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Systems of employment aren’t functioning in support of disabled people, so they’re building their own through enterprise. For many people with disabilities, starting a business is about creating stability, income, and independence in a flexible way that suits their needs.  

In the past 12 months alone, 1,000 aspiring entrepreneurs with disabilities have joined our waiting list, demonstrating just how urgently disability-inclusive startup support is needed.

That’s why, by 2026, we aim to lay the foundations to provide these aspiring entrepreneurs with the resources they need to explore entrepreneurship, backed by industry-leading support from Hatch Enterprise which can ensure each person on that list can build a sustainable business model fit for the future.

Hatch Enterprise is the only organisation providing pre-launch startup support specifically tailored to disabled people. With greater financial backing we can provide the inclusive business support needed to nurture their entrepreneurial potential, together.

I’m an Individual SupporterI’m interested in a Strategic Partnership

Elevating ability

In September 2024, we launched the UK’s first early-stage business support programme for Disabled entrepreneurs.
We’ve since delivered two more cohorts, supporting founders at the start of their entrepreneurial journeys.

Our graduates have reported: 

148%

increase in their ability to access needed funding

108%

increase in their ability to communicate the impact of their business

89%

improvement in measuring their business finances

Setting out to start my own print business, it can seem overwhelming to navigate the world of business as a disabled founder, but Hatch made this so much easier and palatable. It allowed me to think about my company in a way I hadn’t before.

Charlie Ketchen

Founder of Prints of Nature and Launchpad graduate

Support us

The Social Model of Disability

Our work with disabled aspiring and operating entrepreneurs is provided through the lens of the Social Model of Disability. 

The UK entrepreneurial landscape remains deeply unequal, with Disabled founders encountering systemic challenges at every stage of their business journey. The Social Model of Disability allows us to recognise that this inequality is due to society, not due to disabled people’s ability to bring their invaluable perspectives and innovations to the business world.

This model says that people are disabled by barriers in society, not by their impairment. Barriers can be physical, like buildings or not having accessible toilets. Or they can be caused by people’s attitudes to difference, like assuming that disabled people cannot do certain things.

– Scope

Why your investment matters

Your investment provides aspiring entrepreneurs with the vital building blocks of entrepreneurial knowledge in an award-winning and uniquely designed format. It’s an investment that develops into innovation, community resilience, self-confidence, role models for future generations and economic empowerment for years to come – we could go on.

Employment Inequality

Disabled individuals face employment rates 30% lower than non-disabled people (ONS)

Entrepreneurship by Necessity

33% of disabled entrepreneurs start businesses out of necessity rather than choice, often with limited preparation (Small Business Britain)

Financial Barriers

Disabled people face an average of £570 in additional monthly living costs, impacting their ability to invest in business growth (Lloyds Bank)

Role Model Gap

70% of disabled entrepreneurs report lacking appropriate role models (Small Business Britain)

Support us

Sylvia Mac’s Story:

Love Disfigure Talent Agency is championing equal representation in fashions and the media. Models with disfigurement are represented by Love Disfigure to help them gain work, with Sylvia using her platform to celebrate the beauty of individuals with differences and disabilities.

Hear from the graduates

In 2024, we launched our first programme specifically tailored to disabled entrepreneurs—among the first of its kind in the UK. This groundbreaking work has been made possible through partnerships with forward-thinking organisations including Ares Charitable Foundation, and NatWest who recognise that supporting disabled founders isn’t just the right thing to do—it’s essential for building a truly inclusive economy.

These programmes have revealed three crucial insights: the power of shared experiences among disabled founders, the urgent need for representation and visibility in entrepreneurship, and the importance of considering intersectional identities when designing support.

Here’s what some of our graduates have to say about their experience:

Founder - Adaptive Yoga Live

Miranda McCarthy
Headshot of Evan Popplewell
Founder - Warstone Prosthetics

Evan Popplewell
Headshot of Joanna Perera
Founder - Adira Jewel

Joanna Perera
Headshot of Gwendoline Thornton
Founder - The Workshop

Gwendoline Thornton

Founder - Adaptive Yoga Live

Miranda McCarthy

Adaptive Yoga Live was founded by Miranda McCarthy in response to her 40+ year battle with Rheumatoid Arthritis and the urgent need to support the most vulnerable and physically challenged people experiencing isolation amidst the Covid-19 lockdown in 2020.

“The economic impact of participating in Hatch has been transformative. It has not only helped us secure vital funding for our app’s development but has also provided the strategic insights needed to grow our business with confidence and purpose.”

Headshot of Evan Popplewell

Founder - Warstone Prosthetics

Evan Popplewell

Warstone Prosthetics provides gender-affirming prosthetics for the UK transmasc market +

“The programme was very accessible to me as an Autistic person that can struggle socially. It was a very low pressure environment. I found the lack of pressure actually meant I was able to attend and participate nearly all the time. “

I felt confident knowing it was a supportive space. Pushing myself out of my comfort zone has shown me I’m more capable than I gave myself credit for.”

Headshot of Joanna Perera

Founder - Adira Jewel

Joanna Perera

Adira Jewel: Jewellery designed to make you look good & feel good.

“Through the Hatch course I have learned that my personal journey is a part of my brand, and isn’t something I need to shy away from. I had thought that talking about my illness would be a negative thing for the business. It’s really changed my perspective, I don’t hide away anymore.

Finding a group of people through Hatch who have got drive, and have got ambition, and also have an illness or Disability and can understand me, that’s been amazing. It’s nice to feel seen and represented.”

Headshot of Gwendoline Thornton

Founder - The Workshop

Gwendoline Thornton

The Workshop is a design and engineering company providing start-up support, prototype (design, build & manufacture) and workshop management. Specialising in developing aids, devices & assistive technology that improve the quality of life for the disabled community.

“Being in a room full of other people with the same experiences, who understand each other and can help, it’s an environment that’s so conducive to success.”

The biggest takeaway I had from the Hatch programme was self-acceptance. I can want things.”

How You Can Support

I’m an Individual Supporter:

Make a donation

We want to ensure that next year we can support more aspiring entrepreneurs living with disabilities to build businesses with Hatch Enterprise by their side – to launch innovative solutions to some of society’s biggest challenges, and to offer the opportunity of sustainable employment outside of our rigid employment systems that continue to gatekeep the success of disabled people across the country.

By donating today, you’re supporting us to build a better world through entrepreneurship by providing the financial resources necessary to change the trajectory of founders experience of entrepreneurship.

Stay connected

If now isn’t the right time to donate, you can still be part of our community by joining our supporters newsletter. You’ll receive occasional updates, inspiring founder stories, and ways to champion underrepresented entrepreneurs as they build businesses that create lasting impact.

I’m interested in a Strategic Partnership:

Book a call with our team

It is the financial backing of our strategic partners that make our work possible. With our waiting list growing by 8+ every single day, we’re keen to build new partnerships with like-minded businesses and organisations who want to play their part in nurturing the entrepreneurial talent of disabled people right across the UK.
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