News Flash

Located at 6 West County Street in the Phoebus section of Hampton, the Hampton University Small Business Incubator has been helping small businesses since opening in 1999. As a multi-tenant facility, the incubator provides a broad range of services and offers office and meeting space to a variety of business clients.

As a mixed-use facility that attracts businesses across multiple industries, the incubator’s primary focus is on women, minority and veteran-owned businesses. The goal of the incubator is to help create jobs, foster growth and promote the success of entrepreneurial companies by providing mentoring, training and support services for long-term viability. One common attribute of businesses accepted into the incubator program is a business plan that anticipates growth and creates jobs. The incubator provides technical assistance, administrative support, office services, mentoring and business seminars in addition to networking opportunities that foster success.

In addition to the traditional incubator services, the Hampton University Small Business Incubator provides access to university resources such as its entrepreneurs’ club. Dr. James Womick, who has a doctorate in Business Administration, provides weekly counseling and mentoring to incubator clients. The incubator also hosts a Lunch and Learn series which is open to the public.

Currently the incubator has seven clients and two available offices. To be accepted by the incubator as a client, business owners will have a consulting interview with incubator executive director J.R. Locke. The evaluation will help determine if the company’s business plans, goals and expectations are a good fit for both client and the incubator. Once accepted, businesses may remain in the incubator program for up to three years. For more information on the Lunch and Learn series or incubator services, please contact J.R. Locke at 757-722-9283. You may also visit http://hubi.hamptonu.edu/

Did you Know? Studies have shown that companies that go through an incubation program have a 77% better chance of success versus companies that don’t.