Umeå's business incubator for young people, BIC Factory, has to date helped 126 new companies that have started their operations at BIC. In order to measure the effect of the investment in young entrepreneurs, a follow-up of the results among the companies is carried out every year. Recent figures show that the entrepreneurs who sprang from BIC Factory have started even more companies as today they run a total of 141 active companies, 83 % of them based in the Umeå region. These companies generate a total of 885 jobs. The survey also shows that the total turnover for the 67 largest companies has increased by SEK 200 million from the previous year, from SEK 1.2 billion to SEK 1.4 billion (source All companies per 20-11-10). Seen over time, 35 % of entrepreneurs are women, which exceeds the national average of 27 % and the EU average of 32 % (Source Eurostat).
- It is very gratifying to see that our companies are viable, that there are more companies and that the results improve over time. We will see next year if and how the corona pandemic affects the figures, but what we know at present is only one company that has gone bankrupt as a result, says Lena Öhlund, operations manager at BIC Factory.
Recently, the Regional Academy, as external follow-up researchers, has carried out a mid-term evaluation of BIC Factory's project initiative "Innovation hub for young entrepreneurs". Among other things, BIC is described by the contractors as a hub that opens doors to new contacts and business.
- We are sitting on a huge treasure with all the entrepreneurs who started with us and here there is a great potential for further exchange and collaboration. We know that many of the former BIC companies want to give back and contribute to the new companies - something we will focus on in 2021, says Kerstin Edvardsson, project manager at BIC Factory.