Comparative Analysis of Conditions Made for Companies in Business Incubators and Technology Incubators in the Weimar Triangle and China and Prospects for Mutual Cooperation

Evolution of tasks and objectives faced by an incubator is reflected in the history of incubation processes. Currently, there are more than 5000 business incubators functioning worldwide. Many of them are located in the countries of Weimar Triangle and China. At present, a tendency towards specialization and internationalization of business incubators is being observed. Their goals and business profiles are also changing. There are new requirements set for the companies located in the incubators in such a way that they could positive influence the economic development of regions. Small and medium companies are the foundation of all contemporary modern economies. They contribute to growth and development of economies of each country. Integration processes occurring in Europe and the necessity to function in new conditions, on a competitive market, establish new challenges for regional economic development. The business incubators should play a significant role and enhance this processes. Also the rapid development of China brings a need to evaluate and renew the existing incubation model. Business incubators together with technology incubators are one of the carriers of the development of the innovative economy. The diagnosis of the situation in business incubators functioning as an institution supporting companies shows that despite of the fact that the number of such institutions is significant, their location is not steady and the offer does not always meet the expectations of the entrepreneurs. Due to the fact that such centers have been already functioning for a long time and because of their ever increasing number and changes in their functioning, the need arises to carry out comprehensive research and analysis of their development. The goal of the article is to describe the development of the business incubators in Weimar Triangle and China and to present the similarities and differences between the incubation models in Weimar Triangle and China. The article contain chosen results of own survey research conducted in the incubators.