8: Building the Incubator Community

As incubators grow and build a more global reputation, connections become increasingly important. How an incubator connects with the world and attracts new companies depends a lot on what type of clients they seek. High tech companies are probably going to be populated with younger founders that are very social media savvy. Food companies may be more grounded in typical media channels such as print and websites. Directors of incubators need to use a variety of communication channels to reach entrepreneurs. Another way is to use live and recorded broadcasts to build a reputation and allow for building a larger support network. Email blasts to local universities where entrepreneurship is taught or events that open the incubator doors to prospective clients are also good ways to build awareness. Figure 8.1 illustrates the community of relationships that exist for an incubator.