The Start-up PUSH - Terri Friel

This book explores, documents and establishes how to help founders start businesses with the collaboration of local and international resources.  An incubator, accelerator or science park all have this goal but provide a variety of foci and support.  At a minimum, it’s important to not only attract entrepreneurs but to have support services that can include mentoring, financial support and other services that make the incubator really filled with energy and potential.  It’s becoming insufficient to just have office space and WiFi.

It is also important to develop good interactions between directors, the start-up community and residents.  Managing the community to help residents to launch successfully is the main goal of the director.   It’s also important to stay abreast of the innovations happening in start-up support.  Today there are many ways to incubate from bare bones office space to Incubator 1.0 space with some support to Incubator 2.0 with a great deal of support including a fund. For that reason, it’s important to develop a clear strategy for the type, style, clientele and support that will be built.

This book provides guidance in three main areas: 1) What are the different options for incubators, accelerators and science parks, 2) How to assist the start-up founders (residents) and 3) How to manage the space.