Darebin Enterprise Centre

The National Business Incubation Association (NBIA) held their international conference at the Buena Vista Palace Resort in Orlando, Florida. - May 15-19.

2010 marks the 25th anniversary for NBIA with the association continuing to grow in its success and membership.

The conference was made up of 60 concurrent sessions in which experienced professionals presented and lead discussions about incubation and other related topics.

The Darebin Enterprise Centre was represented at the conference by Business Incubation Program Manager David Williamson.

David presented a session entitled "Incubation in Remote Areas" in conjuntion with Brenda Wyland (Incubator Manager, Center for Technology Enterprise, Fargo, North Dakota) .

The session outlined Darebin Enterprise Centre's work in the remote regions of Victoria, and more broadly Australia. With limited access to business resources and capital, entrepreneurs in rural areas sometimes struggle to create successful businesses. The session highlighted ways to help rural business owners access capital and develop growing enterprises.

The conference also included the annual NBIA Awards Luncheon. The Darebin Enterprise Centre takes a keen interest in the nominees and winners of the NBIA Incubator awards, being a past winner of the Incubator of the Year, Nontechnology Category in 2008.

This year, the winners were

Dinah Adkins Incubator of the Year, Technology Category Innovacorp, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada Click here for full story. Dinah Adkins Incubator of the Year, Nontechnology Category Beaver Street Enterprise Center, Jacksonville, Fla. Click here for full story. Randall M. Whaley Incubator of the Year Innovacorp, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada Click here for full story.