Female-focused Business Incubation in the Triangle

Abstract

This Duke University Master’s thesis was completed as a pro-bono research project for the Women’s Business Center of North Carolina (WBC of NC), a Durham-based nonprofit that helps women start and grow businesses throughout the state. To accelerate the growth of women-owned businesses in North Carolina, the WBC of NC is considering designing a female-focused business incubator in the Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill “Triangle” area. This report examines the current incubation landscape for women entrepreneurs in the Triangle, explores the need for a female-focused incubator, and provides guidance on designing an incubation program targeted at women.