Financial sustainability remains one of the most pressing and least understood challenges facing impact incubators in the Global South. While incubators are expected to support entrepreneurs, build ecosystems, and deliver long-term impact, many operate with fragile funding models and limited room to experiment or scale.

This literature review brings together existing research, practitioner insights, and ecosystem analysis to examine how impact incubators finance their work, where current models fall short, and what patterns are emerging across regions.

Why Read This Review?

Because you care about building incubation models that are resilient, realistic, and able to sustain impact over time.

Inside you’ll find:

  • An overview of common funding and revenue models used by impact incubators

  • Key tensions between mission, funding expectations, and operational realities

  • What research says and doesn’t say about long-term sustainability

  • Structural challenges shaping incubator economics in the Global South

  • Evidence gaps that point to where practitioner-led research is most needed

Download the report here