What is an incubator?
Business incubators provide intensive, hands-on support and services to assist specifically in the creation and early-stage growth of businesses. The services include help with business planning, raising finance, marketing support and mentoring. A business incubator offers this type of support together with small units on flexible terms, and enterprises selected are those able to best benefit from support. They are normally encouraged to leave the incubator after about 2 years, when they have acquired a strong skills base and management experience. Many UK Science Parks have incubators, either separately managed, or managed as an integral part of the park.
