The center provides access to common computers, copying machines and conference rooms. It depends on how much space you can afford and maintenance costs. Indeed, successful incubators are out there. The nonprofit Neighborhood Development Corp. in Jamaica Plain houses 30 firms in the old Haffenreffer Brewery it bought in 1983. With subsidized rents, grants and donations, the Neighborhood Development Corp. has renovated 110,000 square feet, rented in parcels ranging from 300 to 25,000 square feet and the corporation provides fax machines and photocopiers as well as business development advice.
Tenants range from woodworkers to an architectural firm to a maker of bamboo fencing.
One for-profit incubator that's been around for two years is Greenworks in Cambridge. Aimed at helping environmentally related companies get a start, the incubator has 13 tenants in 30,000 square feet of individual and shared office space. Run by environmental activist turned entrepreneur John O'Connor, Greenworks offers basic business support services to tenants ranging from an organic chocolate manufacturer to an aquaculture company. Besides rent, Greenworks stays afloat by holding an equity stake in half of the incubator tenants. As the companies grow, Greenworks shares in their success.