How to Start a Business Incubator

Thanks for viewing. We have a great deal of activity on this page and have met lots of very interesting and dynamic people from around the world.

Our purpose is to have more incubators/accelerators created, become and remain self-sufficient without gifts, grants, donations, contributions or <shudder> government funding.

Forecasts indicate that a goodly number of those incubators not having achieved self-sufficiency will be closing. It's not because of a lack of need in their respective communities. The need is there. They will be closed because the funding is no longer available and those operating the incubator didn't develop a business model that produced self-sufficiency, continuing to rely, instead, on public funding. Further, there is increased scrutiny about public funding being used to compete with private sector.

Private sector business incubation? Yes, it can be done and yes, you can do it. We have. Take a look and should you have questions, please don't hesitate to call or ask online.

We pioneered "hands-on" entrepreneurial development programs to accelerate business growth for entrepreneurs in emerging businesses by:
#1) the very precise design of a custom tailored development methodology exactly formulated for the unique resources, attributes and aptitude of the individual entrepreneur;
#2) an Advisory Board, Mentor and Professional Development Coach comprised of experienced business owners;
#3) replacement of the cumbersome business plan with the advanced Business Overview®;
#4) the convenient availability of virtually every resource the start-up business owner is likely to need in an environment conducive to rapid growth;
#5) a powerfully effective weekly Business Building Breakfast for networking, leadership training and business development.

The result is our clients have garnered virtually every award for business growth in Houston, some nationally and even internationally, and they continue to do so today.

All entirely without public funding, grants, gifts, contributions and donations. Our experience is that for those incubators that really can grow client companies outside funding is not required.

For you business owners, business consultants, attorneys, CPAs, financial advisors and owners/managers of executive suites, you can obtain our comprehensive guide to starting and operating a privately funded, self-sufficient incubator in your community here. You can also buy a license to our Entrepreneurial Development Program* for $5,000.00 and we'll provide complete training.

The Incubator Self-Sufficiency Group is a service bureau to the small business incubation industry for economic development corporations, communities, universities, consultants, career professionals and others interested in establishing or investing in small business incubators and for currently established incubators wishing to upgrade client development methodologies and become self-reliant.

The ISSG is the result of an independent research project commenced in 1977 to conclusively demonstrate that:
1) Incubators do not require public funding.
    A) A cooperative association of local business owners, for instance, is a powerful and expedient route to funding a business incubator while creating part of the training structure.
2) Incubators can be entirely self-sufficient.
    A) Incubators can remain self-sufficient by a modest 5% royalty in the client companies.
3) The hands-on business experience level of support personnel (mentors, guides, advisors, counselors) determines the success rate of the client companies.
    A) Avoid support personnel without successful hands-on business ownership experience.
4) Incubators accelerate business growth.
    A) Research underwritten by Services Cooperative Association.
    B) Research underwritten by The Kauffman Foundation.
5) Data compiled along the way:
  A) Startup companies spent $102,236,640,000 in 2006 (latest data available and we had to compile it).
      Breakdown by states is available by clicking here.
  B) Information on business incubators, click here.
  C) Important notes about the business incubation industry, click here.
  D) Valuable and inexpensive incubator guides, click here.

The ISSG was the first such in the nation to provide the comprehensive range of consulting services and technologies required for the diversity of the industry.

The ISSG is sponsored by Services Cooperative Association, a not-for-profit, educational organization of business owners, and is responsible for the Texas Business Incubator Association's "Beta Project of Efficiency, Curriculum and Certification". The only certified business incubators in the nation are Texas business incubators via a program developed by the ISSG.

The ISSG provides for the education and enrollment of the community and the support technologies for all aspects of small business incubation including site selection, construction or renovation, staffing, staff training, client attraction - screening - retention - growth - support systems and equipment, computer networks and telephone systems designed for business incubators.

The ISSG provides answers for: feasibility, validation of incubator service area, type of facility, host community participation for the incubator project; reference contracts for incubator clients, mentors, advisors and advisory boards; reference guides for mentors, advisors and exit interviews; the relationship between not-for-profit sponsors and for-profit operators.

The incubator development methodology is uniquely tailored, case by case, to the specific resources of the host community to address the aspects of marketing, operations, administration and financing of the incubator from both public and private sectors.

The ISSG uses client development methodologies pioneered by Texas' oldest business incubator, the Entrepreneurial Development Center, a for-profit economic development corporation, which has operated since 1985 without one dime of public funding.

Incubator client development methodologies include an effective screening process for prospects, advisory boards, mentors, a professional development coach, instruction in business plans, technology transfer, project commercialization, marketing strategies, accounting, finance, personal selling skills, entrepreneurship and entrepreneurial development training programs and manuals.

The ISSG practices self-sufficiency and, as a demonstration of capability, is entirely self-sufficient. No public funds, grants, contributions, gifts or donations are sought or accepted. Self-sufficiency is maintained entirely by fees for services and products to clients.

As a professional courtesy, we provide you with an initial telephone consult at a reduced rate. Please call C. Dean Kring, Director of Research at 713-932-7495 x 13.

To find out more about the Incubator Self-Sufficiency Group, call, write, e-mail or visit today.

Click here for more information about visits to the SCA incubators.

Click here for considerations on starting an incubator.

There's much more that we can tell you about us (like we were the first people in the country to call incubators accelerators because incubators accelerate business growth). However, more importantly, we'd like to know much more about you, like your vision for your community, aspirations for growth and what your incubator might look like in 3 to 5 years.

"Building Businesses?"


Your wish . . .
click here and tell us what we can do for you
or call us at 713.932.7495x11

Certified Incubator Development Group

* Service Mark of Services Cooperative Association.

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