Join a supportive community of entrepreneurs and experts to get the support you need to launch, grow and scale your business.

Applications are now open!

Are you looking to surround yourself with a supportive group of entrepreneurs? Have you got big growth plans and want to find new funding opportunities? Scaling a business is hard but when you have the right support around you, you’ll be able to take your business to the next level.

Over 4.5 months you will grow your connections, access mentorship, and expert-led workshops to level up your marketing, sales, turnover, and investment. This programme is aimed at founders whose organisation has a turnover of around £30k or more.

Free to attend

This programme is valued at over £5,000, but is provided free of charge.

£5K

Graduates can apply through a competitive process for a grant of up to £5,000.

Being on the programme has helped me and my business grow by increasing the size and quality of my network, giving me a relevant peer group. It’s the most useful thing I’ve done to transition from founder to CEO.

Headshot of Kiemu Salmon

Kiemu Salmon

Beutonomy

Funded by SouthLark logo    

Eligibility Criteria:

Don’t fit the requirements?    View our other programmes

  • You are the founder or director of a business based in Southwark
  • You have an annual turnover of roughly £30k+

  • You can commit to the workshops and Demo Day

Cohort-Based Expert-Led Sessions

36 hours of expert-led masterclasses on topics including strategy, finance, leadership, marketing, HR, operations, sales and pitching.

Peer Learning

Access facilitated peer learning, peer coaching, and accountability groups. Gain fascinating insights, exchange ideas and swap skills with like-minded individuals.

1-2-1 Support

Benefit from sector and area-specific experts for bespoke 1-2-1 coaching, consulting and mentoring.

Demo Day

Showcase your business to a panel of experts and get actionable feedback on how to take your business to the next level.

+123%

Founders said their confidence in being able to access the funding they need increased by 123%

+92%

Founders said their ability to measure the impact of their business went up by 92%

+55%

Founders reported an average increase of 55 % in their knowledge, skills, and confidence in running a business

“It’s an incredible organisation, to be given that amount of support, virtually for free, is something that I just didn’t realise was available, it’s changed my journey completely.”

Abi Read – Founder

Clay Days

Play Video about Abi Read from Clay Days moulding a vase out of clay.

The programme consists of 8 fortnightly sessions which take place online and two in-person days which include an initial ‘kick-off’ session and the final Demo and Graduation day.

1

Programme Introduction & Exploring your Entrepreneurial Resilience (in person)

  • Thu 16 Jan 9am-5pm

2

Impact in your Community and Impact measurement

  • Thu 30 Jan 9:30am-1:30pm

3

Intentional Marketing and PR

  • Thu 13 Feb 9:30am-1:30pm

4

Mastering the Art of Sales

  • Thu 27 Feb 9:30am-1:30pm

5

Operations and Risk Analysis

  • Thu 13 Mar 9:30am-1:30pm

6

Building Money Models

  • Thu 27 Mar 9:30am-1:30pm

7

Opening doors through Funding

  • Thu 10 Apr 9:30am-1:30pm

8

Pitching and Telling your Story

  • Thu 24 Apr 9:30am-1:30pm

9

Setting up to Scale

  • Thu 8 May 9:30am-1:30pm

10

Demo Day and Graduation (in person)

  • Thu 15 May 9am-5pm

Accessibility

Our goal is to make our programmes as accessible as possible. Each programme is designed with input from our cohorts and tailored to meet the unique needs of each group. During the application process, we will ask you to detail any accessibility needs we can support you with.

If you would like to request support in completing your application (e.g. transcribing your application answers), or to discuss your accessibility needs please email programmes@hatchenterprise.org

Who we are

Hatch is a charity that supports underrepresented entrepreneurs from across the UK to imagine, launch, and grow businesses and organisations that are sustainable, successful, and have a positive and lasting impact on their communities.  We’re working towards a fairer society by helping develop these founders’ skills, knowledge and confidence through our support programmes designed by entrepreneurs for entrepreneurs.

We’re not typical of the third sector. Although we’re a charity, as entrepreneurs ourselves we know what it takes to grow a business. We recognise that talent is equally distributed across society, but opportunities are not. Too many people from underrepresented backgrounds are unfairly prevented from realising their entrepreneurial potential to positively impact their own lives, the lives of others in their community and wider society. We’re working to change that by creating an inclusive ecosystem where everyone has access to the power of entrepreneurship to create a fairer economy.

Consequently, while much of our work and support is accessible to all, we focus on supporting founders who are women, from an ethnic minority background, or live with a disability or are neurodivergent – essentially anyone who might typically get overlooked when it comes to getting what they need to launch and grow an organisation in the UK.

9k+

9,000+ founders have been supported through our programmes and events.

81%
More than 8 in 10 of founders on our longer term support programmes are women or identify as women.
61%
More than 6 in 10 of founders on our longer term support programmes are from an ethnic minority background.

