Helping great people build great companies

by Tomio Geron

Incubators have become an increasingly important part of the tech startup scene in recent years.

A number of hot startups have emerged from these programs, encouraging more new entrepreneurs to apply. They’ve become so popular that about one accelerator a day launches these days, says David Cohen, head of TechStars. Not only are they popping up in many cities, but also in specific verticals, such as education. These incubators have been called alternatives to MBAs. Emphasizing that concept, Y Combinator now even accepts applicants who don’t even have a startup idea.

These programs provide new entrepreneurs with mentorship, advice and practical training on technical, business and fundraising topics to help them get from idea to product to launch and beyond. They typically take a small piece of equity in exchange for a small amount of cash and entry into the program.

As part of our Midas List coverage this year, FORBES created a list of the top U.S. incubators and accelerators. The rankings (see the chart below) are based on a number of factors, focusing on the value of the incubators’ companies. In other words, we took the exit prices or the last priced equity valuation of the companies that have gone through each program. We also took into account other measures, such as how much venture funding their companies have raised, what percentage of their companies have raised funding and what percentage of their companies have been acquired or gone out of business. (Note: some firms provided us data for the rankings on condition that we not publish it.)

The Midas List, which ranks the top 100 venture capitalists in the world, will be launched Wednesday, May 2.

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by Sarah Perez

DreamIt Ventures, the startup incubator with programs in place in New York, Philadelphia, and, most recently, Israel, is announcing a year-long minority accelerator program called DreamIt Access. The program, launched with Comcast Ventures as its first investor, plans to launch 15 minority-led startups over the course of the next 12 months, starting with five companies participating in DreamIt NYC during summer 2012.

Like most startup accelerators, DreamIt Access is about providing expertise, mentorship, office space, community, access to investors, and various discounted and/or free services that help startups get off the ground. But unlike NewME, the minority-focused accelerator based in Silicon Valley, DreamIt Access participants will receive funding thanks to Comcast’s investment. Companies will receive up to $25,000 – that’s $5,000 for the startup, plus $5,000 for each founder up to four.

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Start me up – The Jerusalem Post reports Israeli startups raised more than $2.14 billion in 2011. Competition for funds is stiff; The Economist goes inside a rapid-pitch event in Tel Aviv to meet some of the hopefuls. American incubators are getting into the action; New York-based DreamIt Ventures is expanding its reach creating a joint U.S.-Israel program for Israeli high-tech ventures hoping to break into theAmerican market according to Business Insider.

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