Diversity and inclusivity in business aren’t just buzzwords—they’re essential catalysts for innovation and economic growth.
At Hatch Enterprise, we recognise that while talent is equally distributed throughout society, opportunities often are not. Since 2014, we’ve dedicated ourselves to levelling the playing field for underrepresented founders across the UK, creating pathways to success regardless of background, gender, ethnicity, age, or disability status. Our mission is to bridge this opportunity gap, providing targeted support that enables founders from all walks of life to develop sustainable, successful businesses that benefit both their communities and the wider economy.
Through our carefully designed programmes, mentorship opportunities, and supportive community, we’re building a more equitable business landscape where everyone has the chance to realise their entrepreneurial potential.
Because I’m very much starting from scratch, I never thought I was able to do anything like this. It was definitely a blessing. The expert sessions have been invaluable, as well as being able to make connections with other founders. The safe, inclusive space has been a breath of fresh air!
Pippa Whitehall,
Founder of NeuroKin and Launchpad graduate
Despite growing awareness around diversity and inclusivity in business, significant barriers continue to prevent many talented founders from realizing their full potential. The UK entrepreneurial landscape, while vibrant and innovative in many respects, remains deeply unequal in terms of who gets the opportunity to start and scale successful businesses. These persistent disparities aren’t simply a matter of individual circumstances or choices—they reflect systemic challenges that affect founders from underrepresented backgrounds at every stage of their journey. From accessing initial funding to building networks, acquiring knowledge, and growing successful enterprises, founders from diverse backgrounds face obstacles that their more privileged counterparts often don’t encounter.
True diversity and inclusivity in business requires addressing these structural inequalities head-on. These barriers not only impact individual founders but also limit innovation, economic growth, and social mobility across the UK. By understanding these challenges in depth, we can develop more effective approaches to fostering diversity and inclusivity in business ecosystems and create a more equitable entrepreneurial landscape that harnesses talent from all communities. Tackling these issues isn’t just a matter of fairness—it’s essential for building a more resilient, innovative, and prosperous economy that works for everyone.
30x
All-female teams received 30 times less investment than all-male teams
95%
95% of Disabled founders have faced explicit exclusion when seeking funding opportunities
Access to capital remains one of the most significant hurdles for underrepresented founders. The numbers tell a stark story about the uneven distribution of investment:
This funding disparity creates a compounding effect—without adequate investment, businesses struggle to scale, which in turn makes them less attractive to future investors, perpetuating the cycle of underinvestment.
Business success depends significantly on who you know and seeing others like yourself succeed in similar ventures:
This dual gap in representation and networks means that equally talented founders receive unequal opportunities based solely on their connections and visibility, while simultaneously struggling to envision their own success without seeing people like themselves thriving in the business world.
Starting and growing a business requires specific knowledge and financial resources that aren’t equally accessible:
These combined financial and knowledge disparities create an uneven playing field where entrepreneurial success correlates more strongly with background than with talent or innovation.
Hatch was the best thing I’ve done that’s supported me in this journey so far. It was so key at a time when I was starting my business, it was a bit of a crash course on everything you need to know about starting a business. “The Launchpad gave me the confidence and push to set up Our Goal, and whilst it’s early days yet, I know this organisation will use football to improve the lives of women and girls across Manchester for a long time to come.
Ella Williams,
Founder of Our Goal and Launchpad graduate
The Entrepreneurs Club
Who really gets to start a business in modern Britain?
Addressing these barriers isn’t just about fairness—it’s an economic necessity. The UK could benefit from up to £250 billion in new economic value if women started and scaled businesses at the same rate as men (Alison Rose Review). Diverse businesses drive innovation by bringing new perspectives to market challenges, while founders from underrepresented backgrounds often create solutions for underserved markets and communities. Supporting diverse founders leads to job creation in areas that may otherwise be overlooked.
By failing to support underrepresented founders, we miss out on innovations, jobs, and economic growth that could benefit everyone. These systemic challenges won’t resolve themselves without intentional intervention. At Hatch Enterprise, we believe in taking concrete action to level the playing field—creating programmes that address these specific barriers and opening doors for talented founders from all backgrounds.
