Where great ideas are born... Business incubators can be found nearly everywhere. In some cases, they are being spun out of university research labs. Others reflect attempts by local entrepreneurs to supercharge their hometowns. This list (in no particular order) puts the spotlight on 20 initiatives. Some have been around for years; some are start-ups themselves. But, they are all working to transform the raw material of ideas into fully formed, job-generating businesses.
1. Seattle, WA: Former Microsoft developers will invest up to $250,000 in projects that show promise.
2. Fargo, North Dakota: Red River Valley Research Corridor helps procure federal contracts for local companies.
3. Kona, Hawaii: Leveraging its most abundance resources... sun and sea.
4. Boulder, CO: Six startups from Boulder's 2009 class have closed venture deals.
5. Phoenix, AZ: Special initiatives for solar energy and sustainable mining.
6. Corvallis, Oregon: Oregon Nanoscience and Microtechnologies Institute provides seed grants of $250,000.
7. San Diego, CA: Connect, one of nation's first incubators, has assisted 2,000 ventures in receiving more than $10 billion in funding.
8. Salt Lake City, UT: BioInnovations Gateway offers subsized laboratory space to business tenants which share the equipment with students. After graduating, students can pursue internships with tenant companies.
9. Madison, WI: University of Wisconsin's tech transfer program has 55 active spinoff companies.
10. Detroit, MI: 12-block stretch known as TechTown, the incubators offer space, wet and dry labs, and mentoring.
11. Cleveland, OH: JumpStart provides entrepreneurs with mentors and seed funding. Since 2004, 47 companies have attracted $202 million in financing.
12. Rochester, NY: Rochester Institute of Technology opens "Entrepreneur Hall" in Fall 2010, an undergrad dorm where residents develop their own business plans.
13. Suffolk, VA: Virginia Modeling, Analysis, and Simulation Center offers space and assistance with business plans and government grant applications.
14. Atlanta, GA: Georgia Research Alliance has generated more than 150 comapnies.
15. Birmingham, AL: Innovation Depot, an incubator space, is a 140,000-square-foot facility housed in a former Sears store.
16. Ridgeland, MI: Mississippi Technology Alliance helps local entrepreneurs find capital assisting about 125 companies every year.
17. New Orleans, LA: Each year, The Idea Village picks as many as 25 promising startups for its 9-month Entrepreneur Challenge of coaching and workshops.
18. Austin, TX: At the Capital Factory, 20 seasoned entrepreneurs invest $5,000 each in five promising startups. Then, for 10 weeks, the fledgling ventures get free office space, legal advice, and help from the 20 vets.
19. Oklahoma City, OK: i2E, Innovation to Enterprise, works with local angel and venture investors to fund startups at various stages of development.
20. Kansas City, KA: Each year, Pipeline pairs about 10 entrepreneurs with local and national experts.
Excerpted from Inc. Magazine, May 2010, page 98, by Nitasha Tiku and April Joyner. Article sponsored by Verizon
