How to get support from a business incubator?

A business incubator is an organization that helps aspiring entrepreneurs developа their projects from conception to profitability. These organizations provide workspace, share knowledge and connections, offer counseling, facilitate lending, and attract investment. The main goal of an incubator is to support small businesses and help startups that lack financing and expertise but aim for economic results.

In 2025, there are thousands of incubation programs available to entrepreneurs around the world. Thanks to these programs, you can bring your project to the international market, receive support from major investors and venture funds, and relocate your company to a country that is favorable for doing business.

Business start-up and development through an incubator

Startups and emerging firms need business incubators to address common challenges faced by newcomers, such as limited funding, experience, and knowledge. While such support programs do not guarantee investment attraction, they help save money on rent, consulting, legal services, and marketing.

Advantages of incubation:

• Saving on workspace rental costs;
• Management training;
• Financing assistance through loans and investments;
• Counseling from mentors and coaches;
• The opportunity to participate in various educational programs;
• Interaction with other startups and accumulation of useful contacts in the business environment;
• Immersion in work helps develop the right work ethic in aspiring entrepreneurs and their team members.

Working with incubators can help startups transform ideas into functioning business models ready for further growth. Including a young project in a reputable support program positively impacts its perception by investors and increases the chances of obtaining necessary funding. A promising feature of foreign incubators is the opportunity to relocate quickly and obtain work permits, residence permits, and other benefits, such as insurance, social guarantees, and access to loans.

When it comes to finding the best way for an entrepreneur to obtain a residence permit, immigration lawyers are the experts to consult.

What are the differences between a business incubator, an accelerator and a technology park?

Today, business development tasks are not only handled by incubators, but also by other specialized organizations. For example, startups can turn to accelerators and technology parks, but these institutions most often cooperate with internet projects, technology companies, and innovative startups. Incubators, on the other hand, tend to be more broadly specialized and can support startups from various niches, including healthcare, catering, art, tourism, fashion, and so on.

Accelerators focus on providing specific assistance in attracting investment and often involve short-term participation in the program, on average three months. These organizations include companies that are already functioning, such as those with a prototype of goods or other products, rather than startups at the idea stage. In exchange for their services, accelerators receive a share of the project. Incubators work with startups from the earliest stages of development, long before the business is ready. They do not have strict time limits for participation and can be free of charge or earn money through separate services, (e.g., rent or additional support).

Technoparks often focus on companies in the later stages of development. This type of support is ideal for medium and large businesses that require additional scientific resources, production facilities, and warehouse space. Technoparks and incubators can be part of the same support complex. Large research and development (R&D) centers offer training, consulting, and expert assistance to startups, while established companies are offered a more extensive, applied set of services. The infrastructure of business incubators is usually inferior to that of technology parks.

Business incubator activities and types

Incubators focus on encouraging entrepreneurial activity and helping small businesses develop. Supporting startups boosts a country’s or region’s business activity and investment attractiveness. Today, many states are interested in developing business incubators because they address important economic issues:

• Creating jobs and expanding employment opportunities;
• Stimulating economic development;
• Starting new companies and industrial clusters;
• Developing, popularizing, and introducing new technologies;
• Stimulating different sectors of the economy (diversification).

Practically speaking, business incubator support involves providing start-up entrepreneurs and their teams with workspaces. The startup can use the space for free or at a reduced cost, which is more affordable than renting a traditional office.

As part of the support program, entrepreneurs attend training sessions, courses, and seminars; communicate with mentors, potential investors, and successful entrepreneurs; share experiences; and make useful connections. Typically, startups also receive accounting, technical, legal, and advertising support and can count on funding. The average time spent in an incubator is one year. Sometimes, even companies that have moved to the next stage of development continue to cooperate closely by using office space, looking for staff or new ideas, and transforming into investors.

