It is critical that ESOs have access to the right tools and best practices to collect data and report on the unique impact of their organization. ICIC's evaluation of Small Business Forward ESOs begins to fill a critical gap in measuring what effective business incubation looks like in the U.S. Read More

Among its devastating effects, Hurricane Katrina had a destructive impact on regional employment. The storm, and its aftermath, eliminated more than 190,000 jobs in New Orleans alone. In the months following the disaster, employment rolls fell precipitously and remained stubbornly low, even as investment in the city began to increase. Now, over 10 years later, the New Orleans economy is bouncing back, and a focus on clusters and entrepreneurship are some of the major drivers of the city’s post-Katrina growth. Read More

Last month, following the announcement of the latest cohort of companies selected for Techstars Seattle, Managing Director Chris DeVore penned a very public plea for help. In a blog post entitled “Techstars Seattle Diversity Update: Failing, Frustrated + Asking for Help,” DeVore writes: “While I am proud and excited about ... Read More

Despite the proliferation and growing support for incubators and accelerators, especially in the technology sector, data and research measuring their performance is surprisingly limited. Some incubators and accelerators simply don’t capture any data on their programs or the businesses they support. And those tracking robust performance metrics often lack benchmarks ... Read More

Food hubs are a vehicle used to strengthen local agriculture while making healthy and affordable food available to more communities. Several cities have seen that food hubs can also mobilize multiple aspects of the food industry, and in turn help get the wheels of local economies moving. Read More