The Youngstown Business Incubator (YBI) is primarily, but not necessarily exclusively, focused on the development of scalable, technology-based companies in the Mahoning Valley. As a means of definition, a scalable company is a business that expects to create and sustain a substantial number of new jobs. A technology-based company is one that possesses its own proprietary intellectual property, with that same proprietary intellectual property being the design basis for the products or services that the company is selling.

Within this primary focus, YBI prefers, but does not insist upon, working with business-to-business software application development companies. Of secondary preference to YBI would be companies with complementary technologies to business-to-business software application development companies. Of tertiary preference would be scalable companies. In all instances, the company must be targeting national and/or international markets.

YBI understands and appreciates that few, if any, early-stage companies have resident to themselves all of the necessary ingredients for success. YBI exists to work with these same companies to develop necessary resources and to teach their principal(s) proven methods for successfully launching a new business venture. In all instances, YBI expects the principal(s) of applicant companies to be open and willing to receive such assistance and to work co-operatively with YBI on an ongoing basis.

Admission Procedure

Companies seeking admission into the Youngstown Business Incubator (YBI) will first be interviewed by YBI’s Director, and other persons that the Director might chose, to ascertain whether or not the firm meets YBI’s admission guidelines. If the applicant, in the opinion of the YBI’s Director, meets YBI’s admission guidelines, the applicant’s business plan will be forwarded to YBI’s Tenant Admission Committee (TAC) for further consideration. After review, the TAC will invite the applicant to make a direct presentation of their business plan to the Committee. Following that presentation and an interview by members of the TAC, a decision on admission will be made.

YBI understands that not all applicants will have completed their business plan at the time they are seeking admission. YBI also appreciates the fact that many applicants are seeking the help of YBI in developing an investment-grade business plan. In such cases, a written business overview may be submitted to the TAC in lieu of a complete business plan. All business overviews, however, must meet guidelines already established by YBI. These guidelines are available from the YBI Director.

When submitting either a business plan of a business overview to the TAC, applicants must also include the resumes or biographies of the company’s expected management team. The TAC respects the highly confidential nature of all documents shared with the Committee by applicants.

Nondiscrimination Policy

The Youngstown Business Incubator (YBI) is committed to the principle of equal opportunity. YBI does not discriminate against individuals on the basis of race, color, sex, sexual orientation, religion, disability, age, veteran status, ancestry, or national or ethnic origin in the administration of its policies and programs.

The YBI Director is designated as the Organization’s Equal Opportunity Officer. As such, all inquiries concerning the Organization’s policies; compliance with applicable laws, statutes, and regulations; and complaints should be directed to the YBI Director.

Expectations of Tenants

The Youngstown Business Incubator (YBI) expects to work with each one of its tenant companies in an environment of co-operation and trust, leading to their successful launch and graduation. YBI, however, reserves the right to terminate its services to any tenant company failing to meet YBI’s expectations and rights which include, but are not necessarily limited to, the following:

YBI expects a continual increase in sales and employment growth for all its tenant companies.

YBI expects each of its tenant companies to work co-operatively with all other tenant companies including, where and when feasible, the sharing of ideas, information and resources.

YBI expects its tenant companies to provide timely responses to YBI requests.

YBI expects its tenant companies to participate in all YBI sponsored programs.

YBI prohibits its tenant companies from offering employment to an employee of another YBI tenant company unless they have first received express permission by the effected company to do so.

YBI reserves the right to regularly inspect all financial documents of its tenant companies including, but not limited to, balance sheets, profit and loss statements, and payroll reports.

It will be the responsibility of both the YBI Director and the Tenant Management Committee to give each tenant company clear and timely notification of a failure(s) to meet YBI’s expectations, as well as adequate opportunity to correct the same.

Tenant Review Process

Upon admission to the Youngstown Business Incubator (YBI), it will be the responsibility of the Tenant Review Committee (TRC) and the YBI Director to work with each tenant company to establish a mutually agreeable set of performance benchmarks. All tenant companies will be required to meet periodically with the TRC to review progress toward these benchmarks. At least one week prior to these review meetings, all tenant companies will be required to provide the TRC with financial statements for the preceding quarter; a detailed summary of goals and objectives for the upcoming quarter, including Pro Forma financial statements; a summary of any changes to the company’s business plan; and any other information that may be requested by the TRC.

