Where's the best IT startup incubator space/location?
Clarification added 3 months ago:
Can you specify incubator facilities/programs by name and/or web address?
Answers (10)
in your backyard, going by some of the best and the biggest in the business today from Jobs to Gates... cheap, focus on saving costs, all you'll get in an incubator is already with you, at your pad...
Guillaume B.
Information Technology Consultant, ExoSource
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I would suggest somewhere cheap (ideally free) that is NOT in your home. The success of your startup has a lot to do with your personal productivity, and mixing your home space and your work space, at least in my experience, does not work very well.
You don't need anything else than enough chairs/computers for everyone, a decent internet connection, and a bathroom (ideally).
Peter C.
Senior Software Engineer at Say.So
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Depends on the startup. If you need road communication links to the UK, head for the Midlands. Europe, head for the south coast.
If you're looking for an IT type startup, head for the major urban university areas - look at Birmingham, Liverpool, Manchester. Not necessarily Oxford or Cambridge - too academic.
If you need to work with top level decision makers, base yourself in Croydon - near enough to London, but far enough out that the rent won't kill you.
It all depends on what you actually want to do.... but in general, seek out similar companies, park yourself next door, and poach their best employees!
Arguably the most successful incubator program is Y Combinator. They've helped launch:
- Scribd
- reddit
- Airbnb
- Dropbox
- Disqus
- Posterous
Check them out at ycombinator.com
Links:
All of these are located in Chattanooga, TN
colab.is
www.chattanoogastate.edu/tsbdc
www.lamppostgroup.com
Links:
There are difficult to grade any of these incubators, because they only fit a certain type of companies. remember that less than 2-3% of applicants get enrolled into these programs.
The best Startup accelerators in US are:
- IO Ventures www.ventures.io
- TechStars www.techstars.com
- Y Combinator www.ycombinator.com
- 500Startups www.500startups.co
For Europe/UK you have
- SeedCamp www.seedcamp.com
- SpringBoard www.springboard.com
There are also a lot of regional accelerators, sometimes they are better because they do not get so many applications as the Sillicon Valley accelerators get.
here is a ranking of Startup accelerators in US.
http://techcocktail.com/top-15-us-startup-accelerators-ranked-2011-05#.Ty0RMZjWrS8
Kenneth L.
Retired Aerospace Contracts Manager, MicroMentor Volunteer and Founder "Smalltofeds"
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Quote from US Small Business Administration (SBA) Web Site Linked Below:
"The Office of Technology administers the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Program and the Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Program.
Through these two competitive programs, SBA ensures that the nation's small, high-tech, innovative businesses are a significant part of the federal government's research and development efforts.
Eleven federal departments participate in the SBIR program; five departments participate in the STTR program awarding $2billion to small high-tech businesses."
I have personally assisted many small enterprises with their participation in these programs. They work.
Links:
Wallace J.
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Silicon Valley, San Jose, Santa Clara and Sunnyvale in Central Coast California
Jeff C.
Corporate Communications | Crisis Communications | Writer/Editor | CSR | Branding | NSC, ASSE Safety Management
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Look to your local universities and area economic development groups (Chamber of Commerce, regional and local development partnerships etc.). If they don't provide, they'll know who does. Also...Tommy Jensen's right about the SBA programs, and don't forget SCORE is a part of the SBA.... free resource, great mentoring, assistance with everything to do with planning, startup and longer term support.
Links:
For the US it's undoubtedly the San Francisco Bay Area.
Powerful startup accelerators are located in Northen Europe/Baltics - Helsinki, Finland (Aalto Venture Garage & Startup Sauna) and Tallinn, Estonia (Garage48, Tehnopol)
