Award-winning startup ecosystem builder Hatch is on a mission to change the narrative that currently clouds the media by highlighting stories of hope and resilience. Hatch is home to over 120 startups, showcasing home-grown entrepreneurs with a global mindset who will transform Sri Lanka.
Having commenced with just 28 startups, the Hatch community has seen tremendous growth since its inception just four years ago. 37% of the startups incubated by Hatch have been accelerated through startup programs, and 33% are female founder-led startups. In the coming years, Hatch envisions an economy fueled by purpose-driven innovators supported by its thriving startup ecosystem to establish Sri Lanka as a startup nation.
The unique geographical and commercial potential of Sri Lanka has been a point of emphasis for Sri Lanka’s startup ecosystem, and Hatch has been successful in propelling the value proposition to global stakeholder groups. Hatch’s recent partnership with Draper Startup House is an example of this. Draper Startup House is a global network of spaces connected to resources for entrepreneurs, founded as “Tribe Theory” by Vikram Bharati in Singapore back in March of 2018. This partnership has seen the opening of Colombo’s first co-living space, developed with the objective of supporting the startup ecosystem infrastructure in Sri Lanka. Through this initiative, alongside other past ventures, Hatch aims to position Sri Lanka as not just an idyllic tropical island location for digital nomads. Still, a country with a strategic geographic vantage point to connect, inspire, and build successful businesses: “This co-living space is intended to attract a new type of digital nomad to Sri Lanka – the digital nomad entrepreneur,” said Co-founder Jeevan Gnanam.
The emphasis on the importance of startups as the backbone of a resilient economy is becoming more apparent as Sri Lanka navigates its worst economic climate in history, and Hatch is well-aligned to support the mission of nurturing local startups to reach their global potential. Hatch represents hope as they forge forward in their mission to create meaningful value for local startups and drive Sri Lanka’s journey towards establishing itself as a startup nation.
Listen to Hatch Co-Founder Jeevan Gnanam as he elaborated on the initiative: Hatch | Colombo | Jaffna (@hatch.works) • Instagram photos and videos
