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!
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!
Empowering the Next Generation of Entrepreneurs Across the UK
At Hatch Enterprise, we recognise that young entrepreneurs represent some of the most innovative and purpose-driven business minds in the UK. They bring an energy and authenticity to business that’s transforming entire sectors, from sustainable fashion to mental health tech. With their natural understanding of digital culture and genuine passion for creating positive change, young founders are already building the businesses that will define our future economy.
Yet despite their potential to reshape industries and solve pressing social challenges, young founders face unique barriers that prevent them from realising their entrepreneurial dreams. From limited access to traditional funding networks to gaps in business education, the entrepreneurial landscape wasn’t designed with young people in mind. At Hatch Enterprise, we’re here to change that. We understand that supporting young entrepreneurs isn’t just about helping individuals—it’s about nurturing the innovation and social impact that will drive the UK’s economic future.
As my business has grown, I’ve faced challenges in understanding how to scale effectively. Thankfully, the programme arrived just in time, providing much-needed support.
Christina Fonthes,
Founder of REWRITE
Young entrepreneurs bring fresh perspectives, digital-native thinking, and an unwavering commitment to purpose-driven business. They’re twice as likely to say that their business’s primary goal is a social or environmental goal, making them natural leaders in the shift towards sustainable and impactful entrepreneurship. Yet today’s young people are navigating an unprecedented landscape of challenges that make traditional career paths increasingly uncertain.
The current generation faces economic insecurity through zero-hours contracts and wages that don’t match the cost of living, whilst dealing with a mental health crisis exacerbated by social isolation and concerns about climate change and their future prospects. Against this backdrop, entrepreneurship offers young people a chance to create their own opportunities, build financial security on their own terms, and directly address the social and environmental challenges they care most about. However, the statistics reveal a troubling gap: whilst nearly 60% of young people dream of launching a business, only 16% of business owners in the UK are aged 18-34 (FSB). This isn’t because young people lack ambition or ideas—it’s because they face systemic barriers that prevent them from turning their entrepreneurial dreams into reality
The evidence is clear: young entrepreneurs are not just the future of business – they’re the changemakers of today. There is an absolute treasure trove of enterprise potential up and down the country, but systemic barriers prevent this talent from flourishing. By addressing the challenges young founders face and leveraging their natural strengths in digital innovation, purpose-driven thinking, and community focus, we can create a more diverse, resilient, and impactful entrepreneurial landscape.
This isn’t just about supporting individual young people – it’s about unlocking the innovation and social impact potential that will drive the UK’s economic future. At Hatch Enterprise, we’re committed to bridging this gap and ensuring every talented young founder has the opportunity to succeed, regardless of their background, location, or financial circumstances.
16%
Only 16% of business owners in the UK are aged 18-34
58%
Nearly 60% of young people dream of launching a business
Hatch taught me that there’s a person behind everything, and what you should really be doing is trying to make these personal connections. So actually the opposite of what I was trying to do. The other thing would be finding ways to help other people. Always thinking and bearing in mind other people, and trying to help them out. Not because you’re expecting anything in return, but it’s like… what goes around does come around.
Lucy Ewles,
Founder of Kaneo and Incubator Graduate
At Hatch Enterprise, we’ve developed programmes specifically designed to address the unique challenges young entrepreneurs face, whilst harnessing their natural strengths and innovative thinking.
As entrepreneurs ourselves, we understand that there’s no one-size-fits-all approach to business support. That’s why our programmes are truly bespoke – while we have a foundational curriculum, we begin each cohort by engaging directly with participants to understand their specific needs, challenges, and goals. We then adapt our content, pace, and focus to address the unique requirements of each group. This tailoring continues throughout the programme, ensuring that our support remains relevant and impactful for every entrepreneur we work with. It’s not just business support; it’s business support designed by entrepreneurs, for entrepreneurs – with the flexibility and understanding that comes from lived experience.
The Hatch process was really good because it made me realise that just because it sounds like a nice idea and it might have a tangible benefit doesn’t mean it’s going to work as a business.
Patrick Lavery
Founder of Attlas and Launchpad graduateOur programmes are designed by entrepreneurs, for entrepreneurs, using a methodology that’s been refined through years of experience supporting underrepresented founders. This approach enables young entrepreneurs to overcome barriers and build sustainable businesses whilst navigating the unique challenges of starting a business at an early career stage.
We offer a range of programmes tailored to different stages of the entrepreneurial journey:
For those with a business idea looking to start their entrepreneurial journey
For founders with established businesses looking to grow sustainably
For established businesses ready to scale their impact and operations
Our sessions are delivered by industry experts with relevant experience, providing practical knowledge that can be immediately applied to your business
Small cohorts of like-minded entrepreneurs create supportive communities where founders can share experiences, challenges, and solutions with others who understand their journey.
From one-to-one support to tailored feedback on business plans, we ensure every founder receives the specific guidance they need to succeed.
Our focus is on actionable strategies and tools that can be implemented straightaway, creating real progress throughout the programme.
Our programmes incorporate carefully designed accessibility features that address the specific barriers many disabled and neurodivergent entrepreneurs face:
We continuously improve these features based on what our participants tell us works best for them – because accessible support means listening to the people who know their needs best.
148%
increase in their ability to access needed funding
108%
increase in their ability to communicate the impact of their business
89%
improvement in measuring their business finances
Throughout the programme they really helped us to build on our ideas and to build our confidence and honestly, it was just so helpful in creating that ability in me to be able to explain my ideas and explain my business without being nervous or stressed.
Csilla Gindorf
Founder of Lucid and Launchpad graduateWe’re committed to removing financial barriers to entrepreneurship: