infoDev is a World Bank program that supports entrepreneurs in developing economies through various business incubation models. It oversees networks of business incubators focused on climate technology, agribusiness, and digital entrepreneurship. Some key models discussed include: - Agribusiness Innovation Centers in Tanzania and Nepal that provide facilities, financing, training, and market linkages to help agricultural startups commercialize new products. - mLabs and mHubs in sub-Saharan Africa that foster digital entrepreneurship and have helped create over 1000 jobs and 100 startup companies through business support services. - Climate Innovation Centers in seven countries that provide grants, investments, business advice and facilities to help turn climate challenges into economic opportunities through

1. www.infodev.org
Best Practice Models for Technology Business Incubation
South African Business Incubation Conference, 10 March 2016
Dr Jill Sawers
jsawers@worldbank.org

2. Contents…..
• Who is infoDev….
• Business Incubation Models promoting technology
incubation (AICs; Mlabs & MHubs; Climate Innovation
Centers; Women entrepreneurship)
• Additional models….FEMTECH; Hubba
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3. Who is infoDev
infoDev is a multi-donor program in the
World Bank Group that supports
entrepreneurs in developing economies.
It oversees a global network of business
incubators for climate technology,
agribusiness, and digital entrepreneurship.
It also publishes educational toolkits for
business incubator managers and
development professionals.
www.infodev.org
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4. Pre-Seed/
Seed
Start-up Early growth Growth Developed/
Established
FIRM
CAPABILITY
MARKETS
FINANCE
ENVIRONMENT
Limited Human Capital (Skills mismatch)
Information Failure/ Knowledge Gaps
Barriers to Entry
(Uncompetitive Markets)
Barriers to Exit
Credit Constraints / Limited Access to Finance (Financing Gaps)
Regulatory & Institutional Constraints
Underinvestment in Public Goods (Infra, Basic R&D, Education,…)
Weak Managerial Capacity
NEW, HIGH GROWTH FIRMS GENERATE MOST JOBS AND
REVENUE GROWTH, AND BRING LASTING INNOVATIONS
Underinvestment in Skills & Training
Weak Absorptive Capacity

5. AGRIBUSINESS: ADDING VALUE LOCALLY
Agribusiness Innovation Centers in
Tanzania and Nepal
AICs provide:
• facilities
• early-stage financing
• business and technical training
• market research and linkages.
They generate revenue through a
combination of royalties, incubation
fees, and equity.
The potential of agricultural growth to reduce poverty is four times
greater than the potential of growth from other sectors.

6. Successes of AIC Pilot in Tanzania
Tanzania AIC pilot of 9/50:
• One company doubled its sales from
$85,000 to $170,000 in six months.
• Two companies began selling to
large supermarkets rather than via
informal sales channels.
• Through assistance with packaging
and production flow charts, two
companies reduced their operating
costs by 20 %.
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7. Digital Entrepreneurship
Program:
• mLabs,
• mHubs
DIGITAL: NEW TOOLS FOR OLD CHALLENGES
In Sub-Saharan Africa, the mobile industry is expected to reach
$119 billion in 2020.

8. Successes of MLabs & MHubs
South African GoMetro is a startup winner of the
Gauteng Innovation Competition – app adopted by
Metro rail.
• offers a mobile service that provides over
450,000 Metrorail commuters with updated
information on travel routes.
• Since June 2013, mLabs and mHubs have
– Created approximately 1000 high-skills jobs,
300 of which were held by women.
– Created 100 startup companies with over
500 products successfully marketed
– Over 200 of startups earning over
$1,000,000 in revenues
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9. CLIMATE TECH: TAPPING GREEN OPPORTUNITY
Turning climate challenges into growth
opportunities…..
• Seven Climate Innovation Centers
• Grants and seed investments ($50k –
1mil)
• Business Advice and training
• Market intelligence
• Access to facilities
• Government advisory
Garbchar: No waste should go to
waste: energy briquettes
US$70-100 billion per year through
2050 for developing countries to adapt
to a 2 degrees celcius warmer planet.

10. TAILORING SUPPORT FOR WOMEN
• 80% of women entrepreneurs in sub-Saharan
Africa operate in low-productivity sectors
• Over 200 million women live in countries where
they need their husband’s permission to start a
business
• 70% of women do not have a bank account in
their own name
• Less than 5% of SME loans go to women-owned
businesses
• Women worldwide have greater fear of failure
and lower confidence in their entrepreneurial
abilities than men
• Women globally have smaller and less diverse
networks and are less likely to seek advice and
broaden their networks

11. Co-Working Space – Hubba, Bangkok
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12. FEMTECH – innovative women entrepreneurs
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13. Thank you………
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14. infoDev FY14-15 Disbursements by Theme & Region
Region