[This blog is a little outdated, see here for more up to date information on our programmes.]
We are delighted to have joined forces with Pizza Hut UK & Europe to launch the New Founder Programme. This new partnership aims to support hundreds of UK entrepreneurs from underrepresented backgrounds turn their business idea into a reality.
The New Founder Programme, launching today, is aimed at existing and would-be entrepreneurs. Aside from joining a vibrant community of fellow founders, they will be able to access skills training, and learn from industry experts to develop the business skills that will support the growth of their businesses.
The opening events of The New Founder Programme are a six-week launchpad starting on 26 June, and a weekend hackathon on 11-12 September 2021. These will be closely followed that month with two further launchpads and an incubator programme that will support entrepreneurs to grow their businesses in a sustainable way.
Joanna Hamer, Programme Manager at Hatch, said: ‘We know how hard it can be to start and grow a business from scratch. Naturally there will be skills and experience that founders simply do not have, whether that’s how to market their businesses to the right people, getting their finances in order, developing leadership skills or legal knowledge. That’s where we can help.
‘People who have talent, innovative and bright ideas can be found right across the UK population, but don’t always get the chance to do something with those ideas. It’s why we’ve been championing entrepreneurs from a wide range of diverse, underrepresented and demographic backgrounds since Hatch launched in 2014, whether that’s shining a spotlight on female founders, or businesses led by people from minority ethnic groups. It’s why our partnership with Pizza Hut is so important, as it means we can continue to work towards creating that fairer society through entrepreneurship in the UK over the coming years.’
According to the Office for National Statistics, the number of new companies that were created in the UK soared in the second half of 2020 compared with 2019.1 Yet research shows that despite ethnic minority led businesses playing an important role in the UK economy, contributing more than £74 billion a year 2, underrepresented founders, including ethnic minorities and women, face a very unique set of barriers when starting and growing a business. In 2019, only one in three UK entrepreneurs were female.
Regina Borda, Managing Director at Pizza Hut UK & Europe said: ‘Pizza Hut is founded on entrepreneurship via our franchise network and we are built to help people start and grow their own businesses. Our success is down to the hard work of our franchisees and this was especially apparent during Covid-19. We wouldn’t have managed our way through Covid-19 so seamlessly had it not been for the agility and hard work of this network, and we’re delighted to give something back to the future entrepreneurs of Britain.
‘Hatch is a fantastic example of the role charities and businesses can play in developing innovation and great ideas. Innovation and great leadership is so important and we want to support young business leaders to take good ideas and make them into something that is real, tangible and good for the community.’
Applications for The New Founder Launchpad that starts on Saturday 26 June 2021 are open to everyone. Anyone based in the UK, already have an idea for a business and want to launch it are encouraged to apply. For more information on this and any of The New Founder programmes, visit http://newfounders.hatchenterprise.org/
