The RLabs Innovation Incubator currently hosts six business start-ups (one being a virtual incubation) with very distinct business models and key focus areas.With support from experienced developers and entrepreneurs the incubatees are able to develop their ideas into applications. There are seven incubatees each hard at work on their respective ideas and yet sparing time to help each other where possible.
From the beginning it was clear to the developers how different each founder’s perspectives are and how they contribute to a well formed understanding of their own unique business model. Everyone thus far has experienced different aspects of the business model that deserved some degree of attention. However incubatees were given training and workshops to equip them with a better understanding of how the business model should be.
Planning for the future
It has been said that the incubatees are driven by social change, it is not what they expected but the excitement is still there and even though everything still looks a bit scary, they are optimistic about the future. The incubatees also mentioned that being in the incubator for five months is not about liking a Facebook status or retweeting tweets on Twitter. It’s more like a woman who is pregnant for the first time, wanting a baby but oblivious to the different emotions and challenges that she will face in that nine month period.
Kurt, the lead developer, had this to say:
“While the 9 month period is a set plan, the word ‘plan’ has led me to the understanding that there is a slim chance that it will remain the same after retrospective evaluation. Naturally, it’s often the people involved whose perspectives change over the course of time. The goal of a plan is to think analytically and identify tasks in order for a project to be successful as well as to create order in this unordered, semi-structured, world we live in. Additionally what history has taught us is that that human beings are excellent at planning and creating systems. Systems cannot exist without some degree of planning.
It is also my understanding that appropriate technology is software set out to change the environment for a greater community sense of well being. The design of the applications are not just supposed to work but work for the greater good whether that is to inform someone of the best possible route or to find the best channel contact to your local government. It is technology put out there – developed, to help elevate people. So, while each incubatee is essentially creating new systems it is important for us to plan ahead carefully looking at potential problems and how we could likely solve them.”
So as the saying goes “the future is not carved in stone.” Although the incubatees have their ideas and plans set out, they are still willing to adapt to changes in and around their environment.