The main types of business incubators:

• Classic (multifunctional). These organizations work with young companies from various business sectors, which may or may not be technology-based. The main criterion for selecting startups to participate in support programs is the innovation of their ideas.
• Innovation. These incubators mainly attract companies from the IT sector. The establishment of innovative business ideas generally requires, in addition to office space, some technical skills. Innovation incubators can be part of large technoparks, universities, or individual student faculties, as well as research or scientific centers with the necessary facilities.
• Manufacturing. These structures focus on startups that produce goods. A defining feature of these incubators is that they have their own production facilities and warehouses. Manufacturing organizations can be part of technoparks and are often created based on large enterprises that have gone bankrupt, are not functioning, or are operating below capacity (inactive shops help young businesses).
• Economic (social). Such incubators are most often created by government authorities and less often by nonprofit organizations. They are necessary for developing crisis sectors of the economy, creating jobs, and solving social problems. Social incubation is often targeted and can be aimed at specific age groups, such as launching youth startups or stimulating business activity among the elderly.
• Specialized. Incubators with a specific area of expertise partner with aspiring entrepreneurs in their field only. Examples of such organizations include culinary and medical programs. These specialty incubators are in demand in niches where starting a new business is difficult without substantial investment. For instance, rather than opening their own restaurant or buying expensive cooking equipment, startups get access to low-cost shared kitchen spaces and receive health and safety training.

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Depending on the organizer and/or source of funding, business incubators can be divided into the following categories:

• Government;
• Municipal (regional);
• Commercial (private), including those created by venture capital funds or large corporations;
• University and school incubators;

By 2025, incubators will operate in most major cities around the world. If you are interested in an innovation or economic incubator, look for them on the websites of local authorities, prestigious universities, or research centers in your city. Many private organizations are interested in attracting new startups and can advertise on the internet or in traditional media.

It is better to look for specialized organizations than to target multifunctional structures. For example, expertise in IT startups may be irrelevant for an entrepreneur in cooking, fashion, or medical devices. On the other hand, classic incubators often have more connections and opportunities to attract funding for promising projects. They also probably have a lower level of internal competition, meaning fewer barriers to sharing experience among colleagues.

What services does a business incubator provide?

Incubators provide startups with workspace and additional business support. The specific services offered depend on the organization’s area of expertise. There are also simplified forms of business incubators that are similar to co-working spaces and are limited to providing a workplace. Another type of organization is the virtual organization, which does not have its own office space but provides other types of support for small businesses.

The main services of incubators include:

• Office space organization. Start-ups are provided with an office space equipped with everything employees need to work and meet with clients or potential partners. Start-ups have the right to preferential rental rates, and sometimes the space might be free.
• Training and counseling. Incubators teach entrepreneurs the basics of management and organize training sessions, courses, and seminars. Startups can also expect substantive advice on marketing, taxes, financial reporting, patent law, and more.
• Mentorship.Typically, a new project in an incubator is assigned a mentor who provides comprehensive support and advice to the startup and entrepreneur. Mentors are usually experts, successful businesspeople, or potential investors.
• Financial support, grants, and loans. While attracting investment is optional for incubators, they can organize meetings with venture capital funds and private sponsors (business angels). Startups are often provided with financial assistance in the form of grants, favorable credit rates, and opportunities to participate in tenders and events.
• Administrative support. In addition to a workplace, young businesses are offered a legal address, correspondence processing services, and assistance with documentation and interaction with official authorities. Administrative support may also include bookkeeping for the startup.
• Business connections. Incubators organize business meetings and seminars and inform program members about similar events in the city, country, and abroad. Members interact with their peers within the community, which helps them create a network of business contacts with potential customers, partners, or investors.
• Other types of support (marketing, legal, etc.). Additional services may be provided either by default or on a paid basis. Marketing support includes developing and promoting websites or social media pages, preparing presentations or business plans, providing PR support, and creating advertising campaigns. Incubator legal services include contract and document preparation, legal advice, intellectual property protection, and taxation.

How to get into a business incubator?

The requirements for business support program participation can differ significantly. Government agencies are not always directly interested in the financial results of young firms, so their requirements are less demanding. However, competition among applicants for these programs is intense. One condition for receiving support from well-established commercial incubators may be transferring the rights to a patent or a share in a startup. In return, entrepreneurs receive comprehensive support and partial or full financing of their projects, possibly on credit terms.

To get into an incubator, a businessperson needs to do the following:

1. Find programs and learn about their requirements.
2. Prepare an intriguing presentation of the idea or, better yet, a complete business plan with an economic justification of the project’s prospects.
3. Apply for participation in the incubator.
4. Complete an interview or questionnaire sent by the organization.
5. Present your project to the expert council in person, if required.
6. Sign a contract to become part of the business incubator.

If an application is rejected, the applicant is usually informed of the reason and recommended to attend training sessions or courses. These events help applicants improve their applications, refine their business plans, and increase their chances of receiving a positive response when they apply again.

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How can you evaluate the success of different incubator projects?

