Does a mentor-protégé relationship trigger affiliation?
No. Under SBA regulations, a mentor-protégé relationship does not create affiliation between the mentor and protégé for size determination purposes, provided the relationship is approved under SBA's Mentor-Protégé Program and an approved joint venture agreement exists. This exemption is one of the key benefits of the program — the protégé can team with a large business mentor without being affiliated for size purposes.
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