Background/Objectives: Many studies have shown that the ability of a startup to have a significant impact on the sustainability of the startup, but no studies have been conducted on whether the ability of the startup to influence startup sustainability using startup mentoring. Therefore, this study investigated whether the founder's competency characteristics influence sustainability through the medium of start-up mentoring.Methods/Statistical analysis: The study subjects were early founders, and the survey was conducted as a survey method. The survey items consisted of 62 questions including 12 demographics. The Likert 5-point scale was used for the measurement. For the empirical analysis, frequency analysis, descriptive statistical analysis, exploratory factor analysis, reliability analysis, correlation analysis, regression analysis, and mediation effect analysis were performed using SPSS Ver. 22 statistical package.Findings: The results of the study confirm that entrepreneurial competence characteristics are partially mediated by the characteristics of the technical capability and the strategic thinking capability on the impact of sustainability, and through the research, the organizational capability of entrepreneurial competence characteristics are completely mediated on the impact on the sustainability.Improvements/Applications: In order to secure the sustainability of start-ups, mentors should conduct mentoring by understanding the entrepreneurial competence characteristics. Mentoring that does not fit the entrepreneurial competence characteristics only forces the founder to regenerate time and effort. Mentors should participate in entrepreneurial mentoring with a sense of mission for the national economy and job creation, and government support policies should be tailored to the characteristics of entrepreneurs.
