Hatch implements Agri Incubator to help Startups innovate in Sustainable Agriculture

October 22, 2023October 22, 2023 admin

Hatch, in collaboration with GIZ Sri Lanka and the EU, recently implemented “Green Innovation Lab” – an Agri Incubator program.

This showcased the importance of prototyping new innovations and providing an enabling ecosystem to test, iterate and validate ideas for commercial viability. This is of paramount importance in transforming Sri Lanka’s Agriculture Industry to significantly aid in the Nation’s journey to economic recovery.

This incubator focused on innovations in: nutrition, sustainable packaging, equipment and machinery. Over 200 applications were received for this program from all parts of the island. 20 startups were selected for a “Hackathon” at Hatch in Colombo and 10 selected innovators proceeded to go through a 3 month immersive business incubator implemented by Hatch to finally showcase some amazing prototypes and products of their initial ideas at the Demo Day in September.

Speaking at the Demo day, MevanPeiris Chief Program Officer for Hatch stated “Most of the entrepreneurs and innovators came into the program with just an idea. To see those ideas validated and transformed into actual prototypes and products in just a span of 3 months – shows the effectiveness and importance of business support programs like these”.

Hatch is Sri Lanka’s pioneering Innovation & Entrepreneurship development organisation and is considered the “centre of gravity” for startups and innovators. This notion is backed by the fact that Hatch has been operating a co-working space in Colombo for the past 5 years and today has over 1,000 Community members and 125 companies working out of the building. In addition, through Hatch’s program vertical they have successfully implemented 18 different Business Incubator and Accelerators – having engaged with a total of 600+ startups in Sri Lanka as part of the larger Hatch network.