The importance of business incubators is twofold. Firstly, they favour the setting up of new companies and, secondly, they provide the appropriate business support needed to increase the chances of their survival and growth. 

There are more than 800 business incubators in the European Union today. The Enterprise DG launched a benchmarking project in December 2000, focusing on the management and the promotion of incubators. The aim was to identify indicators of their performance, including operational benchmarks. The work involved experts from the Member States, who are all managers of business incubators in their respective country. 

The benchmarks include, among others: 

• Mission and strategic aims 

• Partnership and legal form 

• Premises and location 

• Financing 

• Management 

• Business planning 

• Target market and promotion 

• Admission and exit rules 

• Incubator space and services 

• Quality standards 

• Start-up and survival rates 

• Employment effects 

• Performance of firms 

Results of benchmarking exercise

Final report (full version) is available at http://europa.eu.int/comm/enterprise/entrepreneurship/support_measures/incubators/index.htm

• Executive Summary

• Cover page, Preface, Table of Contents, Executive Summary, Introduction, Background and Policy Context and Benchmarking Framework

• Setting up and Operating Business Incubators, Key Business Incubator Functions, Evaluation of Incubator Services and Impacts, Conclusions and Recommendations

• Appendices (Incubator Managers Questionnaire, Incubator Questionnaire, Company Questionnaire, Incubator Definitions, Case Study Reports)

• Business Incubators Case Studies