Even before the start of cooperation, the first assessment of the feasibility of incubation should be carried out. The main criteria for evaluating a support program are the number of successful startups and the overall survival rate of companies that have gone through the organization. Information about the most successful graduates is usually presented on incubators’ websites. Additionally, looking for feedback from former program participants is worthwhile.

The main criteria for evaluating the interaction with incubators during the partnership are access to capital and company growth indicators. If the organization helped attract investment and the startup grew from an idea into a functioning business, then the incubator has fulfilled its main functions. Additionally, the quality of services should be assessed, including substantive advice, the benefits of training and mentoring programs, and the various assistance provided.

If the results of the incubation are not as expected, it is recommended that you talk to the project mentor and colleagues who work with the same organization. Additional services may be necessary, either on a paid basis or to modify the cooperation strategy. The ultimate solution is to end the current partnership and look for a new support program, possibly in another country.

Immigration through cooperation with business incubators

Today, startup founders can choose a small business incubator not only in their own country, but also abroad. Foreign support programs can attract even experienced entrepreneurs because bringing a successfully operating company to a new market is almost as risky as a startup, requiring assistance and additional investment.

According to the International Business Innovation Association, there are over 12,000 incubators worldwide, and the top three countries are:

• It has over 2,000 business support programs (including accelerators), such as Y Combinator, Techstars, MassChallenge, and 500 Startups;
• The country has over 2,000 business support programs and a fast-growing startup market. Some of the best-known Chinese support programs include Vector Ventures, Fintech Innovation Lab, and HAX;
• Although the country is still lagging behind the leaders, it is rapidly growing its incubator population. Its top-profile organizations include Venture Catalysts, CIIE.CO, and WE Hub.

In these countries, businesses have access to a wide range of support programs, but they also face high competition among startups and strict participation requirements. When choosing a country for incubation, it would be wise to consider the ease of doing business indicators. According to the Doing Business rating, New Zealand, Singapore, and Hong Kong offer the most favorable conditions for entrepreneurs. However, these countries also have high business competition.

In general, when looking for an incubator, one should focus on countries that offer interesting immigration programs for entrepreneurs. Let’s take a look at some popular ones.

Serbia —Startup program

To obtain a temporary residence permit by launching a startup, one of the requirements is to have the innovative nature of the business confirmed by a local technopark or incubator. For this purpose, the applicant can apply to various specialized organizations, such as NTP Beograd, NTP Novi Sad, or the Vojvodina ICT Cluster.

France — French Tech Visa program

As part of La French Tech, a large-scale business development initiative, the country has created the French Tech Visa to encourage immigrants working in the IT sector.

For business founders, one of the conditions for application approval is applying to local incubators, accelerators, or technology parks, such as 104factory, Techstars, Incubateur Paca-Est, and others.

The entire process, from contacting support programs to obtaining a residence permit, usually takes four to six months. The cost of a long-term visa and residence permit is approximately EUR 370 (excluding company setup costs). A businessman can immigrate to France with a French Tech Visa, along with his family.

The UAE — Golden visa for entrepreneurs

The long-term residence permit program is available to foreign talent, including entrepreneurs and startup founders. Businesspeople can obtain a Golden Visa in the UAE — a residence permit valid for five years, which can be extended, if they own a technical or innovative project. In order to immigrate, applicants must confirm their company’s value (it must be at least EUR 125,000), receive approvals from the emirate authorities as well as the state business incubator (e.g., Area 2071), and meet other requirements.

A standard business visa, which has a shorter validity period, may be a better option for entrepreneurs.

This program also allows you to immigrate to the UAE with your family. It would be wise to consult migration specialists for more information.

Finland — Finnish Startup Permit

Startup businesses can be transferred to Finland under the Finnish Startup Permit program. Startup owners with a team of at least two people and sufficient funding to develop the company can apply for a residence permit. Approval of the business plan and other documents from Business Finland is a prerequisite for participation. After receiving approval, an application for a residence permit is submitted, and then the company is registered in Finland and can begin cooperating with local incubators.

A startup residence permit is renewable. Applications can be submitted electronically or on paper. Online applications are usually processed within 14 days at a cost of EUR 350. A traditional application takes up to two months to process and costs EUR 480.

Business incubators are an effective tool for helping startups in the early stages of development. In addition to providing direct assistance to young companies, cooperating with these organizations can provide support for simplified immigration procedures and the successful launch of companies in new markets.