Following a Request for Proposals infoDev has provided grants for building there global thematic work groups as part of infoDev’s 's Global Incubation Network These work groups are being set up for learning more about how to effectively serve women and youth through business incubation and about models for spurring high growth enterprises in ICT-enabled sectors in the poorer developing countries. In the high-growth work group it is particularly interesting to better understand how to handle the investment needs of such enterprises pre- and post-graduation from the business incubator.
The following work groups recently have begun to operate and interested parties are invited to join.
Women focused business incubation
Women entrepreneurs in traditionally male dominated societies face multiple challenges, including gender-based barriers to business resources, and they often battle their own confidence as viable entrepreneurs. There is increasing evidence that business incubators and the supporting business environment they create lends itself very well to the empowerment of women entrepreneurs. For instance, business incubators create a community of peers and provide mentoring and shared infrastructure and services. The working group on women business incubation will develop a data base of information about women incubation issues, outline the challenges and opportunities for women business incubation, and present lessons learned, tools, good practices and models for effective women focused business incubation. Learn more
Youth focused business incubation
Many of the poorest developing countries have very young populations with high unemployment rates even for secondary and tertiary level graduates. Entrepreneurial talent can be identified among the youth, and business incubation is one mechanism through which entrepreneurial youth can receive the necessary support to start a business. That being said, youth focused business incubation presents significant challenges due to the inexperience of the entrepreneurs, and his/her lack of resources to start and manage a business. The working group on youth focused business incubation will clearly outline the challenges and opportunities for youth focused business incubation, and present lessons incubation. Learn more
High-growth ICT enterprise business incubation
The ICT and ICT- related sectors present large economic opportunities for many developing countries However, use of business incubation to start and enable the growth of high growth ICT enterprises is not without challenges. Access to appropriate financing at both the incubation and post-incubation stage is often challenged due to the knowledge-intensive nature of these businesses and thus limited tangible assets. The working group on high-growth ICT enterprise business incubation should serve as a forum for exchange of innovative ideas, lessons and good practices on either business incubators as financial service providers, and/or as intermediaries creating innovative partnerships with angel investor networks, SME funds. Learn more