Business incubators have become a vital part of most universities’ research commercialization efforts, as well as their regional economic development efforts. They evolved to become critical links between universities, entrepreneurs, research institutions, government agencies, foundations and the business community. But not every incubator is created equal, and their effectiveness in terms of start-ups graduated, scale-ups achieved, funding acquired, jobs created, and retention in the local community varies widely.
That’s why best practices and learnings from successful models in this arena are so important, and why Tech Transfer Central has partnered with the leadership team at Ohio University’s Innovation Center to present this detailed and informative webinar:
The Innovation Center has received numerous accolades over the past five years based on its outstanding record of success. It was named the Incubator of the Year in 2019 by InBIA, the industry’s leading international professional association, the Rural Incubator of the Year twice (2016 and 2019), and was ranked by UBI, a global benchmarking institute, as the 3rd best university-based incubator in North America in 2016.
Now you can consult directly with The Innovation Center’s Director and get the practical, inside details on how they’ve produced a track record of high performance that you can adapt in your own incubator and accelerator programs.
Underlying their success has been a clear philosophy and mission focused on ensuring the incubator reflects the wants of all stakeholders while adapting to the changing needs of the local business ecosystem, especially in emerging high growth segments. Another foundational element is the Innovation Center’s laser focus on adherence to specific criteria for selecting member businesses as well as its network of advisors.
You’ll hear about these tactics and many more specific, how-to strategies from Stacy Strauss, Innovation Center Director, in this one-hour session. Here’s a brief look at the agenda:
- Assessing the goals of your incubator to set your mission
- Tailoring your incubator’s services to meet the needs of your identified tech community
- Attaining the funding you need to meet the incubator’s mission
- Building a funding pipeline for post-incubation
- Recruitment tips for strategic partners such as mentors, angel investors, and VCs
- Creating criteria that will attract the best fitting businesses and best advisers to your incubator
- Setting a tone for success through high-impact educational and programs
- Using mentors and advisers efficiently and effectively
- And much more!
Meet your presenter:
Stacy Strauss
Innovation Center Director
Stacy Strauss joined the Innovation Center in 2014 and is responsible for managing the staff, advising and making connections for clients, and overseeing the Innovation Center operations including facility management and fundraising efforts. During her tenure, the Innovation Center was named the Incubator of the Year (2019) by InBIA, the industry’s leading international professional association, the Rural Incubator of the Year twice (2016 and 2019), and was ranked by UBI, a global benchmarking institute, as the 3rd best university-based incubator in North America (2016). She has secured over $5 million in grant funding to support the work of the Innovation Center. Ms. Strauss holds a bachelor’s degree in history from Kenyon College and a master’s degree in education from Ohio State University. She also holds an Entrepreneurship Center Management certificate from InBIA.
