Incubator Summit Brings Business, Education and Government Leaders Together
Looking for ways to encourage new business in Westchester, County Executive George Latimer convened a meeting of business, education, government and other County leaders last week. The discussion sought to identify ways in which Westchester can assist new businesses looking to “thrive here in our backyard through the cultivation of incubators.”
Incubators are defined as nearly all inclusive business development centers that assist new businesses with an array of services. Service possibilities include seed funding marketing, legal, and accounting services, office space, mentoring and technical assistance.
The summit, with about 40 participants in attendance, was formed when business leaders expressed to the County Executive the need to cultivate fresh ideas and turn them into winning businesses that can succeed in Westchester.
“Things are changing in the world of business, from the way we shop to the way we communicate, therefore the County must adjust as well. We have had success in the past attracting major corporations who chose to call Westchester home – but future business ideas are coming from smaller organizations, start-ups, and entrepreneurs who have an interesting idea and are able to turn it into a profitable business. We must figure out how we in government can shift what incentives we can offer to help these new businesses take off – and that is what the point of this summit was,” Latimer said in a press statement.
The discussion was moderated by Westchester County Deputy Director of Economic Development Bridget Gibbons.
“This is a first step in a series of conversations with current and potential business leaders about the County’s role in turning Westchester into a hotbed of incubator activity. We have the diverse workforce companies want, we have access to vibrant downtowns to attract new customers and we have the office space available to house those who want to succeed here. This summit is all about how we can connect the dots and help Westchester become the place to be for new, innovative ideas,” Gibbons said.
The “incubator” summit was hosted in conjunction with the Business Council of Westchester (BCW) and Westchester Community College (WCC) played host.