Since 2014, we’ve been at the forefront of championing diversity and inclusivity in business across the UK. What began as a London-based initiative has evolved into a nationwide movement supporting founders from all backgrounds to overcome barriers and create thriving, sustainable enterprises.
Our approach is founded on the understanding that diverse businesses aren’t just more equitable—they’re more innovative, resilient, and successful. By focusing on founders from underrepresented backgrounds, we’re not only addressing social inequality, but also unlocking tremendous economic potential that benefits everyone.
9000+
Founders supported through our programmes and events since 2014
1600+
Founders were supported through our longer term Hackathon, Launchpad, Incubator and Accelerator cohort programmes
81%
of founders on our cohort programmes identify as women or other marginalised genders
61%
of founders come from ethnic minority backgrounds
41%
of founders are under the age of 35
19%
of founders are Disabled or neurodivergent
What unites the founders we support isn’t just their diverse backgrounds – it’s their shared commitment to creating positive change. 83% of our founders run businesses with social or environmental impact, tackling everything from climate change to social inequality. Whether they’re developing sustainable products, creating employment opportunities in underserved communities, or building platforms that promote inclusion, our founders are driven by purpose as much as profit.
83%
83% of businesses we support focus on creating positive social or environmental impact
Our support ecosystem is designed to meet founders wherever they are on their journey:
Our programmes are designed by founders, for founders, using a methodology that’s been refined through years of experience supporting underrepresented founders.
This approach isn’t just about business development—it’s about creating systemic change in the entrepreneurial landscape and addressing the specific barriers that underrepresented founders face when starting and growing their businesses.
124%
increase in their ability to access needed funding
92%
improvement in measuring their business impact
63%
better access to expertise and opportunities for continued growth
There were loads of things that Hatch covered that I had no idea. For me, it was about the opportunity to have a really structured approach to learning, but also the space to really consider things that I maybe hadn’t thought about at all.
Alexandra Birtles
Founder of In Good Company and Deep Dive graduate
Our tailored support programmes aim to address the specific challenges faced by different underrepresented groups in the entrepreneurial landscape. Our approach recognises that while talent is equally distributed, opportunities are not.
Despite representing 51% of the UK population, only one-third of UK founders are female—an opportunity gap worth £250 billion to the economy (The Alison Rose Review). Women face barriers in accessing networks, investment, and balancing family responsibilities.
I would recommend the experience to anyone at a crossroads, needing expert guidance or wanting to gain confidence in their business and its future.
Laurelle, Founder of Photo by Laurelle and Incubator graduate
I was so satisfied and grateful to have met and gotten to know the Hatch team. They really went the extra mile to support the founders, any questions we had, any support we needed.
Thuta, Co-founder of Leiho and Accelerator graduate
Representing only 4.4% of UK businesses, ethnic minority founders face significant barriers, particularly in finance. Black business owners report median turnovers of just £25,000 compared to £35,000 for White business owners (British Business Bank).
Disabled individuals face employment rates 30% lower than non-Disabled people (ONS). Neurodivergent founders report regular discrimination, with 78% hiding their neurodivergence in business settings, despite 67% believing it enhances their entrepreneurial abilities. (The Entrepreneurs Network)
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.
Evan, Founder of Warstone Prosthetics Launchpad graduate
I received months of amazing support from people at Hatch. And the thing that I loved about the Hatch team was how friendly and supportive they were.
Isabelle, Founder of Roots of Belonging and Launchpad graduate
Young founders often lack the networks, credibility, and resources needed to launch sustainable ventures. Our youth-focused programmes build confidence, business acumen, and professional connections, bridging the gap between education and entrepreneurship.
Whether you’re an entrepreneur seeking support, a potential partner, or a donor looking to make an impact, there’s a place for you in our community. Together, we’re building a fairer, more diverse, and environmentally sustainable economy where everyone stands an equal chance of success.
Ready to grow your business with expert support? Our programmes are designed to help founders from all backgrounds launch, grow, and scale successful ventures. Whether you’re just starting out or looking to take your business to the next level, we have a programme for you.
Partner with us to create lasting impact in the entrepreneurial ecosystem. Your support enables us to help more underrepresented founders build successful businesses while giving your organisation meaningful ways to engage with diverse founders.