McLaughlin-Rotman Centre for Global Health, University Health Network and University of Toronto, 101 College Street Suite 406, Toronto ON, M5G 1L7, Canada.
BMC Int Health Hum Rights. 2010 Dec 13;10 Suppl 1(Suppl 1):S7. doi: 10.1186/1472-698X-10-S1-S7.
Incubators are organizations that support the growth of new and typically technology-based enterprises, by providing business support services that bring together human and financial capital. Although the traditional role of incubators has been for economic development, they may also be a useful policy lever to tackle global health, by fostering the development and delivery of local health innovation.Given its high disease burden, life sciences incubators hold particular potential for Africa. As the most industrially advanced African nation, South Africa serves as a litmus test for identifying effective incubator policies. The case study method was used to illustrate how one such publicly funded incubator founded in 2002, Acorn Technologies, helped to catalyze local health product innovation.
Acorn helped to support twelve biomedical device firms. One of them, Real World Diagnostics, was founded by a trainee from Acorn's innovative internship program (Hellfire). It developed rapid strip diagnostic tests for locally prevalent diseases including schistosomiasis and HIV, and reported $2 million (USD) in revenue in 2009.Acorn achieved this success by operating as a non-profit virtual incubator with little physical infrastructure. Employing a virtual model in combination with stringent selection criteria of capital efficiency for clients proved to be effective in reducing its own fixed costs. Acorn focused on entrepreneurship training and networking, both critical at an early stage in an environment dominated by multinational biomedical device companies.Acorn and its clients learned that employing a cross-subsidy business model allowed one to generate royalty revenue through imports to subsidize R&D for local diseases. However, funding constraints and government expectations for rapid self-sustainability forced Acorn to merge with its sister biotechnology incubator in 2009.
A key to Acorn's achievements was identifying entrepreneurs with technologies with health and economic impact, and providing them with flexible support from an early stage. A virtual organizational model helped Acorn to focus on supporting entrepreneurs. Governments and funders may wish to consider incubation strategies that draw from these good practices. With the right policies and business models, incubators have the potential to generate both health and economic benefits for Africa.
孵化器是通过提供汇集人力和财力的商业支持服务来支持新的、通常以技术为基础的企业成长的组织。虽然孵化器的传统角色一直是促进经济发展，但它们也可能通过促进当地卫生创新的发展和交付，成为解决全球卫生问题的一个有用的政策杠杆。鉴于其高疾病负担，生命科学孵化器对非洲具有特别大的潜力。作为非洲工业化程度最高的国家，南非是检验确定有效孵化器政策的试金石。本案例研究采用案例研究方法，说明了 2002 年成立的一家名为 Acorn Technologies 的此类公共资助孵化器如何帮助推动当地卫生产品创新。
Acorn 帮助支持了十二家生物医学设备公司。其中一家名为 Real World Diagnostics 的公司是由 Acorn 创新实习计划（Hellfire）的一名学员创立的。该公司开发了针对当地流行疾病（包括血吸虫病和 HIV）的快速条带诊断测试，并在 2009 年报告了 200 万美元的收入。Acorn 通过作为一个几乎没有物理基础设施的非营利性虚拟孵化器运作，实现了这一成功。事实证明，采用虚拟模式并结合对客户资本效率的严格选择标准，对于降低自身固定成本非常有效。Acorn 专注于创业培训和网络建设，这在跨国生物医学设备公司主导的环境中至关重要。Acorn 和它的客户了解到，采用交叉补贴商业模式可以通过进口来产生特许权使用费收入，以补贴针对当地疾病的研发。然而，资金限制和政府对快速实现自给自足的期望迫使 Acorn 于 2009 年与姊妹生物技术孵化器合并。
Acorn 取得成功的关键是识别具有健康和经济影响的技术的企业家，并从早期为他们提供灵活的支持。虚拟组织模式有助于 Acorn 专注于支持企业家。政府和资助者可能希望考虑借鉴这些良好实践的孵化策略。通过正确的政策和商业模式，孵化器有可能为非洲带来健康和经济效益。
