A startup incubator is one of the key decisions a new entrepreneur will have to make early on in his or her venture. Particularly here in Chennai, startup incubators have helped a lot of budding entrepreneurs jumpstart their venture much quicker than they would have done it solo.

A great startup incubator for one startup might not be the case for another.

There are 5 factors to consider before signing up with a startup incubator:

• Location and Convenience: Make sure the incubator space is convenient for you to access. Workamuse is located right in the center of the city in Chennai which makes it convenient to access from every part of the city. If you team is spread across the city, this would be a key consideration. Also access to cafe’s and parks nearby help you unwind in-between those brainstorming sessions.
• Mentorship and Guidance: Make sure you have access to a mentor who can provide inputs into the strategy and business plans of the venture.
• Funding: Make sure they help with those pitch decks and connect you with angels and VCs
• Communication and Soft Skills: This is an oft neglected aspect. A incubator that can help develop soft skills of your team is extremely valuable.
• Co-creating teams: See if you can find teams that are complementary and create synergies. A good incubator will help you make those connections.

All the very best in making this key decision and wish you all the success in this difficult but very rewarding journey of entrepreneurship.