founders all over the world,” he said. “I want to equip them with everything they need to grow their startup, and I am not asking for anything in return. It is not just about helping founders in the developed nations, and it is inclusive to championing entrepreneurs in developing nations.”
Adler’s own background gave him access to “some of the most influential minds in the world,” he said. He wanted to provide an opportunity for other entrepreneurs around the world to find similar support and make life-changing connections.
“I have wanted to share that opportunity with people who do not have access like I do but do have these brilliant ideas on how to change the game for different industries,” Adler said.
Open Advisor is quickly becoming a prolific network – the platform includes 4,000 startups and advisors.
Advisors are screened to understand who can work best with whom. It is essential that the founder and the advisor’s values and goals are in sync and that both can work together.
“Most of the time, all these industry leaders, elite businessmen, and trailblazers want to offer their wisdom, expertise and help to a like-minded and passionate group of people,” Adler said. “Still, they cannot recognize who deserves it because not everyone adds value to your time. And this is where a credible platform such as Open Advisor comes in.”
The digital network is equipped with everything a startup would require to connect with its advisory panel. The site works as a tool that allows founders to utilize digital board rooms for official meetings with their panel of advisors. Founders can then connect via the chat feature, which enables instant communication with advisors.
Advisors can complete their profiles with information about what they are looking for in a project. Also, they have the freedom to choose who they advise and are able to gain valuable equity in the start-up that most aligns with their own background and goals.
The platform, which is free, changes the global landscape of how startups can flourish and achieve a competitive edge, Adler said.
“Open Advisor is the first platform that offers unprecedented access to aspiring founders for free,” he said. “I think this is what was missing in the startup ecosystem.”
This article was written in cooperation with Josh Adler