TN Placemaker Spotlight: NBIC

The Nashville Business Incubation Center (NBIC) is an organization that seeks to cultivate the growth and development of small businesses through one-on-one support, mentoring, specialized programs, and educational classes. 

As a recipient of BERO’s LiftTN: Microenterprise grant, the NBIC supports regional microenterprises in their overall pursuit for economic success.

NBIC’s leading program, “Incubator Without Walls,” provides participants access to mentoring, networking, and educational content through an online platform- an offering that provides flexibility for entrepreneurs in areas without local access to business assistance.  “Incubators Without Walls” is crucial to entrepreneurs who live in an area that does not offer business assistance.

Because of the LiftTN: Microenterprise grant, NBIC is now tracking much more data than before.  They are able to use this data to give business information tailored for the demographics of an entrepreneur.  Before the reporting required by LiftTN: Microenterprise grant the data they were tracking could not be utilized as is it now.  One of the things that makes the NBIC so successful in helping entrepreneurs is the utilization of this new data. 

The NBIC utilizes local business to lead workshops.  This allows for networking opportunities and increases the sense of community in the Nashville business world.

As the NBIC looks forward, they seek to bring their model to remote and rural areas of the State to better bridge the gap in small business education and resources throughout Tennessee.