Graduation Policy

The Youngstown Business Incubator’s (YBI) development program is designed to quickly launch new business ventures while helping them to rapidly achieve a level of sustained profitability. Typically, we hope this process can be completed within two to three years, allowing the firm to “graduate” from our program.

However, companies may stay for longer or shorter periods of time if recommended by the Tenant Review Committee (TRC). Such recommendations by the TRC will be based upon, but will not necessarily be limited to, the Committee’s review of the extent to which the company continues to meet the Organization’s Admission Guidelines, the company’s employment growth, the company’s sales growth, the company’s financial condition, the company’s adherence to YBI’s rules and regulations, the company’s co-operation and resource sharing with other YBI tenant companies, and the company’s participation in YBI sponsored programs.

It should be clearly understood by all applicants to YBI that there is no guarantee of any particular length of tenancy. Both the YBI Director and the TRC, however, will be responsible for providing each tenant company with long range graduation planning.

Post-Graduation Expectations

Prior to granting admission, it will be the responsibility of the Director of the Youngstown Business Incubator (YBI) and its Tenant Review Committee (TRC) to clearly communicate YBI’s expectations of its graduate companies. Those expectations include, but are not necessarily limited to, the following:

It is hoped that companies graduating from YBI will re-locate their businesses within the Mahoning Valley. For purposes of this policy, the Mahoning Valley is defined as the Counties of Trumbull, Mahoning and Columbiana in the State of Ohio.

Graduate companies are expected to continue to provide timely reporting of their sales, payroll and other financial information that YBI is required to report to its funding source. YBI will report such information only as aggregate totals of all its graduate companies and will hold individual company information strictly confidential.

Graduate companies are expected to continue to support the ongoing efforts of YBI through donations of time and resources and/or financial contributions.

All companies admitted to YBI are assumed to have agreed to these aforementioned expectations upon their graduation.

Re-Admission Policy

It is possible that some graduates of the Youngstown Business Incubator (YBI) may experience an unexpected business reversal, such as a failure to secure a later stage of funding. As such, but only under very special circumstances, YBI graduate companies may apply for re-admission as a YBI tenant company. In all such cases, the applicant company must meet YBI’s established Admission Guidelines and follow YBI’s established Admission Procedure.

Guidelines for Business Overviews

The Youngstown Business Incubator (YBI) understands that not all applicants will have completed their business plans at the time they are seeking admission. YBI also appreciates the fact that many applicants are seeking the help of YBI in developing an investment-grade business plan. In such cases, a written business overview may be submitted to the Tenant Review Committee (TRC) in lieu of a complete business plan.  All business overviews must be organized in such a way that it will provide written answers to the following questions:

What do you do?

Provide a description of your business proposition and the significant problem(s) that your solution addresses.

What makes you unique?

Describe the key differentiating factors of your business that will allow you to gain, grow and sustain a market position.

How do you make money?

Describe the pricing and revenue model for your business. Provide a Pro Forma estimate of income and expense for the first three years.

Who are your customers and partners?

Describe your market, the purchase decision makers, the sales and distribution channel(s), and the sales cycle. Be certain that the information you are providing is specific to your business proposition and not a generalization of the industry.

How large is the market opportunity?

What is the size of your target market and how much of it can you expect to capture annually over the next three years.

What are the competing solutions?

Describe the competitive solutions to the one(s) that you will be offering. Compare and contrast your solution to these competitive solutions.

Where are you going?

Describe and provide expected dates for the major business development milestones over the next three years.

Who are you?

Describe the principle participants in your business as well as the positions that need to be filled. Identify specific strengths and resources among your management team. Provide biographies or resumes for each member of your management team.

What do you need to be successful?

Describe what you feel is needed to meet your business objectives. Provide a listing of resources that you will require from other sources, including YBI.