California Executive to Serve on Board of International Association

CONTACT:
Dinah Adkins, Executive Director
National Business Incubation Association
phone: (740) 593-4331
fax: (740) 593-1996
e-mail: dadkins@nbia.org

or

Jim Robbins, Executive Director
Software Business Cluster
phone: (408) 938-3921
fax: (408) 535-2711
e-mail: jim@sjsbc.org

ATHENS, OHIO — Jim Robbins, executive director of Software Business Cluster in San Jose, Calif., and Panasonic Internet Incubator in Cupertino, Calif., has been elected to the National Business Incubation Association (NBIA) board of directors.

"In the short term, I really want to work to make NBIA Conference 2001 in San Jose a big success," says Robbins. "It can bring both national and international focus on San Jose. Long term, I want to help incubators integrate technology, including merging past models of success with the newer models of incubation and create a greater understanding of the strengths of each area."

NBIA is the world's leading organization advancing business incubation and entrepreneurship. It provides thousands of professionals with the information, education, advocacy and networking resources to bring excellence to the process of assisting early-stage companies.

Software Business Cluster is a 32,000 square foot nonprofit software and Internet focused incubator facility operating under San Jose State University. Located in downtown San Jose, there are currently 21 businesses participating in the program, and 50 graduates have created more than 1,500 jobs. This year Software Business Cluster received NBIA's Randall M. Whaley Incubator of the Year Award.

Business incubation catalyzes the process of starting and growing companies. A proven model, it provides entrepreneurs with the expertise, networks and tools they need to make their ventures successful. Incubation programs diversify economies, commercialize technologies, create jobs and build wealth. Today, there are more than 900 of these programs in the United States, up from 12 in 1980.

"We are so pleased that Jim has been elected to the board," says NBIA Executive Director Dinah Adkins. "He has been a great supporter of NBIA and really has been working to make Conference 2001 in San Jose a powerhouse event, bringing both recognition and revenue to the city."

Jim Robbins is cofounder or founder and executive director of the Software Business Cluster and the Panasonic Internet Incubator, both located in Silicon Valley. He is president of Business Cluster Development, a for-profit incubator development company, and earlier founded and managed Digital Equipment Business Enterprise Cluster. He is vice chair, Pacific Incubation Network; advisory board member for the International Business Incubator, and a board member for San Jose Development Enhancement Loan Fund. Robbins helped open the first U.S.-managed incubation office in the People's Republic of China and is introducing environmental technology into China as well as assisting incubation efforts in China and Japan.