The approach of this paper aligns itself with the discourse and practice around
localism in relat... more The approach of this paper aligns itself with the discourse and practice around localism in relation to food systems. The general shift has been one of relocalization, with local producers benefiting from an increasing interest in locally processed and value added products. This trend acts in opposition to fragmentation, which occurs when a local economy specializes on one component of food system infrastructure, such as a processing plant or a retail outlet, rather than a mix. Food business incubators solve the fragmentation issue by offering microenterprises the opportunity to create and sell value-added products as opposed to solely raw materials. Furthermore, these facilities include business advisors to guide microventures through the growth process. The practice if food incubation is well established in the United States, but is still in its infancy in Canada. The former has an estimated 135 facilities geared towards supporting start-ups in the food sector, while the latter has less than ten. Because the practice is relatively young, literature on the topic is sparse. This exploratory paper was embarked upon with the goal of examining the food incubation services within four counties in the southwestern Ontario region; Middlesex, Oxford, Elgin, and Perth. The area was selected because Ontario as a whole has a rich agriculture and food processing history, and the food sector is a key economic base in each of the four counties included in the study area. This study shows that there are currently no food business incubators within the focus area. Drawing from the consensus of the participants interviewed, this exploratory study reveals that the establishment of food incubator would benefit local economies through employment-generation and a wider tax base. Food business incubation is a relatively new iteration of business incubation, therefore literature on the topic is sparse. This study is a reference for both further studies on the practice and those seeking to embark on the establishment of an incubator geared towards the food sector.
This research paper investigates the linkages amongst entrepreneurial ecosystem actors in Waterlo... more This research paper investigates the linkages amongst entrepreneurial ecosystem actors in Waterloo Region and associated mentorship programs to identify opportunities which strengthen linkages and improve outcomes, the factors which disable or prevent outcomes, and the strengths and areas for improvement in mentorship programs. The paper reviews relevant academic and grey literature to develop an understanding of mentorship, coaching, collaborations, and innovative ecosystems, and describes Waterloo Region to establish the study context. Interviews were conducted with representatives of key actors in the Waterloo Region entrepreneurial ecosystem to connect this academic understanding with current practice. The paper analyzes the findings of the literature review and interviews for common themes and discrepancies, and categorizes them into meaningful linkage successes and barriers and mentorship program success factors and challenges. The paper concludes with a list of actionable recommendations that Waterloo Region entrepreneurial actors may pursue in order to continually improve their ecosystem. These recommendations include: incentives for volunteer mentors; continuous mentor-mentee engagement; fostering peer-to-peer mentorship; the creation of a regional alliance; idea-mapping at educational institutions; the coordination of programs and services; and placing special consideration on the needs of mature entrepreneurs in Waterloo Region.
The approach of this paper aligns itself with the discourse and practice around
localism in relat... more The approach of this paper aligns itself with the discourse and practice around localism in relation to food systems. The general shift has been one of relocalization, with local producers benefiting from an increasing interest in locally processed and value added products. This trend acts in opposition to fragmentation, which occurs when a local economy specializes on one component of food system infrastructure, such as a processing plant or a retail outlet, rather than a mix. Food business incubators solve the fragmentation issue by offering microenterprises the opportunity to create and sell value-added products as opposed to solely raw materials. Furthermore, these facilities include business advisors to guide microventures through the growth process. The practice if food incubation is well established in the United States, but is still in its infancy in Canada. The former has an estimated 135 facilities geared towards supporting start-ups in the food sector, while the latter has less than ten. Because the practice is relatively young, literature on the topic is sparse. This exploratory paper was embarked upon with the goal of examining the food incubation services within four counties in the southwestern Ontario region; Middlesex, Oxford, Elgin, and Perth. The area was selected because Ontario as a whole has a rich agriculture and food processing history, and the food sector is a key economic base in each of the four counties included in the study area. This study shows that there are currently no food business incubators within the focus area. Drawing from the consensus of the participants interviewed, this exploratory study reveals that the establishment of food incubator would benefit local economies through employment-generation and a wider tax base. Food business incubation is a relatively new iteration of business incubation, therefore literature on the topic is sparse. This study is a reference for both further studies on the practice and those seeking to embark on the establishment of an incubator geared towards the food sector.
