Análise do processo de incubação da Ineagro Cabugi: um diagnóstico sob a ótica dos principais atores envolvidos

Abstract

In recent years, in Brazil and around the world, many environments have been able to leverage innovation and technological development in start-ups. These include business incubators, which were born with the mission of supporting the birth and development of innovative projects through the provision of physical, administrative and specialized services. In this scenario, aiming at a better and more comprehensive understanding of the incubation process, its characteristics and its potential for strengthening and supporting incubated enterprises, this study was developed in order to analyze the management of a Technology-Based Business Incubator, focusing on the investigation of the startup business incubation process at the INEAGRO CABUGI Incubator, located at UFERSA - Campus Angicos, during the last five years (from 2013 to 2018). Thus, the purpose of this study was to make a diagnosis, seeking to identify, through analysis, possible difficulties, weaknesses, and the need for improvements in the incubation process, so that the governing body of the incubator can understand the problem. and consequently fight it. Therefore, using specific instruments capable of analyzing the dynamics of this process, it was initially sought to investigate the main reasons that led entrepreneurs to seek support from the Incubator; As well as, it was used a survey of information about the factors that contributed to the incidence of so many discontinued projects (dropouts), in that incubator, during this analyzed period; Finally, the study in question sought to understand the main difficulties that the Incubator faced in relation to its management and its processes. To achieve these objectives, a qualitative, exploratory and descriptive research was carried out, with a documentary analysis in the Incubator's reports and archives, on-site visits, in addition to the main methodological instrument used, which was content analysis, based on information contained in questionnaires (semi-structured), answered by current and former incubators of INEAGRO, and by interviews with managers (current and former) of said incubator; as well as the current managers of other incubators in the state of RN. At the end of this study, the results point to a better understanding of some atypical situations observed in the incubation environment, such as planning not very aligned with what the CERNE management model advocates, as well as the focus of Incubator management team focused more on its internal processes, to the detriment of the incubated companies themselves. The study in question also draws attention to the high turnover rate in INEAGRO's management and technical advice, with frequent replacements occurring in a short period of time, and which, according to most of the surveyed actors, would have contributed greatly to the discontinuity of incubated projects. Finally, this research proposes an action plan to address the possible difficulties identified in INEAGRO's incubation process.