Establishment of Student Incubator Centers

Eda Spahiu, PhD candidate, presented insights from the Zagreb study visit on Sustainable Entrepreneurship and Sustainable Entrepreneurs. She delivered a presentation on the Establishment of Student Incubator Centers.  She highlighted the key components in establishing a successful student incubator center namely: student needs assessment, infrastructure, recruitment strategies, mentoring and coaching, monitoring and evaluation, alumni engagement and ecosystem integration.

She emphasized the importance of virtual incubators, especially in post-pandemic contexts. These platforms offer flexibility and access to global resources and mentors. She discussed also the importance of ecosystem integration. Successful incubators do not operate in isolation. Ecosystem integration enhances resource access, legitimacy, and scalability. Partnerships with local incubators, accelerators, chambers of commerce, tech parks, innovation centers and investor networks can also provide students with exposure to global best practices and opportunities.

As concluding remarks, she emphasized that establishing a student incubator center involves a multi-faceted approach that encompasses understanding student needs, creating the right infrastructure, and embedding effective support systems through recruitment. As higher education institutions continue to embrace entrepreneurial development, incubators stand out as vital instruments for fostering student innovation and societal impact.