Is business incubation a new industry?
How do incubators contribute to the local and regional economy?
Does BCC only accept clients located in Winnipeg? Manitoba?
What sort of innovations can benefit from BCC’s services?
When does a client company or incubant leave the program?
Is there a timeframe or deadline to enter the program?
What’s the daytime commitment for clients or incubants?

Who decides who the CEO mentor will be?

Ultimately, who controls the business and makes the decisions?



Is business incubation a new industry?

How do incubators contribute to the local and regional economy?

Incubator graduates create jobs, revitalize neighborhoods and commercialize new technologies, thus strengthening local, regional and even national economies.

• NBIA estimates that in 2005 alone, North American incubators assisted more than 27,000 start-up companies that provided full-time employment for more than 100,000 workers and generated annual revenue of more than $17 billion.
  
  Source: 2006 State of the Business Incubation Industry
• Business incubators reduce the risk of small business failures. Historically, NBIA member incubators have reported that 87 percent of all firms that have graduated from their incubators are still in business.
  
  Source: Business Incubation Works

Does BCC only accept clients located in Winnipeg? Manitoba?

BCC is happy to discuss opportunities with clients outside of the Manitoba region as its network is far reaching and worldwide. That being said, currently all of BCC’s clients reside in the Winnipeg area.

What sort of innovations can benefit from BCC’s services?

BCC focuses on taking innovations and turning them into business opportunities. BCC works with innovators who are looking to push their products or innovations forward into the commercial arena. When accepting a client, BCC also is interested in whether or not there is someone able to drive the project and if that person has free and clear access to the intellectual property. BCC differs from other business incubators in its one-stop-shop service model. Other business incubators tend to offer service packages, whereas we are readily available to assist with all aspects of the commercialization process, not just those subscribed steps.

When does a client company or incubant leave the program?

In BCC’s program, success is characterized by one of three events; getting your product to market, acquisition of your company, or investment. Once our clients have reached one of those success events they have “graduated” from our program and no longer need our assistance. Typically, our clients remain in the BCC program for three years.

Is there a timeframe or deadline to enter the program?

No, BCC is open to hearing about new, innovative ideas anytime.

What’s the daytime commitment for clients or incubants?

There is a limited daytime commitment expected of our clients. We do require one formal meeting per week, but are happy to accommodate clients with special circumstances or day jobs via lunch time meetings or conference calls. Other than that, clients are free to work on their start-up at any time of day, as their time permits.

Who decides who the CEO mentor will be?

BCC has a pool of highly trained and experienced CEO mentors excited and willing to dedicate their time to our clients. BCC will arrange and recommend a CEO mentor who appears to be the best fit for your new organization. Upon your approval, this CEO mentor will work with you for the duration of your time with the program.

Ultimately, who controls the business and makes the decisions?

BCC’s mandate is to accelerate science and technology commercialization, so we will help your organization to do that in whatever ways we can. BCC, your CEO mentor, and the CFO mentor are very experienced in guiding start-ups to success and come together to help move your innovation forward into a success, prospering organization. We do this by making recommendations and providing support based on our experience; however, ultimately this is your company and you will remain the decision maker.