A new growth industry: technology incubators

Each of the incubators offers customized training programs and access to consultants as well as assistance with operating and marketing plans, grant applications, and legal issues. Companies that wish to set up shop in these incubators must go through an application process; not every candidate makes the cut.

The Cleantech InnoVenture Center, Lynn (www.nsiv.org/cleantech) — A division of North Shore InnoVentures, the incubator is dedicated to the success of early-stage clean technology companies. Housed in an old mill building in downtown Lynn, the center offers more than lab and office space. Thanks to a unique relationship with the Fraunhofer Center for Sustainable Energy Systems in Cambridge, young companies have access to experts in the sector. To help ensure their growth and success, each of the start-ups is paired with a mentor who collaborates closely with the company to define goals and overcome barriers to progress.

“We’ve been at the Cleantech InnoVenture Center since it opened just over a year ago,’’ said Paul Gregory, founder and chief executive officer of Magniture Systems Inc., a company that optimizes power distribution within a building, which in turn reduces the amount used. “We started there pre-revenue; in the fourth quarter [of 2010], we booked about $600,000 in revenue. The incubator has provided a network of support, which has helped us grow.’’

The Biotech InnoVenture Center, Beverly (www.nsiv.org/biotech) — Housed at the Cummings Center and another division of North Shore InnoVentures, this incubator caters to emerging life sciences companies and boasts a shared laboratory space designed for pharmaceutical, biologics, and biofuels development as well as space suitable for device development and prototyping. The incubator strives to help companies conserve capital creatively — the rates for the labs are subsidized — and reduce the administrative burden inherent in running a company.

“The service the center provides young companies is just terrific,’’ said Beverly Mayor Bill Scanlon. “It comes at a time when the companies don’t have a lot of money, but have a lot of needs. Many of them are common needs, like lab and testing facilities. The hope is that creating a space where a bunch of smart people talk to each other about their ideas will generate even better ideas. The incubator is sure to launch some interesting new ventures; our hope is that some of them hit.’’

The Newburyport CleanTech Center (www.newburyportcleantech.com) — The center’s mission is to help grow businesses that strive to provide sustainable products and services in the rapidly expanding clean-tech sector. The ideal candidate for this incubator has successfully developed a prototype and has outgrown his or her garage or basement workshop. In addition to office and lab space, the center also offers a flexible 21,000-square-foot warehouse space suited for manufacturing.

“We want to build the clean-tech industry locally,’’ said Art Currier, chairman of the center’s board of directors. “Given the national emphasis on sustainable products, we believe this sector has huge potential. Our goal is simple: To offer clean-tech start-ups the space and expertise they need to be successful, at a price they can afford, and then to expand with them as they grow.’’

The Enterprise Center at Salem State University (www.enterprisectr.org) — The first incubator in the region opened in 1999. Over the years, the center has become less of a traditional incubator and more of a growth center. Several of the businesses housed there are virtual companies that have no need to expand their physical workspace, so the center doesn’t turn them out. And unlike the other area incubators, the Enterprise Center doesn’t cater solely to the needs of emerging companies. Instead, it strives to help businesses at every stage of development do more: make more money, hire more people, pay more taxes.

“I think we ought to welcome as many incubators as possible in our region and our state,’’ said Christine B. Sullivan, chief executive officer of the Enterprise Center, which is home to 40 companies. “If we were known as the place where you can come and start and grow a business — what a wonderful message that would be.’’

The Massachusetts Medical Device Development Center, Lowell (www.uml.edu/m2d2) — Located at UMass Lowell, the center helps inventors and early-stage companies seeking to develop the next generation of medical devices succeed and grow by offering incubation space at Wannalancit Mills and lab space across the street in the IPI building. Start-up companies have access to the university’s faculty and researchers, and get the help they need to develop viable products at every stage of development, from proof-of-concept to commercialization.

“Although M2D2 caters specifically to the development of medical devices, UMass Lowell also provides technical assistance, including professional advice and guidance, to companies interested in clean tech through the Toxics Use Reduction Institute and the Lowell Center for Sustainable Production,’’ said Christine Gillette, spokeswoman for the university. “They can help, for example, with the development of safer and more environmentally friendly products, from toys to electronics, as well as helping businesses, such as dry cleaners, reduce the use of dangerous chemicals in their operations.’’