Organizations that help launch successful start-ups were hot during the dot-com era when there were tens of thousands worldwide, according to statistics from the National Business Incubation Association (NBIA).  Since the dot-com bubble burst in 2000, the number of business incubators has dropped to 7,000 globally and 1,400 in North America. However, they still serve more than 27,000 companies and are responsible for more than $17 billion in annual revenues (also in North America). Following...

Do I Need One? How Do I Go About It? By Christopher Freeburn You're ready to take the plunge. You have a good idea for a new business. You've done the requisite soul-searching and determined that owning your own business is the thing for you. You've spent some time researching the idea and you've figured out where you will locate the business, who your customers will be and what sort of market exists for the business. Now it's time to sit down and create a real business plan. Benefits of...