Partners for Incubators

Partners for Incubators

For many incubators, partnerships can leverage significant additional resources and services for the benefit of ventures. Successful hubs in ecosystems often build a density of connections that gives them an almost gravitational pull, attracting ventures, talent, capital and other resources.

For the partners, incubators can be attractive as a source of ventures, reaching areas or industries that are hard for them to access or directly achieving outcomes or outputs they have set around commercialisation, community engagement, or industry connections.

This is a list of potential connections for emerging hubs in Western Australia to consider. In all cases the Incubator Facilitator is able to do introductions where there is interest from one party in working with the other.

Incubator Networks

Entrepreneurs benefits from networks in incubators. Incubator founders and managers  can be even more so. Or, you could tap into supportive networks and decades of experience from peers within networks. Consider connecting to or joining an association or network, like:

• Meshpoints
• StartupWA
• Business Innovation and Incubation Australia
• International Business Innovation Association
• Frontier Incubators 
• Online Networks e.g. newsletters, mailing lists Facebook Groups etc

Major incubators

If you are a small or emerging incubator, partnering with a larger entity can leverage their brand, experience, networks with no downside for either party and huge benefit to the startups you are supporting. Examples:

• Spacecubed (Flux, Riff, Plus Eight)
• Atomic Sky (Liberty, Tech Hub, Start Something)
• Unearthed (Core)
• Centre for Entrepreneurial Research and Innovation (CERI)
• Curtin (Ignition, Accelerate)
• Founder Institute
• Slingshot
• Springboard Enterprises Australia etc.

Universities

Universities have students, experts, researchers, funding, educational content, centres of excellence, equipment, facilities, alumni networks, cooperative research centres and often their own innovation funds many other useful resources. Examples of how they could be useful to an incubator include: as a source of ventures, to provide research or talent to ventures, as locations for an incubator etc.

• University of Western Australia
• Curtin University
• Edith Cowan University
• Central Queensland University 
• Murdoch University
• University of Melbourne
• University of Technology Sydney
• University of California
• University of Santa Clara etc

Investors

Startups generally need investment and there are investors who focus on startups. In addition to investment in ventures they may provide mentoring, advise, expertise and other connections.

• Perth Angels
• Innovation Bay
• Upstart Investments
• Atomic Sky
• Impact Seed
• Curtin University
• Blackbird Ventures
• m15e ventures
• M8 ventures
• Little Fish Group etc.

Mentors and Facilitators

Delivering education, advice, mentoring and support to startups is a skill, profession and is often gained through experience. Using mentors and facilitators can dramatically reduce the cost and time to develop programs, and using national or international experts can give invaluable insights and connections into international markets.

Contact the Incubator Facilitator with your needs for a list of potential mentors or facilitators from Western Australia, interstate and overseas.

Networks, Meetups and Clubs

Existing networks, meetup groups and clubs can be keen to expand their activities or chapters or may already have networks in your vicinity that are looking for spaces or programs to connect with. A relationship with them can be very mutually beneficial.

• Meetups
• Hackathons
• Pitch Events
• Festivals
• Coding clubs
• Chambers of Commerce 

Government and Corporates

Agencies often have innovation or commercialisation teams within them. Other government-funded programs also align with incubator. Consider connecting with

• Primary Industry and Regional Development e.g. Agriculture, Fishing
• Jobs, Tourism, Science and Innovation e.g. Science, Industry Centres
• Regional Development Commissions
• Regional Development Australia (RDAs)
• Small Business Development Corporation (SBDC) providers
• Business Local providers
• Australian Small Business Advisory Service (ASBAS) providers
• Industry Growth Centres e.g. METS, FIAL etc.
• Large corporates operating in your location or industry sector

Other

There are many other partnerships to consider. Check out the list of partners in other incubators sites to get some ideas:

• Professional services,
• Internet service providers
• Office supplies etc.