Virginia Highlands Small Business Incubator

What Virginia Highlands Small Business Incubator does

Virginia Highlands Small Business Incubator (VHSBI) is a non-profit economic development organization established jointly by the Town of Abingdon, Virginia, and Washington County, Virginia. Founded in 2002 and headquartered at 851 French Moore Jr. Blvd., Suite 200 within the 73-acre Stone Mill Business and Technology Park, the organization provides affordable office and manufacturing space, co-working memberships, conference room rentals, and business support services to startup, expanding, and transitioning small businesses across Southwest Virginia. The organization employs 1-10 staff and has no venture capital or private equity funding, operating instead as a publicly-supported economic development tool governed by a Board of Directors.

VHSBI's service portfolio is structured around four core tenancy products and ancillary services. The Resident Business Program offers 24/7 private office access at $1.05 per square foot per month with utilities, high-speed internet, VoIP phone, copier, fax, and postage included. Manufacturing/light-industrial space is available at $0.75 per square foot with loading dock access. An Affiliate Program provides drop-in desk and resource access for $50 per month to startups not yet requiring a dedicated office. The three-tier Co-Working Space program ranges from $130 to $175 per month with varying lease durations and access levels. Conference room rentals include the Jack C. Phelps, Jr. Large Conference Room (40-50 capacity at $100/day for-profit, $50/day non-profit) and French H. Moore, Jr. small rooms (30-34 capacity at $50/$25). Educational programming consists of weekly Noon Knowledge Classes and the annual Washington County Business Challenge pitch competition.

Revenue is generated primarily through recurring monthly rental and membership fees (office rent, manufacturing rent, affiliate membership, co-working subscriptions) supplemented by pay-as-you-go conference room usage. The current tenant roster of approximately six organizations and nine affiliate members spans publishing (Hoot Books Publishing), consulting (Wize Solutions, KAG3 Solutions), financial services (Financial Health Solutions, Bailey Financial Services), legal (Hancock Daniel & Johnson, Gemmell Law), nonprofit (Wellspring Foundation, United Way of Southwest Virginia, Southwest Virginia Alliance for Manufacturing), government (Virginia Economic Development Partnership, Senator Todd Pillion's office), manufacturing tenants (Nalco Water/Ecolab), and small consumer-product startups (Purely Tallow Skincare). Distribution is exclusively direct and regional, with all services delivered in-person at the Abingdon facility; there is no technology platform, app, or API product.

Name

Virginia Highlands Small Business Incubator

Legal name

Virginia Highlands Small Business Incubator

Website

https://vhsbi.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2002

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Virginia Highlands Small Business Incubator is a non-profit economic development organization in Abingdon, Virginia, providing affordable office, manufacturing, and co-working space, business counseling, and educational programming to startup and small businesses across Southwest Virginia.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Abingdon

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Office Space Rental: Monthly rental of office space at $1.05 per square foot with basic utilities included. Manufacturing space available at $0.75 per square foot. Inflation adders built into leases averaging 4.5% per year.
2. Affiliate Membership: Monthly membership fee of $50.00 providing drop-in desk access, internet, 10 hours monthly, and access to shared services including copy, fax, postage, and conference rooms.
3. Conference Room Rental: Daily rental of conference and meeting rooms to both residents and non-residents. Large room (40-50 capacity) at $100/day for-profit, $50/day non-profit. Small rooms (30-34 capacity) at $50/day for-profit, $25/day non-profit.
4. Co-Worker Memberships: Three-tier co-working space lease programs with monthly fees ranging from $130-$175 depending on access level and lease duration.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

VHSBI provides affordable office, co-working, and manufacturing space rentals to startups, expanding small businesses, transitioning businesses, and nonprofit organizations in Southwest Virginia. Offerings are bundled with shared services (high-speed internet, VoIP phones, copier/fax/postage, receptionist), conference room rentals, and educational programming including Noon Knowledge classes and the Washington County Business Challenge. The organization is a non-profit economic development tool created by the Town of Abingdon, VA and Washington County, VA.

