This paper presents a skeleton-based modeling approach enabling the definition of a knowledge-intensive design context at the beginning of the embodiment design stage. The research introduces an analogy to the incubator concept by creating a suitable support along the design phase including CAD modeling. The main objective of the proposed approach is to integrate engineering information and knowledge in the early phases of the product development process in a top-down and seamless manner so as to provide a knowledge-based design context for designers. The fact of including a design context in the embodiment design phase will assist designers to make better-informed decisions and therefore linking what (technical entities and engineering data), why (rationale) and how (processes and functions). The concept of design incubator will be defined according to its function, behavior and structure (i.e. skeleton entities, functional surfaces, design spaces, parameters, knowledge and design requirements). The proposed design incubator ensures the knowledge delivery and engineering support at the right time. A case study has been carried out to demonstrate the developed method.