THE HIGH TECHNOLOGY SMALL BUSINESS INCUBATOR
See also:
Mount Laurel
Map and Directions
Business Career Development Seminar
Free Business Seminars
Doing Business With BCC
Contacts:
Paula Fett, Director Small Business Development
(856) 222-9311, extension 2801
pfett@bcc.edu
Isabel Thompson, Assistant
(856) 222-9311, extension 2800
What is the High Technology Small Business Incubator?
BCC's High Technology Business Incubator and Life Science Incubator, are an engine for economic growth in New Jersey, creating new jobs, products and services. To this end, they offer promising start-up companies a nurturing environment for growth. Each tenant company has access to extensive resources, support in developing business and technology plans, and opportunities to exhibit at conferences and venture capital showcases. Each can tap into a rich network of business resources, invaluable to a company's development: legal, venture capital, governmental, scientific, licensing, patent, grant funding, marketing, and e-commerce resources.
The Incubators are fully occupied since its opening in 1998. While waiting for space, a number of fledgling companies have been granted "virtual" status, that is, without on-site offices but with specified Incubator privileges. On average, the High Technology Small Business Incubator hosts approximately 32 companies and 9 virtual tenants.
BCC's 20,000 square-foot High Technology Incubator and 12,000 square-foot Life Science Incubator has an optimum location on a burgeoning scientific campus in Mt. Laurel, the high technology corridor of southern New Jersey. The New Jersey Technology Council's state headquarters are a close neighbor. Located nearby are technology companies of varying sizes including: Lockheed Martin, Ulticom, Comverse, Computer Sciences Corporation.
As part of the Mount Laurel Campus, along with the BCC Incubators, are the Enterprise Center at BCC, a state-of-the-art conferencing facility and three academic buildings.
Burlington County College Science Incubators are opened. The incubators consists of multiple interconnected laboratories.
FAQs
What type of company should consider locating in an incubator?
Business incubation in New Jersey is designed to support technology companies with high growth potential. BCC's Incubator is best categorized as a mixed-use technology incubator. This means that most of the existing tenants are technology companies.
What is the application and selection process for the BCC Incubator?
The High Technology Small Business Incubator is an engine for economic growth in New Jersey, creating new jobs, products and services. The prospective entrepreneur should contact the Incubator manager to discuss his/her technology and business plan. In general, companies that exhibit the potential for high revenue and personnel growth are favored.
At what point in an entrepreneurial start-up process should the applicant apply to the Incubator for rental space?
Start-up companies considered for occupancy have been legally organized and generally show sufficient funds to support the efforts of the enterprise for at least one year. At the present time, the Incubator is 100% full. Therefore, it is necessary for entrepreneurs to apply for space months before it is anticipated that sufficient funding levels will be achieved.
What kind of workspace resources does the Incubator provide?
Whereas most business incubators throughout the country are housed in vacant industrial buildings or converted schools, BCC's Incubator was expressly designed and built as an incubator. Because the building is 100 percent wired with cabling, each entrepreneurial company has access to telephone, fax and data connections. Clustered at the Incubator's center are shared equipment and facilities: a technology library, conference rooms, kitchen, lounge area and duplicating, fax and mail services.
At times of full occupancy, are there other avenues of help available to start-up entrepreneurs?
The Incubator includes two types of tenants: those who physically occupy office and/or laboratory space at 900 Briggs Rd. and "virtual" tenants. Virtual tenants do not occupy office space, but do gain specified Incubator privileges such as access to the Incubator's business address, use of common facilities such as copier, fax, mail and package delivery, and resource/library with Internet-accessible computers. Virtual tenants may also use the Incubator's conference rooms by appointment and have access to the mentoring/consulting/networking resources of the Incubator Manager.
When are companies expected to "graduate" out of the Incubator?
Since the first three years of any start-up are typically the most critical, most companies should plan to take advantage of the Incubator's affordable rent, and business services for three to four years. As businesses become self-sufficient enough to move out of the Incubator and contribute to the economic growth of the region, other early-stage enterprises take their place. Graduates are encouraged to continue drawing upon the mentoring/consulting/networking resources of the Incubator Manager and tenant community.
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Resource Links for High Tech Entrepreneurs:
New Jersey Commission on Science and Technology
New Jersey Economic Development Authority
New Jersey Technology Council
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