HATCH

HATCH

Hatching wild ideas for the planet.

Taronga is committed to conservation, and we believe innovation will help secure a shared future for people and wildlife.

We are calling on businesses and founders who are tackling some of the most pressing environmental and conservation challenges currently facing our planet to join Taronga’s HATCH Accelerator Program.

About HATCH

Hatch: Taronga Accelerator Program logo

The HATCH Accelerator Program is designed to help ecopreneurs take their idea from vision to reality. If you are a not-for-profit or social enterprise founder or start up with a venture that will drive positive change for wildlife, biodiversity and the environment then we are here to support you.

We are excited that the 2023 HATCH Accelerator Program will be run in collaboration with the Odonata Foundation, which means we have amplified and multiplied the opportunities that come through joining this program.

Program highlights:

  • $50,000 prize. No strings attached – free to participate, no equity required
  • $2,000 equity free seed funding per initiative
  • Available to applications Australia wide
  • Travel and accommodation included
  • Expert advice from Impact Boom, Entrepreneur in Residence and delivery partner
  • Social enterprise or not-for-profit ventures accepted
  • Access to Taronga’s and Odonata’s expert network and individual team support
  • Access to the Odonata impact investor panel led by Nigel Sharp
  • Additional prizes up to $30,000 and pathways for regenerative agriculture innovations and ideas
  • Additional prizes and awards up to $5,000 each in top tier business management consulting packages, tailored to your needs
  • One year membership into the Wild People Alumni Network and platform providing exclusive trade benefits and continuous collaboration and promotion opportunities all year

Accelerator Program 2023

The HATCH Accelerator Program is all about supporting ecopreneurs to take their idea from vision to reality. If you are a not-for-profit or social enterprise founder with a venture that will drive positive change for wildlife and the environment, we have an amazing network of mentors and experts who can help you bring your vision to life and reach your goals sooner. And at the end of the program one team will receive the $50,000 HATCH Grant!

The program is open Australia-wide 18 years and older, to individuals and teams who have at minimum completed their business model canvas and demonstrated initial traction through first round market testing, and are seeking to accelerate their development and path to impact.

Places are limited and selection is merit based. If you’re keen to be part of the next Accelerator Program, please register your interest and we’ll be in touch with more information.

Register your interest by emailing: web@zoo.nsw.gov.au

Program structure

HATCH Accelerator Program structure
HATCH Accelerator Program structure

Program dates

2023 Program dates
2023 Program dates

HATCH delivery team

The HATCH program is led by Belinda Fairbrother, Tom Allen, Paul Maguire, Christie Gazal and Sam Marwood, with involvement and support from other members of the Taronga and Impact Boom teams.

Belinda Fairbrother - Co-Founder

Belinda Fairbrother

Belinda is the Co-Founder of the HATCH: Taronga Accelerator Program. Belinda has over fifteen years of experience in the not-for-profit sector focussing on behaviour change, conservation and sustainability, and is passionate about helping changemakers bring their brilliant ideas to life.

View Belinda on LinkedIn

Tom Allen - Entrepreneur in Residence

Tom Allen

Tom is Founder and CEO of Impact Boom. As a certified social enterprise and leading intermediary, Impact Boom helps entrepreneurs and innovators unleash their greatest potential to create a better world. Tom has worked closely with hundreds of social entrepreneurs globally to maximise their impact and is proud to be supporting HATCH as the Entrepreneur in Residence and delivery partner.

View Tom on LinkedIn

Paul Maguire - Director of Education

Paul Maguire

Paul is the Director of Education at Taronga and is passionate about conservation, youth, Indigenous issues and behaviour change. Paul has extensive experience developing award winning behaviour change campaigns and innovative education programs, exhibits and experiences focusing on advocating for the wild. His goal is to deliver inspiring educative experiences to all those who engage with Taronga.  

View Paul on LinkedIn

Christie Gazal - Community Impact Support Officer

Christie Gazal

Christie is the Community Impact Support Officer on the HATCH: Taronga Accelerator Program and has been working in the not-for-profit sector for over eleven years. With experience in program coordination, event management and behaviour change, Christie thrives on supporting ecopreneurs to take their ideas from vision to reality. 

