A business incubator facility provides a place for entrepreneurs and aspiring entrepreneurs to develop fledgling ideas into businesses. Some incubators simply provide access to lower-cost space, while others provide shared support services, technical and/or business assistance, and access to peers and potential mentors.
Incubators create a supportive environment for an entrepreneur to develop his or her business. Entrepreneurs are expected to eventually “graduate” from the incubator and move the business into another location within the community.
Another option for communities or business interests is to create an incubator without walls. This type of incubator provides the services an entrepreneur might get in a traditional incubator but eliminates the need to provide a shared facility. Regardless of whether entrepreneurs are working in a traditional incubator or an incubator without walls, entrepreneurs get to operate their businesses in their own space and have a central location where they can access support services, training, and networking.
For more information on incubators, explore the following sites:
• National Business Incubator Association
• Identifying Obstacles to the Success of Rural Business Incubators
• Case Study - Small Community Proves Incubation Works
• Incubator without Walls
