(WKBN) — The Youngstown Incubator is an economic development organization located in downtown Youngstown that provides services across different communities.

Barb Ewing, the chief executive officer, spoke in-depth this week about the programs they offer.

“So for some programs like our Minority Business Assistance Center, we work from Ashtabula down to Monroe County. We have another program, our Technology Entrepreneurship Program, that we call Evolve, which is what most people know us for. That’s across 21 counties in northeast Ohio,” said Ewing.

Ewing says they try to align with the needs of the community.

YBI owns several buildings in the area with different tenants. They recently added another space in the old Vindicator building.

“So we have a five-building campus right downtown on the West End. Started off in the original Furniture Land Warehouse — that’s what everybody knows it for — developed the Taft Technology Center to meet the needs of Turning Technologies,” Ewing said.

YBI was also able to bring in Steelite International, a worldwide company that provides all things culinary for many local industries.

“We have another building that America Makes the National Laboratory for Additive Manufacturing or 3D printing leases entirely. And then our fifth building is the one that we just finished the renovations on. It’s an advanced manufacturing facility, the original Vindicator building, and we have high hopes that we’re going to have another advanced manufacturing facility soon.”

Ewing says the term “incubator” is a good descriptor of the programs that help businesses succeed.

“So you start off needing that warmth and support around you, the light to get you going. And that’s what we do. And that can be all types of businesses. So we still work with technology startups and software, advanced manufacturing…health care.”

There is also a program that works with women, minority and veteran-owned businesses.

Additionally, they work with existing businesses to take their products to the next level.

Wednesday, Ewing will speak more in-depth about their Evolve program.

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