Incubating is defined as the process to give support and aid the development of (a new small enterprise or initiative). In Singapore, we see many attempts by bigger establishments to incubate and grow various initiatives and enterprises. Though many of them have good intentions, the methods being laid out by most show a lack of understanding of what it means to incubate ideas and initiatives.
The incubation process is usually one that is messy, disorganized with many variations. It is a process where explorations and experiments are practiced at the highest level. This messy environment helps to engage individuals and groups to search for fun and ideas that are not necessary to have any value at all. It just has to have meaning and serve the purpose of the initiator. This open and messy environment helps to keep the ideas growing and developing, much like how organisms evolve in Nature.
In the incubation space, monetising and being economically viable are principles that should not be the focus. Let me share with you why.
When an idea starts to develop into a financially valuable and viable item, they will usually move away from the center (which is the incubation center), because the incubation space is too messy and disorganized for the idea to take shape. The idea will have to undergo a level of focus that involves consolidation, streamlining and structurisation. All of them are the opposite to the values of an incubation space, for incubation is about variation, experiment, exploration and fun.
However, folks who find the value in an idea to gain economically from it, will do it to be able to sustain their livelihood. Which is absolutely fair.
Now say an incubation center decides to be more economical and less incubative, in order to meet with the organizational demands and sustainability. That will start developing a space that is more homogenous than variant. These will drive the incubation center into another economical space that will then lose their original value, hence leading to the death of the Incubation of Ideas. It will become a space for Breeding Monetisation.
So for the incubation center to be kept alive, it actually has to be sponsored and funded by the various groups and individuals left to monetise their ideas after being incubated there. Their support for the incubation center will then keep it going, building a community and network that stretches out like a big forest land.
In this Forest of valuable elements and initiatives, the Big mother tree (that is the Incubation space) lies at the center of it all. She provides the environment for many other trees to breed and blossom. However, just as any old tree that is in Nature, once their time is up, they will die a natural death. This will then lead to the full growth of its subsidiaries. This cycle of incubation and natural demise of the incubation center will continue naturally again and again. As long as there is a need for the incubation space, one will naturally arise amongst the environment, no matter how harsh or impeding it may be. This cycle of incubation is unconquerable and happens without the need to control, just as Nature herself. Incubation cycle is dynamic and mobile. It will regenerate when there is a need.
In modern day Singapore, there are a few organic incubation center, such as “Ground-Up Initiatives” (who is the incubator for urban-farming, green-movements and Nature education) and the now demised “Substation” (who is the incubator for artist and art-movements). They are/were the space that many young talents and valuable ideas were developed from. But in the waning years of each of these incubation centers, they experience the Natural death much like the Mother Tree in the Forest. Many of the people in the community felt the sadness of their departure or demise. But we should never forget the incubation cycle and the importance of the messy space that they represent. The fall of a big tree in Nature, makes way for other big tree. And hopefully through the spread of the Mother Tree’s spirit in her incubation journey, the other big trees will carry on the legacy of incubation as she did.
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