View Christie on LinkedIn

Sam Marwood - CEO of Odonata Foundation

Sam Marwood

Sam is an environmental entrepreneur and the CEO of Odonata Foundation. He has founded and sat on the board for multiple social enterprises, and most notably established and co-founded farm match-maker Cultivate Farms. Under his guidance as CEO, Odonata has become a leading conservation not for profit that is working to protect, breed and de-list threatened species through a wealth of partnerships, projects and sanctuaries. 

View Sam on LinkedIn

HATCH mentors and experts

HATCH participants are supported by a range of mentors and experts from across the startup, business, and for-purpose arenas, as well as Taronga’s in-house expertise in conservation, community engagement, education and not-for-profit management. A huge vote of thanks to our mentors and experts for their commitment to support the HATCH participants and program. 

Lawrence Goldstone

Lawrence Goldstone

Partner at PwC Australia, Chairman of OzHarvest, On the Board of Creative Cubes and ForPurposeCo. and advisor to several startups.

View Lawrence on LinkedIn

 

Julie Alexander

Julie Alexander

Culture, business performance & people change specialist | MC & speaker, facilitator & trainer | Leadership & exec coach

View Julie on LinkedIn

Warren Bingham

Warren Bingham

Chairman | CEO | Adjunct Fellow | Ambassador | Motivational Speaker

View Warren on LinkedIn

Francisco Caffarena

Francisco Caffarena

Investment Manager at BridgeLane Group

View Francisco on LinkedIn

David Chung

David Chung

Founding Director at Creo Legal

View David on LinkedIn

Tanya Christie

Tanya Christie

Tax Queen | Techie | AI Enthusiast

View Tanya on LinkedIn.

Madeline Cunningham

Madeline Cunningham

Board Advisor | Capital Raising Sub Committee at 1WordFlow

View Madeline on LinkedIn

Jack Dean

Jack Dean

R&D Tax Consultant at Fullstack Advisory

View Jack on LinkedIn.

Bradley Delamare

Bradley Delamare

CEO, Investor and Mentor

View Bradley on LinkedIn

Robyn Foyster

Robyn Foyster

Entrepreneur and Senior Media/Tech Executive

View Robyn on LinkedIn

Jarod Green

Jarod Green

Founder Partner & Director at Rad I Head of Content at amaysim

View Jarod on LinkedIn

Tim Middlemiss

Tim Middlemiss

Obama Foundation Leader: Asia Pacific - consulting on Social Impact | Strategic Communications | Creative Campaigns

View Tim on LinkedIn

Sam Marwood

Sam Marwood

Sam Founder Cultivate Farms, CEO Odonata Foundation, values driven leader and entrepreneur, passionate about supporting the business of biodiversity. Sam also founded the Odonata Wild Idea business incubator program and is a driving force for collaboration and positive change for the environment and culture. 

Ian Roth

Ian Roth

Former Chief Veterinary Officer at NSW DPI

Taronga Conservation Society Australia Board Member

View Ian on LinkedIn

Tim Silverwood

Tim Silverwood

Co-Founder at Ocean Impact Organisation | Former CEO of Take 3 for the Sea

View Tim on LinkedIn

Jill Storey

Jill Storey

CEO ReadyFundGo | Non-Executive Director I Strategy, Innovation, Sustainability, Digital Disruption, CSR

View Jill on LinkedIn

Ellie Sursara

Ellie Sursara

Biologist and Science Communicator

View Ellie on LinkedIn

David Taylor

David Taylor

Operations and Business Development at Macchina Volantis.

View David on LinkedIn.

Johnny Timbs

Johnny Timbs

Founder (x4) | Advisor | Consultant 

Visit Johnny on LinkedIn

Kristin Vaughan

Kristin Vaughan

Climate tech investor and Managing Partner of Virescent Ventures

View Kristin on LinkedIn

Eric Wedepohl

Eric Wedepohl

Scientist |Entrepreneur | Advisory & Angel investor

Visit Eric on LinkedIn

Nikki Warburton

Nikki Warburton

Non-Executive Board Director | Chief Customer and Marketing Officer | Strategic Advisor | Investor

Visit Nikki on LinkedIn

Alex Zinzopoulos

Alex Zinzopoulos

Principal at William Buck | Advisor to the Tech Sector | R&D and ESOP Specialist

Visit Alex on LinkedIn

Susan Moylan-Coombs

Susan Moylan-Coombs

The Gaimaragal Group Pty Ltd and Vivid Indigenous Services

Visit Susan on LinkedIn