Quality standards and individualised approach of local incubation programme within ERDF by Leszno Business Centre

ESSPO Regional Stockholder Group for Wielkopolska co-designed the first ERDF funded incubation programme in the region, which was successfully implemented by a Leszno Business Centre (LCB). The objective of the policymakers was to ensure transparency and quality of the support to the start-ups and the contribution to the region’s smart specialisation. The idea was that the incubatees commit to the implementation of a business development plan with specific milestones in exchange for an individual incubation plan. The incubation process is iterative and flexible. Quality specifications were included in the call for proposal within ROP. They included e.g.: provisions for transparency of the selection process and publication of model incubation contract at the start of the enrolment, development of quality assurance procedures, ongoing and post-incubation monitoring progress and satisfaction of incubates.
LCB, an incubator established by the municipality of Leszno (midsize city of Wielkopolska region), developed two local 2-year incubation programmes financed by the ROP and provided support to 72 young innovative companies. The quality requirements helped to structure and document the incubation process. The commitment of the incubation team induced a positive attitude in the incubates and strengthened the commitment on their side. The key to the success of the programme was a reliable need diagnosis being the cornerstone of the individual approach to each incubatee