Build a Food Business that Works, from Idea to Growth
New York City’s thriving food industry is an exciting place for entrepreneurs, but starting a food business can be hard! From navigating licenses and regulations to proving your concept and reaching customers, the path can feel overwhelming. That’s where we come in!
HBK Incubates supports food entrepreneurs at every stage, whether you’re ready to Seed, Start, or Scale your business. Through our three free small business programs, we help you turn your idea into a viable, operating business and grow it sustainably. Since 2008, we’ve supported 800 businesses and counting.
Along the way with us, you’ll gain:
- Access to capital to fuel your growth
- Practical business education tailored to food entrepreneurs, meeting you exactly where you are in your business journey
- Technical assistance from experienced food & beverage founders and operators
- Connections to markets and customers to test and grow your concept
Seed
A 12-week training program where you test your food business idea, build a plan to launch, and learn through self-paced videos and hands-on workshops with peers and industry experts on topics ranging from financial planning to the A-to-Z of launching a food business.
Start
A 15-month incubator program, helping newly launched and operating cottage food businesses move into shared commercial kitchen space through financial support and coaching, expert technical assistance, and market connections to grow sales.
Scale
A 12-week accelerator for established food businesses looking for capital to grow. We help you explore funding options, build a capital plan, and connect with the right funders across loans, crowdfunding, investments, and grants.
Alumni Network
Once a member, always a member! Graduates of our programs stay connected with HBKi through our alumni hub, office hours, ongoing technical assistance, and access to market and capital connections, so your business can keep growing and thriving.
Testimonials
SEED
“Developing my mission statement and business framework with Seed was a game changer. Every grant I apply to, every conversation I have about my business, comes from the framework I built with HBKi.”
– Tiffany, DrinkFolks
START
“Getting into a shared commercial kitchen was hard because my product has an allergen in it, meaning I had to navigate additional permit requirements. I felt like I was going to give up, but I finally made it. Everyone at HBKi tells you that you are not alone. My story is a testament to that.”
– Keesha, Live Loud Foods
SCALE
“Having access to business and financial mentorship has already proved beneficial to my businesses growth. I’ve built out stronger financial models and have expanded perspective to my approach to business.”
– Lena, BiBi Bakery