Excellent

5 starts representing a 5 star review.
5.0 out of 5.0

Google Reviews

M

Michelle Adams

5 starts representing a 5 star review.

I have had such a great experience with Hatch on the Female Founders Incubator Course from start to finish. I cannot thank them enough for all the advice, tips and help I have received throughout. I would 100% recommend Hatch to anyone who is starting a business or have already formed and running one.

R

Ruth Sturdy

5 starts representing a 5 star review.

Doing the Hatch Female Founders course was a huge turning point for me and my small business. The support was superb and the knowledge gained is something I will forever be grateful for. Huge thanks to the wonderful team that make up Hatch.

Not sure if this programme is right for you?

Do you want to learn more about how Hatch can support your entrepreneurial journey?

Black and white photo of a smiling person with dark curly hair, wearing a sweater and earrings.

Reach out to us for a free, 20-minute chat with Niamh. She’s here to help you navigate your options and find the best fit for your needs. Whether you’re just starting out or looking to scale, we’re here to support you every step of the way. Don’t hesitate to get in touch – we’re excited to hear from you!

Book a call

Apply Now

Price:

FREE

Date of next programme:

16th Jan – 15th May 2025

Application deadline: 1st December 2024
Location:  Online

Do you have any questions? Are you unsure if this is the right course for you? Don’t hesitate to get in touch with us by booking a call, or emailing our team at programmes@hatchenterprise.org.

Frequently asked questions

All businesses based in Southwark, with a turnover of at least £30,000 are eligible to apply.

 

This includes your annual revenue along with any grant funding or donations you may have received.

Your business needs to be based in Southwark, and you need to be able to attend our two in-person days in a Southwark location.

This programme is ideal if you’re ready to shift focus from working IN your business to working ON it. If you’re aiming to scale, already have a team or are looking to hire, and you are generating consistent revenue, you’re at the right stage to benefit from this opportunity.

The programme runs for 4.5 months from January 2025 – May 2025.

Our Accelerator programme covers key areas crucial for business growth including:

  • Entrepreneurial resilience and strategy
  • Impact measurement
  • Financial management and funding
  • Digital marketing and PR
  • Sales techniques
  • Operations and risk management
  • Pitching and storytelling
  • Team building and leadership
  • Scaling strategies

These topics are explored through bi-weekly sessions, providing a comprehensive foundation for business success and expansion.

This programme valued at over £5000, but thanks to our partnership with Southwark Council is 100% free of charge.

You are required to attend two in-person days, and a minimum of six of the eight online sessions. See the schedule above to refer to specific dates and times.

The programme is a hybrid format with the kick-off session and final session (Demo Day & Graduation) taking place in person. The rest of the programme will consist of 8 online sessions.

After graduation, you’ll join the Hatch Community, gaining access to:

  • The Hatch Grant Fund
  • Our extensive network of alumni, experts, and mentors
  • Our exclusive founder platform, Circle
  • Exclusive access to perks, discounts, events and opportunities for Hatch alumni

Yes, graduates can apply for a competitive grant of up to £5000. As a graduate from a Hatch programme you may also be eligible to apply for future once-off funding rounds from Hatch.

We have capacity for 15-20 businesses in this cohort.

You will be part of a cohort of 15-20 Southwark-based founders and will have the opportunity to meet via the sessions every second week. We have two in-person days as part of this programme which is a great opportunity to meet in person!

To begin the application process, please complete our online form which you can find here. This form is your chance to introduce yourself and your business or business idea. We encourage you to provide as much detail as possible, as thorough responses help us better understand your potential. Typically, the form takes 20-30 minutes to complete. If you require assistance, such as transcription support, please schedule a call with Niamh here. Please note that all applications must be submitted by 1st December.

Successful applicants will be invited to the second stage of the process, which involves answering a series of questions either through our Video Ask portal or during a Zoom call. To help you prepare, we’ll send these interview questions in advance. Once the application period closes, we’ll notify you via email about whether you’ve secured a place in the programme.

Each founder can access 4 x 1:1 mentoring sessions while on the programme (1 per month) with a business coach.

Read about some of our fantastic graduates from our previous Accelerator programmes below::

Catherine Erdly founder of The Resilient Retail Club.  

Tameeka Smith founder of Trimenco

Sol Escobar founder of Give Your Best

If you have previously graduated from a Hatch Accelerator, unfortunately you are not eligible to apply for this programme.

Our goal is to make our programmes as accessible as possible. Each programme is designed with input from our cohorts and tailored to meet the unique needs of each group. During the application process, we will ask you to detail any accessibility needs we can support you with.

If you would like to request support in completing your application (e.g. transcribing your application answers), or to discuss your accessibility needs please email Niamh at programmes@hatchenterprise.org

Read more about the accessibility support we offer here.