INTRODUCTION:

What is the value of an association of business incubators?
Entrepreneurial businesses are the economic engines of Colorado -- past, present, and future. In order to fulfill the economic and societal promise that entrepreneurship offers, entrepreneurs across Colorado need increased and ready access to support services and opportunities like those offered by and through community-based business incubators.

Colorado is home to several national award-winning business incubators, and their contribution to the state’s economic vitality will be so much greater when their resources are better integrated. Recognizing the increasing need, a team of working business incubation professionals launched an initiative to enhance CBIA to fulfill the vision.

When incubators across the state join together, entrepreneurs and communities will benefit through:

• More extensive services for incubator clients. Start up companies throughout Colorado will have greater access to the facilities, contacts, and special expertise available in the entire network of incubators, supported by a shared website. Best practices will be chronicled and shared.
• More efficient advice and technical assistance to communities interested in business incubation. A centrally administered process, supported by a central staff, will ensure timely and affordable assistance with minimal impact on existing incubators.
• Support for professional development of incubator managers and staff. Networking events and conferences will provide both formal and informal learning opportunities for professional managers and staff.
• Greater public awareness about the community and economic benefits of business incubation. CBIA will involve incubator professionals, sponsors, clients, and graduates in an on-going marketing/education campaign. The shared website will provide information about incubation programs across the state.
• Greater interest by high-level professional service providers and sponsors in incubator and clients’ need . By joining together in an association, incubators and their clients across the state will be viewed as a valuable, accessible market partner.
• Clearer and more influential “voice” of business incubation to regional, state, and local policy-maker . The experience and insights of all facets of business incubation can be easily accessed and consolidated to provide advice and recommendations to policy-makers.