A Woman's Place

Editor's Note: Learn from a panel of experts and entrepreneurs who have successfully financed their own ventures and are helping others do it at the Thought Leaders Live 2013 event May 29, in Long Beach, Calif. Event and ticket information can be found here.

For years, incubators have been acknowledged as an important part of the formula for growing businesses. Here are some incubators that primarily or exclusively target women entrepreneurs:

Women's Technology Cluster focuses on tech companies of which a major part is owned by women. Firms must be capable of reaching $100 million in revenue within five years and have already received money from other sources. Companies stay an average of 12 to 14 months; offerings include seminars, workshops and assistance finding funding. Call (415) 970-5090 for details.

Ground Floor Ventures focuses primarily on women-owned companies in the high-tech arena with enormous growth potential. Offerings include access to mentors and experts, seminars and opportunities to present to venture capitalists and angel backers as well as other capital sources. Participants provide equity in the company as partial payment. Visit www.groundfloorventures.com for more information.

Women in Technology International launched the first in a series of centers last October at Smith College in Northampton, Massachusetts. The centers will facilitate innovation and commercialization of technology by women; each will include a for-profit incubator. Services include help developing a business plan and finding funding sources and below-market rental rates. A percentage of equity is required as partial payment, and you must mentor future incubatees. Call (818) 990-6705 for details.

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This article was originally published in the April 2001 print edition of Entrepreneur with the headline: A Woman's Place.