The Global business Incubator initiative

The Incubator Initiative was launched in 2002, with support from the Government of Japan. Today, infoDev'S  global business incubator network consists of nearly 300 incubators in over 80 developing countries assisting 20,000 enterprises which have created more than 220,000 jobs.

These organizations reflect the enormous diversity of business models for delivering business development services to ICT entrepreneurs, and the common and unique challenges faced in the respective local environments. infoDev supports these incubators with both financing and capacity building, and regional and global networking is facilitated through workshops and forums. 

In 2006, regional networks were launched with the aim of bringing together these organizations to share lessons and experiences. Regional networks are now active in Africa, Asia, Eastern Europe & Central Asia, Latin America & the Caribbean, and  the Middle East and North Africa.

infoDev's Incubator Initiative can be viewed both as a capacity building program and as a vehicle for research.  The knowledge generated in in turn utilized to provide advice to donors implementing programs which facilitate ICT innovation and entrepreneurship. Through this initiative infoDev aims to:

• provide financial and technical assistance to help existing incubators improve and scale up their operations
• facilitate the development of new business incubators in areas that are currently not served
• encourage innovative use of ICT based on local needs and contexts
• enable a network of knowledge-sharing among business incubators that support ICT-enabled private sector development.

Since 2002, infoDev has provided financing (grants) and technical assistance to more than 300 incubators around the world. Through regional and international conferences, many incubators expressed that a key value of infoDev’s Incubator Initiative was the opportunity to connect with other similar organizations around the world to exchange ideas, lessons and create partnerships across national boundaries.

Generating New Knowledge: The Incubator Initiative is dedicated to capturing and disseminating knowledge and best practices on promoting ICT-enabled entrepreneurship.  infoDev therefore leverages this network to identify and understand the primary constraints to ICT-enabled innovation, new business creation and expansion across the economy.  This includes financial and human resource limitations, as well as policy and regulatory challenges.

Providing Advice: The knowledge created through the Incubator Initiative is used to deliver customized advisory services to donors.  Recent examples of such services includes advise provided to the European Commission in their work to promote ICT-enabled entrepreneurship in Eastern Caribbean.

What Are Business Incubators?

Business incubators are organizations that support the entrepreneurial process, helping to increase survival rates for innovative startup companies. Entrepreneurs with feasible projects are are offered a menu of support resources and services. including: provision of physical space, management coaching, help in developing an effective business plan, administrative services, technical support, business networking, legal advice, and advice on sources of financing. A business incubator's main goal is to produce successful firms that are financially viable.

Who Funds the Incubator Initiative?

The Incubator Initiative was established with a multi-year contribution from the government of Japan. In 2006 the governments of Finland and India provided additional funds and resources.  Incubators further leverage infoDev's funding by obtaining local support local from organizations such as the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), International Development Research Centre (IDRC), Inter-American Development Bank (IADB), European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), and the European Commission.

BUSINESS INCUBATION SUPPORT CENTER (iDisc)

 

iDisc, infoDev's Incubator Support Center, is an outcome of infoDev’s Incubator Initiative. It is against this background that infoDev is providing iDisc as a virtual networking and knowledge-sharing platform for business development organizations leveraging ICT to facilitate entrepreneurship and new business creation in the developing world.

iDisc provides hands-on and practical information for incubators and other business development organizations, including:

• A “How to” section with guidelines for starting an incubator, selecting clients, managing and financing an incubator, monitoring and evaluation, and engaging partners.

• An overview of our 5 regional networks and activities across Africa, Asia, Eastern Europe & Central Asia, Latin America & the Caribbean, and Middle East & Northern Africa.
• An iDisc Network Member Directory that allows you to search and locate incubators across the regions, and to search facts & figures within the global network.
• Presentations and documents from workshops and specific research themes.
• Information on upcoming events, such as infoDev regional workshops as well as local seminars and symposiums.

Check who your Regional Facilitator is to get involved in network activities. If you have general comments, questions or suggestions, e-mail to idisc@infodev.org and we will respond within a few business days.

To learn more about iDisc or to become a member of any of our regional business incubator networks, plese visit www.iDisc.net.