Comparative study technology incubators in Quebec and abroad

Next Page

This report, conducted in 2008, sets out the evaluation results of a benchmarking study comparing the other incubators funded by the Agency and other technology incubators in Canada and abroad.

The aim of the evaluation shows the results of best practices and expand knowledge about technology incubators as a vector for stimulating innovation and for economic development.

Table of Contents

  1. Executive Summary
  2. Introduction
  3. Methodology Used
    1. Planning the evaluation and collecting secondary data
    2. Collection of the primary data
      1. Telephone Interviews
      2. Client Survey
    3. Analysis of Results and Preparation of Preliminary Report
      1. Descriptive Analysis of the Business models
      2. Descriptive Analysis of the Performance of the Incubators
      3. Comparative Analysis of Incubators
      4. Supplementary Analysis
    4. Distribution of Final Report
    5. Methodological Limitations
  4. Incubators' Business Models
    1. Basic Characteristics
    2. Team and Network
    3. Selection Process and Criteria
    4. Services Offered
    5. Coaching
    6. Follow-up with Graduates
    7. Business development
    8. Source of Clients
    9. Allocation of Efforts
    10. Financial Structure
  5. Performance of Incubators
    1. Results Achieved by Incubators
    2. Results Achieved by Enterprises
    3. Secondary Indicators
  6. Comparative Analysis
    1. Analysis of Incubators' Performance
    2. Analysis of General Characteristics
    3. Analysis of Team and Network
    4. Analysis of Selection Process
    5. Analysis of Services Offered
    6. Analysis of Coaching
    7. Analysis of Allocation of Efforts
    8. Analysis of Financial Structure
    9. Conclusions from the Comparative Analysis
  7. Evaluation Questions
    1. Funding of Incubators
      1. What rate of self-funding should be the goal for incubators funded by the Agency and for incubators comparable to Inno-centre in Canada and abroad?
      2. Should the rate of self-funding vary for different types of incubators?
      3. What measures could be taken to improve incubators' self-funding?
      4. Are there alternative ways to obtain the results the Agency aims to achieve at lower cost?
      5. What type of business model would be most likely to optimize the return on the Agency's investment?
    2. Competition
      1. Are incubators funded by the Agency in competition among themselves or with the research application development corporations, or do their activities complement one another?
    3. Relevance and Results
      1. In what way do the incubators funded by the Agency and incubators comparable to Inno-centre in Canada and abroad provide incentives?
      2. Does the coaching offered by the various types of incubators reflect the needs of the target market?
      3. Would the enterprises created have been started up without their assistance?
      4. Are different results achieved by incubated enterprises in different economic sectors?
      5. Are the results achieved by the incubators funded by the Agency in line with its Program Activity Architecture (PAA)?
    4. Evaluation of Inno-centre
      1. How does Inno-centre's business model compare with the business models of comparable incubators in Canada and outside Canada?
      2. How do the results achieved by Inno-centre, as a world-class incubator, compare with comparable incubators?
    5. Trends in Incubation
      1. What are the emerging trends in the incubation industry inside and outside Canada, in terms of both supply and demand for incubation services and incubation practices?
      2. How have incubators comparable to Inno-centre in Canada and abroad adjusted to the increasing scarcity of risk capital?
  8. Findings and Recommendations
  9. List of Tables

Next Page