YBI named one of 30 best university-affiliated incubators

Staff report

youngstown

The Youngstown Business Incubator has been named one of the 30 best university- affiliated incubators in the world by a European research initiative and benchmarking index.

YBI ranked 11th on the 2013 list, compiled by the University Business Incubator Index.

“YBI is proud — and thrilled — to have earned the recognition by UBII. This award really affirms the strength of YBI’s model of entrepreneurship,” said YBI’s Chief Operating Officer Barb Ewing. “To be included on the same list with the programs housed at Rice University and Georgia Tech really speaks to the caliber of our programs, facilities and staff.”

The YBI works to foster young software companies in an environment that retains other successful information-technology companies in a managed cluster, which differs from a conventional business incubator by creating an in-house support network.

Among some of the incubator’s strengths that were identified were a clear focus on core technologies such as software and additive manufacturing, a list of 6,000 technical experts and a policy of keeping graduate companies on campus.

The UBII is based in Stockholm. It has an international research team that specializes in benchmarking incubators. To see the full list, visit www.ubiindex.com.