Product overview

Virginia Highlands Small Business Incubator operates as a non-profit economic development organization established by the Town of Abingdon and Washington County, Virginia. The organization offers a portfolio of business support services centered around affordable office and manufacturing space rentals combined with educational programming. Core offerings include a Resident Business Program providing full-time private office tenancy with shared amenities at $1.05/sq ft, an Affiliate Program offering low-cost drop-in access at $50/month, and three tiers of Co-Working Space memberships ranging from $130-175/month with varying access levels. Additional services include Conference Room Rental (large rooms at $100/day for profit organizations, small rooms at $50/day) and Manufacturing Space with loading dock access at $0.75/sq ft. Educational programming includes Noon Knowledge Classes (hour-long business skill workshops) and the annual Washington County Business Challenge featuring workshops and pitch competitions.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Resident Business Program
• Affiliate Program Monthly membership program at $50/month for startups and small businesses that do not require full-time office space, providing drop-in desk access, internet, 10 hours per month, plus access to shared services (copy, fax, postage) and conference rooms. Additional 10-hour blocks are available for $30.00 each.
• Co-Working Space Flexible co-working memberships in three tiers: Level #1 at $145/month (one-year lease, 24-hour Mon-Fri access, mailbox, receptionist, 2 free conference room uses per month every 6 months); Level #2 at $175/month (six-month lease, 24-hour Mon-Fri access, mailbox, receptionist, 2 free conference room uses per month every 6 months); Level #3 at $130/month (monthly lease, 8:30-5:00 Mon-Thu and 8:30-4:30 Fri, unlimited use). All levels include kitchen, free coffee, and free Wi-Fi. Insurance is required.
• Conference Room Rental Daily rental of two conference rooms equipped with projector/TV, dry erase boards, and wireless internet. Large room (Jack C. Phelps, Jr., 40-50 capacity) at $100/day for-profit and $50/day non-profit. Small rooms (French H. Moore, Jr., 30-34 capacity) at $50/day for-profit and $25/day non-profit. Additional cleaning/disinfecting fees apply. Rental hours Monday-Thursday 8:30-5:00, Friday 8:30-4:30.
• Manufacturing Space Industrial workspace available at $0.75 per square foot per month, including loading bay access, for businesses requiring manufacturing, light production, or warehouse capabilities. Inflation adders averaging 4.5% per year are built into leases.
• Noon Knowledge Classes Weekly or biweekly educational lunch-and-learn sessions offered from 12:00-1:00 PM covering business topics including marketing, finance, technology, leadership, and business planning, available to tenants, graduates, and businesses in the surrounding area via ZOOM and in-person at the incubator.
• Washington County Business Challenge Annual competitive program featuring workshops, expert panels, pitch preparation, networking events, and a final Pitch Night competition designed to support aspiring and existing business owners in Washington County, Virginia.

Quantifiable outcome

• Office space at $1.05/sq ft with utilities included
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers18 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Washington County VA Chamber of CommercecoreGTM or Marketing PartnerRegional partner providing referrals and joint resources for small business development. Listed as a startup resource on the VHSBI shared resources page.
• People IncorporatedcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerRegional community services organization providing shared resources and referrals for entrepreneurs in the Washington County area.
• Washington County VA Economic DevelopmentcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerEconomic development partner providing referrals and resources for small businesses. Referenced on the VHSBI homepage as a key resource link.
• Virginia Highlands Community CollegecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAdjacent educational institution providing synergy for workforce development and educational opportunities for incubator tenants. Located adjacent to Stone Mill Business and Technology Park.
• Southwest Virginia Higher Education CentercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional higher education center adjacent to the incubator providing educational resources and collaborative opportunities for tenants.
• Virginia Business Incubator Association (VBIA)coreOthersState association defining standards and best practices for business incubators. VHSBI follows VBIA's definition and standards for business incubation programs.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• SCORE: A non-profit network providing free business mentoring, education, and resources to small business owners, funded in partnership with the U.S. Small Business Administration. Closely aligned with VHSBI's mission of supporting startup and small business growth through counseling and education in underserved regional markets.
• BioGenerator: A non-profit life sciences startup incubator in St. Louis providing lab and office space, business support, and seed funding to early-stage biotech companies. Comparable to VHSBI as a non-profit, regionally-focused incubator offering subsidized workspace and business development services.
• mHUB: A non-profit manufacturing innovation hub and incubator in Chicago that provides manufacturing space, equipment, and product development support. Closely comparable to VHSBI's manufacturing space offering ($0.75/sq ft with loading dock) and its small business manufacturing focus.
• America's SBDC: A nationwide network of Small Business Development Centers that provide no-cost business consulting, training, and support to entrepreneurs. Shares VHSBI's public-private funding model and regional small business support mission, including partnership with higher education institutions.
• 1871: A non-profit technology hub and business incubator in Chicago that provides workspace, programming, and community for early-stage tech companies. Closely mirrors VHSBI's model of combining physical workspace with educational programming and a curated community of entrepreneurs.
• gener8tor: A venture-backed accelerator and incubator that runs programs for early-stage startups, often in partnership with regional economic development organizations. Comparable to VHSBI in mission (supporting regional startup growth) but with a venture/equity-driven model and significantly larger scale.
• Center for Entrepreneurial Innovation (CEI): A non-profit small business incubator and accelerator in Arizona that provides coworking, office space, programming, and mentorship to entrepreneurs. Closely comparable to VHSBI in structure (non-profit), service mix (workspace + education), and target market (early-stage small businesses).

Broad incumbents

• Techstars: A global startup accelerator operating programs in partnership with corporations and governments across multiple regions. Reaches rural and regional markets through partnership-driven programs similar in concept to VHSBI's economic development role, but operates at vastly larger scale.
• WeWork: The largest global provider of flexible coworking and office space serving startups, SMBs, and enterprise clients. Offers overlapping workspace rental services to VHSBI's target market but at significantly higher price points and a much broader geographic footprint.
• Industrious: A premium flexible office and coworking provider serving a national client base. Competes with VHSBI in the coworking/office space category but targets enterprise and mid-market clients rather than early-stage rural entrepreneurs.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCgvhij8hDWngzdeoJHB3Vjg
• Facebookfacebook.com/vhsbi
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/virginia-highlands-small-business-incubator

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Virginia Highlands Small Business Incubator