Incubators and accelerator-programs that provide guidance and facilities to start-ups are multiplying. But how do they work? What are the benefits? And what is the difference between them? Maha Barada and her Leaning World team of reporters try to answer these questions with the help of a business expert from Boston and with examples on the ground – from Burundi to France.

USA: Seeds of Success

Lots of big, successful firms like Facebook, Twitter and Google got off the ground without them. But, as business expert Kyle Judah from the Martin Trust Center at MIT in Boston explains, a start-up incubator or accelerator can bring real benefits like opening up resources, potential customers, mentors and investors.

Burundi: Box of Ideas

They are brightly coloured, portable, robust and revolutionary – and each one is full to the brim with educational and cultural treasures. Hi-tech Ideas Boxes – the brainchild of the Libraries Without Borders NGO – are already changing the lives of r