One of concepts currently being explored by the Innovation Program is the idea of starting a kitchen incubator. There are both pros and cons to kitchen incubators, because while they try to help small businesses and benefit the users, sometimes their popularity causes them to be ineffective.
Pros:
Many kinks have been worked out in kitchen incubators nationally to ensure that the services offered will be beneficial. Because of this, classes and prep sessions are offered to help inform the users and teach them efficient new ways to prepare their product. Also, kitchen incubators are an easy way to gain instant networking access to publicize your up-and-coming business and discuss and share tips with others. The goal of the incubator is that when you leave, you have a handle on your business as well as new connections with whom to share business tips and networking skills.
In some local incubators, universities and companies have made partnerships to educate the users and provide input. Farmers markets also partner up with them to provide organic food access, which will carry over to Montgomery County’s farm food initiatives.
Lastly, kitchen incubators are an overall successful way to take a unique product from a rising company and easily put it on the market, simply by providing space to create it and instant connections from others. These successes have been found in local and national incubators, and we hope to carry them over to the first kitchen incubator in Montgomery County.
Cons:
There are potential negatives to kitchen incubators that nationwide incubators have discovered. The biggest challenge is the debate between kitchen incubators and shared kitchen space. Incubators are required to have a training component that helps the businesses or individuals who use it. This creates a sense of community and networking that is an important step in launching a business. However, many “incubators” turn out to be shared kitchen space, meaning it is simply space that people can use to create their products, but does not benefit or train the users in any other way.
Another shortcoming is that their high demand causes for poor scheduling and sometimes, a scheduling gridlock that does not allow for new companies to use the space. The start-ups operating out of the incubator are relying on the space for the successful operation of their business and a poorly managed facility can be a hindrance.
We always welcome your feedback. What characteristics should a Montgomery County kitchen incubator entail? Are you a small business, or know of one that would benefit from a kitchen incubator or shared kitchen space? Thank you for following this series of articles regarding this topic. I hope to receive your feedback and/or opinions about this project.