RAMP is a team-based mentoring program for businesses in south Alabama, made possible by training from the Venture Mentoring Service at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). MIT created a world-renowned mentoring program for small businesses almost 20 years ago. This program now has 165 mentors and has mentored almost 1500 ventures. The project resulted in more start-ups, higher success rates, faster scale of businesses and greater ROI for investors. This model has been licensed worldwide, with participants traveling to MIT for Immersion training. This program has been licensed by MIT to the University of South Alabama through funding made possible by the Mobile County Commission, the Mobile City Council, the Mayor’s Office and the Mobile Area Chamber of Commerce. RAMP currently serves 16 companies with 26 highly qualified founding mentors from south Alabama. RAMP is free and available for as long as the company-mentor team agrees that it is productive. Mentor teams are continually tailored to each company's changing needs. RAMP mentors are carefully selected, and they agree to abide by a code of ethics governing confidentiality, conflict of interest, and conduct. This creates a no-threat environment in which ventures can be confident of receiving unbiased advice. The team-based mentoring model provides a unique opportunity for mentors to experience the rewards and challenges of philanthropically growing local entrepreneurship capacity, while sharing collegial relationships with like-minded community members.