2022-23 Impact Report | 2021-22 Impact Report

Since 2014, Hatch has supported more than 9,000 founders from across the UK through our community events, mentoring and support programmes. Of that number, more than 1,600 founders were supported through our longer term Hackathon, Launchpad, Incubator and Accelerator cohort programmes alone.

Since pivoting to delivering our support to founders online in early 2020, we’re increasingly supporting people from across the UK, having previously focussed on founders in London and the South East. Now one in three founders supported through our cohort programmes are based outside of London, from richly diverse communities across the UK, all the way from Bognor Regis to Edinburgh.

Over the course of 2023-24, we supported 1,245 founders through our cohort and community programmes, with:

83%

Of founders running a business that tackle global sustainability challenges

81%

Of founders being women or from other marginalised genders

61%

Of founders originating from an ethnic minority background

We supported a record 269 founders from across the UK through 19 Launchpads, Incubators, Accelerators and Deep Dives. These longer term support programmes offered guidance and advice to the full spectrum of founders – those who were early in their entrepreneurial journeys through to founders with more established businesses looking to scale up their reach and impact.

Going through the vision, mission and purpose task prompted me to think through and change what it was I actually wanted to do as a business. There was a really broad group of founders in my cohort, some had very clear ideas and had started their businesses, whilst others hadn’t fully fleshed it out, which made me feel okay that I wasn’t fully there yet and there were others in the same situation.

I just loved the community feel of the programme, the learning and being able to share best practice with peers who were also on the same programme. I genuinely feel that what I've learnt on the Accelerator has been invaluable to me and my business which will now be able to continue to grow and flourish..

The Hatch programme has been incredible from both a personal development and organisational development perspective. I have been really impressed with how the Hatch team quickly adapted the programme for a virtual environment and the strength and diversity of experts and speakers at each session.

I have become more confident and have used the tools that Hatch has provided me with to develop a stronger business model which has enabled me to develop a much stronger brand message. Through the expert sessions, I have been able to set up a much stronger support network.

How our cohort programmes make a difference to UK founders

Throughout the past financial year, we supported 269 UK founders through our comprehensive cohort programme. To gauge the effectiveness of our support, we asked participants to rate their knowledge and expertise in various areas before and after completing a Hatch programme. Among the biggest changes were:

123%

The founder felt better able to access the funding they need, up 123%

92%

The founder felt they were more capable of measuring the impact of their business, up 92%

73%

Having the skills and knowledge to communicate their business’s impact, up 73%

I walked in with an idea and left with a deck about what my business is, who my audience is, how it makes money. I still look at it in awe.

Amarie Cassidy

Volleyball

How our community programme makes a difference to UK founders

Hatch supported more than 900 founders through the community programme in 2023-24, which includes one on one consultations and mentoring, networking events, panel discussions, talks masterclasses and pitch practice days. This wraparound of support means regardless of a founder’s stage of business, founders can come to the community team for a broad range of support for both themselves and their businesses.

976

The number of founders we supported through our events and activities

300+

More than 300 hours of mentoring provided to founders

70

The number of events and activities we ran for founders

What ultimately attracted me to Hatch was its willingness to work with founders at the earliest stage in their journey.

Timi Merriman-Johnson

Mr Moneyjar

Our work in the entrepreneurial ecosystem

As a charity, all of our work is only possible thanks to the continued support of our partners and funders. From local authorities, to trusts and foundations, corporate organisations, and more, we work with a wide range of partners to maximise the impact we are able to have on underrepresented founders across the UK.

Through working with us our partners are able to play a part in building a better world through entrepreneurship, and many of them also have the opportunity to get directly involved. Staff at our partner organisations are able to volunteer directly with the beneficiaries of our programmes, gaining insight into the early stages of a growing start-up, and providing pivotal guidance that could shape the journey of an aspiring entrepreneur.

From 1:1 mentoring opportunities, to volunteering as a ‘friendly dragon’ at our pitch days, or getting involved as a problem-solver at one of our specialised clinics, these hands-on opportunities have a huge impact on both the founders that benefit and the volunteers themselves.

30

More than 25 of Hatch’s partners were involved in supporting our community programme

70+

The number of social enterprises and capacity building organisations that make up the Collective Leadership Group (CLG)

304

In total 304 volunteers gave up their time as mentors and coaches in 2023–24

Volunteering is not only a way for our colleagues to try to use their experience and skills to benefit others, but it is also a way to learn about the barriers and challenges facing different communities.

Nick Howe

Enterprise and Climate Engagement and Partnerships, Natwest

Partner with us

With your support, we can help more impact businesses, women-led businesses and ethnic minority-led businesses deliver positive impact into the world. By partnering with Hatch, you can meet your CSR goals and engage your employees in volunteering with impactful businesses.

Sponsor a Hatch Programme
Get your employees involved
Become a Hackathon Partner
Deliver an expert workshop

I sometimes wonder who has learned more from whom, my mentee from me or me from my mentee. She is an inspiration to me.

Claudia Coppenolle

Head of Digital Market Management, Deutsche Bank

What difference are we making to underrepresented founders in the UK?

83%

81%

61%