HATCH

Welcome to HATCH: Taronga Accelerator Program. HATCH aims to inspire, support and launch innovative ideas and actions to help address some of the most pressing environmental and conservation challenges currently facing our planet.

We are calling on innovators, thought leaders, disruptors, developers, passionate individuals and everyone in between to help develop and implement brilliant ideas for the planet.

One simple idea could change the future. The future starts today. What’s your brilliant idea?

Kickstart Your Journey to Ecopreneurship - Be Inspired

Catch up on two inspiring conversations with ecopreneurs and conservation experts who have applied their skills and experience from a range of backgrounds to exciting new startup ventures to do good for themselves, their customers and the planet.

Webinar 1: So You Want to be an Ecopreneur

This conservation is packed full of engaging insights and advice from our panel of changemakers – Natalie Kyriacou OAM, Founder and CEO of My Green World, Catherine Hutchins and Aniyo Rahebi, Co-Founders of Good Edi, and Fergus Woollcombe, Founder and CEO of The Pedal Club – on how they have combined their corporate experience with their commitment to the environment to establish environmentally positive startups.

Webinar 2: Eco-Expert to Ecopreneur

In this conversation with conservation leaders Nick Boyle, Taronga's Director of Welfare, Conservation and Science, Camille Goldstone-Henry, Founder of Xylo Systems, and Charlotte Mills, Head of Ecology at AirSeed we explore the opportunities for conservationists and environmentalists to turn their expertise into exciting startup ventures and how this can be a win-win for you and the planet!

Idea Generation Program 2022

We recognise that many people want to be an ecopreneur but don’t yet have a specific solution in mind, or may have an inkling of an idea but aren’t sure where to start. So we have created the Idea Generation Program specifically for you.

Join us for a FREE six week online development program to help you explore key conservation challenges and apply design thinking and systems thinking to develop solutions to these challenges.

This is your opportunity to connect with like-minded legends who want to help our planet, explore new ways of thinking to design innovative solutions, and see where the experience leads. You might find a co-founder or be the next HATCH Accelerator Program Winner!

The program is open to anyone Australia-wide 18 years and over, and we strongly encourage people from all backgrounds to join us. We know that fresh perspectives and a mix of skills and experience can be the start of amazing initiatives and are excited to see what this program will hatch. Places are limited so don’t miss out!

Program dates 2022

Session Dates	Session Time	Session Focus
Thursday 19 May	12pm - 2pm AEST	Intro to Conservation Challenges
Thursday 26 May	12pm - 2pm AEST	Intro to Design Thinking
Thursday 2 June	12pm - 2pm AEST	Intro to Systems Thinking and Problem Mapping
Thursday 9 June	12pm - 2pm AEST	Q&A Time
Thursday 16 June	12pm - 2pm AEST	Preparing Your Pitch
Thursday 23 June	12pm - 2pm AEST	Pitch Your Solutions

Pre-Accelerator Program 2022

Do you have an idea that aims to positively impact Australian wildlife or the natural environment? If you’ve got an innovative idea, we can help you set the critical foundations for success through the HATCH Pre-Accelerator Program.

Over six weeks this FREE online development program will help you to:

Clearly articulate the problem you are addressing,
Clearly articulate your solution to the problem,
Develop your Theory of Change and Social Business Canvas, and
Develop a plan for first round market testing of you solution

This is a great opportunity to accelerate your startup journey and connect with other awesome changemakers, as well as some of the inspiring HATCH alumni and accomplished mentors.

The program is open Australia-wide 18 years and older; places are limited and selection is merit based. If this sounds like your next step, please register your interest and we’ll be in touch with more information.

Program Dates 2022

Session Dates	Session Time	Session Focus
Tuesday 13 and Wednesday 14 September	All day	Interviews for Program Selection
Saturday 8 October	9.30am - 1pm AEDT	Program welcome; Purpose, Vision, Mission and Values
Tuesday 11 October	5pm - 7pm AEDT	Social Entrepreneurship and Impact-led Business
Tuesday 18 October	5pm - 7pm AEDT	Social Impact and Theory of Change
Tuesday 25 October	5pm - 7pm AEDT	Design Thinking and Prototyping
Wednesday 2 November	5pm - 7pm AEDT	Market Testing and Agile Development
Tuesday 8 November	5pm - 7pm AEDT	Value Proposition and Social Business Canvas
Tuesday 15 November	5pm - 7pm AEDT	The Social Entrepreneur Journey
Saturday 19 November	9.30am - 1pm AEDT	Teams presentations and program wrap-up

HATCH 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.

