keynote presentation given for 3xE in the summer of 2010 as part of their national programme exploring and developing incubator and workspace models for homless entrepreneurs http://www.crisis.org.uk/pages/what-is-3xe.html

1. Incubating homeless
entrepreneurs
- from practice to theory and back again
Adrian Ashton
www.adrianashton.co.uk

2. Who is this bloke?
• Led research into developing flagship, rural
and community incubators
• Described as ‘one of the leading thinkers on
social enterprise in the country’
• Lead officer for one of regions in national
social enterprise franchise ‘Aspire’ (homeless
social enterprise)
Adrian Ashto n

3. What is an incubator?
- What words would you use?
Adrian Ashto n

4. What is an incubator?
Business incubation provide SMEs and start-ups
with the ideal location to develop and grow their
businesses, offering everything from virtual
support, rent-a-desk through to state of the art
laboratories and everything in between. They
provide direct access to hands-on intensive
business support, access to finance and expertise
and to other entrepreneurs and suppliers to
really help businesses and entrepreneurs to grow
- faster.
UKBI
Adrian Ashto n

5. Different models
• Hub and spoke
• Hybrid (mixed tenancy)
• Integrated housing and workspace
• ‘piggy back’ onto existing developments
Adrian Ashto n

6. Why all the interest in incubation?
• For the entrepreneur =
– Emotional support / Sense of community
• National research over last decade =
– Incubators house 30 businesses, support further
150 through linked services
– 167 full time jobs
– X3 more likely to survive
– Source of ‘Innovation’
Adrian Ashto n

7. How to develop incubators
• New build
• Partner with existing facility (university, local
authority)
• Evolution of existing enterprise or facility
• Based on emerging/future market need and
demand
• Link to other support services and agencies
Adrian Ashto n

8. Problems and issues
• Financing (development and cash-flow)
• ‘move on’
• Common areas (“who took my milk?”)
• Access and infrastructure
• Enterprise culture
Adrian Ashto n

9. Relevance of incubators for homeless
entrepreneurs
• A dedicated space to focus the mind
• Flexible terms and support all in one place
• Supportive peer network
• Challenge perceptions about homeless
entrepreneurs through mix of tenants
• Ability to integrate support easily with other
services
Adrian Ashto n

10. Where next...?
• UKBI – www.ukbi.co.uk
• Development Trusts Association – www.dta.org.uk
• Asset Transfer Unit – www.atu.org.uk
• Each other!
• Role of 3xE?
• My research papers -
Adrian Ashto n

11. Adrian Ashto n