This research paper investigates the linkages amongst entrepreneurial ecosystem actors in Waterlo... more This research paper investigates the linkages amongst entrepreneurial ecosystem actors in Waterloo Region and associated mentorship programs to identify opportunities which strengthen linkages and improve outcomes, the factors which disable or prevent outcomes, and the strengths and areas for improvement in mentorship programs. The paper reviews relevant academic and grey literature to develop an understanding of mentorship, coaching, collaborations, and innovative ecosystems, and describes Waterloo Region to establish the study context. Interviews were conducted with representatives of key actors in the Waterloo Region entrepreneurial ecosystem to connect this academic understanding with current practice. The paper analyzes the findings of the literature review and interviews for common themes and discrepancies, and categorizes them into meaningful linkage successes and barriers and mentorship program success factors and challenges. The paper concludes with a list of actionable recommendations that Waterloo Region entrepreneurial actors may pursue in order to continually improve their ecosystem. These recommendations include: incentives for volunteer mentors; continuous mentor-mentee engagement; fostering peer-to-peer mentorship; the creation of a regional alliance; idea-mapping at educational institutions; the coordination of programs and services; and placing special consideration on the needs of mature entrepreneurs in Waterloo Region.
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localism in relation to food systems. The general shift has been one of relocalization,
with local producers benefiting from an increasing interest in locally processed and
value added products. This trend acts in opposition to fragmentation, which occurs
when a local economy specializes on one component of food system infrastructure,
such as a processing plant or a retail outlet, rather than a mix. Food business
incubators solve the fragmentation issue by offering microenterprises the
opportunity to create and sell value-added products as opposed to solely raw
materials. Furthermore, these facilities include business advisors to guide
microventures through the growth process.
The practice if food incubation is well established in the United States, but is still in
its infancy in Canada. The former has an estimated 135 facilities geared towards
supporting start-ups in the food sector, while the latter has less than ten. Because the
practice is relatively young, literature on the topic is sparse. This exploratory paper
was embarked upon with the goal of examining the food incubation services within
four counties in the southwestern Ontario region; Middlesex, Oxford, Elgin, and
Perth. The area was selected because Ontario as a whole has a rich agriculture and
food processing history, and the food sector is a key economic base in each of the
four counties included in the study area. This study shows that there are currently no
food business incubators within the focus area. Drawing from the consensus of the
participants interviewed, this exploratory study reveals that the establishment of
food incubator would benefit local economies through employment-generation and a
wider tax base. Food business incubation is a relatively new iteration of business
incubation, therefore literature on the topic is sparse. This study is a reference for
both further studies on the practice and those seeking to embark on the
establishment of an incubator geared towards the food sector.
-
Contact author for full paper
localism in relation to food systems. The general shift has been one of relocalization,
with local producers benefiting from an increasing interest in locally processed and
value added products. This trend acts in opposition to fragmentation, which occurs
when a local economy specializes on one component of food system infrastructure,
such as a processing plant or a retail outlet, rather than a mix. Food business
incubators solve the fragmentation issue by offering microenterprises the
opportunity to create and sell value-added products as opposed to solely raw
materials. Furthermore, these facilities include business advisors to guide
microventures through the growth process.
The practice if food incubation is well established in the United States, but is still in
its infancy in Canada. The former has an estimated 135 facilities geared towards
supporting start-ups in the food sector, while the latter has less than ten. Because the
practice is relatively young, literature on the topic is sparse. This exploratory paper
was embarked upon with the goal of examining the food incubation services within
four counties in the southwestern Ontario region; Middlesex, Oxford, Elgin, and
Perth. The area was selected because Ontario as a whole has a rich agriculture and
food processing history, and the food sector is a key economic base in each of the
four counties included in the study area. This study shows that there are currently no
food business incubators within the focus area. Drawing from the consensus of the
participants interviewed, this exploratory study reveals that the establishment of
food incubator would benefit local economies through employment-generation and a
wider tax base. Food business incubation is a relatively new iteration of business
incubation, therefore literature on the topic is sparse. This study is a reference for
both further studies on the practice and those seeking to embark on the
establishment of an incubator geared towards the food sector.
-
Contact author for full paper