HATCH program overview and structure

Program Dates 2023

Stage	Location	Dates
Applications open	Online	Tuesday 1 November 2022
Applications close	Online	Tuesday 17 January 2023
Applications review	Online	Mid-January to early February 2023
Short-listed applications to provide additional information	Online	Early February 2023
Short-listed applicants panel interviews	Via video conference	Monday 27 and Tuesday 28 February 2023
Program participants confirmed	Online	Early March 2023
Program welcome session	Online	Tuesday 28 March 2023, 5pm - 7pm AEDT/AEST
Immersive One (in-person)	Taronga Zoo Sydney	Thursday 30 March to Saturday 1 April 2023
Weekly workshops	Online	Tuesday 9 May to Tuesday 20 June 2023, 5pm - 7pm AEST
Immersive Two (in-person)	Taronga Zoo Sydney	Thursday 4 May to Saturday 6 May
Weekly workshops	Online	Tuesday 9 May to Tuesday 20 June 2023, 5pm - 7pm AEST
Pitch event preparation, judging and public pitch event (in-person)	Taronga Zoo Sydney	Tuesday 27 June to Wednesday 28 June 2023
Public pitch event (in-person)	Taronga Zoo Sydney and online	Wednesday 28 June 2023, 6pm - 8pm AEST

Eligibility criteria

Open to Australian citizens and permanent residents only
All applicants must be 18 years and over
Teams can be a maximum of 4 people per team; individual applicants are welcome
Initiatives must align to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and to Taronga’s 360 degree approach to conservation
Initiatives must be delivered in Australia to benefit/support the Australian environment
Not for profit and social enterprise initiatives are welcomed; for profit initiatives are not eligible for this program
If applying as an organisation, the organisation will likely have an annual revenue of less than $150,000
All participants must comply with the Terms and Conditions associated with the HATCH Program
All participants must comply with Taronga’s Code of Conduct

What is an accelerator?

Think of an accelerator as similar to a University or TAFE unit – a structured, fixed term development program. However, the purpose of an accelerator program is not only to educate, but to help participants to develop and refine their initiative or business venture.

During the HATCH program, you will undertake education sessions, peer collaboration, and have access to mentors from a range of different expertise. You will also undertake work on your game changing idea or product for the planet in your own time.

Accelerators often provide seed capital to participants as well. HATCH: Taronga Accelerator Program will provide $2,000 to each participating team.

At the end of the structured program, participants will pitch their ideas to a panel of experts. The panel will provide feedback and determine which idea or product is the overall winner and recipient of the major funding.

If you have an innovative idea, an accelerator such as HATCH is a great place to develop your idea with the support of experts, and to meet and collaborate with like-minded people.

HATCH program inclusions

The opportunity to receive up to $50,000 to bring your brilliant idea to life
$2,000 seed funding for each team participating in the program (at zero equity)
A blended approach of face to face workshops (subject to COVID-19 restrictions), online sessions and digital modules to provide you with the knowledge to develop your initiative
Expert learning, guidance and support from mentors and subject matter experts including Taronga experts, industry professionals, and not-for-profit and social enterprise leaders

Your brilliant idea is...

Targeted to address a key conservation or environmental challenge
An innovative approach to address the issue you’re targeting
Designed to make a positive impact on the natural environment
Aligned to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and Taronga’s 360 degree approach to conservation (see below)
A concept, pre-launch or early stage venture – you bring the concept, we’ll help you to assess, test and validate it
Is established as, or plans to develop into, a not-for-profit or social enterprise organisation
Has potential to scale up for ever greater impact over time

Taronga's 360 degree approach to conservation

Taronga's 360 Degree Approach to Conservation

At Taronga we recognise that to achieve successful conservation of species we must also consider and support the habitat in which the species live, and the communities that interact with the species and habitat. Below are some examples of activities that Taronga undertakes under each area that may help you to consider how your initiative aligns to these areas.

Wildlife

Monitoring of wild populations
Breed for release programs
Rescue and rehabilitation of injured native wildlife
Research and development of suitable nutrition

Habitat

Habitat restoration, e.g. tree planting for Regent Honeyeaters
Ensuring suitable habitat for native species within our two Zoo grounds
Researching and monitoring habitat use

Communities

Guest, student and community education programs
Tools to enable the public to protect wildlife, e.g. the Wildlife Witness app
Working with local communities to address challenges and be self-sufficient, e.g. Beads for Wildlife

HATCH delivery team

The HATCH program is led by Danielle Fryday and Tom Allen, with involvement and support from other members of the Taronga and Impact Boom teams.

Danielle Fryday - Lead Facilitator

Danielle is the Co-Founder of the HATCH: Taronga Accelerator Program and Lead Facilitator. Danielle combines her ten years of experience in adult learning and development, three years’ experience at Taronga and her passion for supporting others to design and deliver the HATCH program and help passionate changemakers bring their brilliant ideas to life.

View Danielle on LinkedIn

Tom Allen - Entrepreneur in Residence

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

Mentors and subject matter 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.