The Postcode Innovation Trust has supported 119 founders of impact businesses to access tailored support via Hatch to help their business grow, thanks to Players of People’s Postcode Lottery.
The Trust provided us with £250,000 of funding in 2021 to provide early-stage impact businesses with the support, resources, and network needed to thrive.
This was achieved through the facilitation of four programmes attended by 62 participants, as well as a peer mentoring scheme which was accessed by 57 founders.
The programmes were each aimed at different business levels enabling founders to benefit from the support whether they were still at the launch phase or had been running the business full-time for a number of years.
What the businesses had in common was a desire to make a positive difference in the world, with each tackling a key challenge across themes including sustainability, social justice, and health.
The businesses that took part in the programmes ranged from a dog daycare providing training opportunities to people in long-term unemployment, to a social enterprise passionate about helping the next generation get into the technology sector, and a data-led diversity and inclusion consultancy.
Tameeka Smith was one founder to benefit from the programme. Her coaching business Trimenco provides pathways to success via training, mentoring, and coaching programmes, encouraging learning, growth, and change.
Tameeka is passionate about promoting positive mental health and wellbeing outcomes, and supporting people to overcome barriers in their lives.
Completing the Accelerator programme gave her business and her confidence as an entrepreneur a huge boost.
She said, “I loved the community feel about the programme and the sharing of our good practice. I feel that what I’ve learnt on the Hatch programme has been invaluable to me and my business.
“I know my business will continue to grow and flourish due to my involvement in the Hatch programme.”
In her self-evaluation scores Tameeka marked a 150% increase in the category ‘I am part of a supportive community of entrepreneurs’, and a 400% increase in ‘I know how to build connections to get the support I need’.
In fact she gave the highest score possible in five self-assessment areas after completing the programme.
This programme has had a transformative impact on so many founders just like Tameeka, enabling social impact focused businesses across the UK to thrive.
As well as funding the support programme and peer mentoring scheme, this project has enabled Hatch to build partnerships with a host of organisations across the enterprise-support landscape.
These partnerships, including with UBS, Bloomberg, and the Angel Investing School, will continue to add value to future programme participants, providing them with expertise and insight into how to overcome business challenges.
Hatch’s Head of Cohort Programmes Joanna Hamer said: “We are very grateful to be working with the Postcode Innovation Trust to provide entrepreneurial training programmes.
“With their support, we were able to reach more impact founders than ever before, as well as provide a wider range and deeper engagement of support.
“The Peer Mentoring programme in particular has been a real highlight, enabling us to bring together early-stage and more experienced entrepreneurs to share knowledge, networks and insights.”
