Business Incubators

The U.S. Small Business Administration has found that after four years, only 44 percent of firms remain in business. In contrast, the International Business Innovation Association (InBIA) has found that 87 percent of business incubator graduate firms were still in business.

Below are a few incubators available in the Lehigh Valley:

• Ben Franklin Tech Ventures Incubator – Located on the Mountaintop campus of Lehigh University in Bethlehem, this 109,000-square-foot facility is a nationally acclaimed high-tech workspace and community for early-stage companies, with incubator space and affordable wet laboratory facilities.
• Bridgeworks Enterprise Center – Founded in 1989 in the refurbished former Mack Trucks Plant 4A, this 64,000 square-foot facility is the only business incubator in the Lehigh Valley dedicated primarily to manufacturing startups.
• Pi: Partnership for Innovation – Located in the Southside Bethlehem Keystone Innovation Zone, on the 2nd floor of a 1911 silk blouse factory, Pi includes shared facilities and private, secure office suites ranging from 115 to 1,900 square feet.

LVHN–One City Center, Photo Credit: Halkin | Mason Photography, Architect: granum a/i

Coworking Spots

A total of 71 percent of coworkers said their creativity had increased since joining a coworking space, according to the DeskMag Global Consulting Survey of 2012.

Below are a few coworking spots located in the Lehigh Valley:

• Easton Coworks (Easton)
• Flex Launch & Coworking (Allentown)
• SoBeCoWorks (South Bethlehem)
• Velocity I/A (Allentown)

Additionally, the Fab Lab, a prototyping lab offered by Northampton Community College, is open to the community.