Hatch Innovation Hub

URGENT WEATHER UPDATE - PLEASE SHARE Hatch This Updated Schedule: Friday Night Canceled Due to Weather Given the forecast for an impending storm expected to impact Asheville early Friday morning, we have decided to cancel ALL EVENTS scheduled for Friday night 9/27. The current plan is to consolidate Friday night activities into Saturday morning, when conditions are anticipated to improve. Please note that if significant power outages or major flooding occur, we may need to postpone Hatch This. We’ll keep you informed as we monitor the situation closely. Please prioritize your safety and heed all official warnings before traveling. Mountain BizWorks, Venture Asheville, AVL Digital Nomads, NC IDEA, Black Wall Street AVL,

It almost goes without saying that Hurricane Helene has ravaged our community—Buncombe, Henderson, Madison, Haywood, are just a few of the counties where devastation visited. The impact on families is mind boggling. The damaged infrastructure will take years, perhaps decades to fully rebuild. So how does an entrepreneurial support foundation like Hatch respond? First, we need to provide relief and support to those immediately in front of us—our neighbors and members of the Hatch community (including those who seek our services, volunteer and mentor for Hatch, rent space from Hatchworks Coworking, and those who don’t). Taking care of “our own” is not selfish but sensible. Specifically, Hatch will be working to identify needs and match those needs with resources available in the community; we will be setting up referral sites online to help people find what they need and make what they have available. Second, we need to pivot in the services we offer. We will not back off of our commitment to startups and scale ups. However, a new priority has emerged from the destruction: the need and opportunity to help existing companies survive. There is no value in starting new companies while letting those businesses already running collapse. Again, specifically, we will be building on the resource sites to match needs and solutions and we will partner even more closely with other like-minded agencies in the area to maximize support. Groups like Venture Asheville, Mountain BizWorks,Eagle Market Streets Development Corporation, Black Wall Street AVL, and others can achieve more by working together, avoiding duplication, and fostering communication and collaboration as we rebuild our economic ecosystem. We will focus on what we do best—education and connection. We will source business recovery expertise (mostly online) and double down on our Founder Roundtables to provide forums for owners and leaders to share ideas, encourage each other, pool resources, and bring their businesses back. Friends, this is a historic time and historic opportunity. We are knocked down but we are not knocked out. Our region will rise and rebuild. There is a lot of work to do and we certainly don’t have all the details worked out. However, we do want to let you and the community know our direction and response.   For more information, we encourage you to visit the Hatch site, www.hatchinnovationhub.org or contact us at info@hatchavl.org.   Sincerely,   Mike Baer, Hatch Chair Maui Vang, CFP®, Hatch Vice Chair

This week, 1 Million Cups Asheville returns with a virtual event, marking our first gathering since Hurricane Helene. Join us on Wednesday (8:40ish) 9 AM as we reconnect and address questions regarding claims, insurance, preparedness and resiliency. We look forward to seeing you Virtually! We’ll hear from Ginger Frank Founder and CEO of Poppy Hand-Crafted Popcorn, as she shares insights on disaster recovery, resilience, and tackling tough challenges head-on in the wake of Hurricane Helene. The discussion will be facilitated by Jeffrey Kaplan of Venture Asheville and Optimist Ventures. When: Wednesday, October 9th at 9 AM (VIRTUAL) Where: COMPLETELY VIRTUAL Google Meet Link: https://lnkd.in/eF-vfhw3 Or dial: +1 929-329-2437 PIN: 318400859

What a wonderful 1 Million Cups Asheville this morning! We had the opportunity to hear from Maui Vang, CFP®, Ric Pratte, Kate Callaghan, and Jeffrey Kaplan about this year's Hatch This! If you haven't heard yet, Hatch This is a game-changing mash-up of an accelerator, a hackathon, and a weekend-long party for the Asheville entrepreneurial community. Aspiring founders arrive this Friday with an idea, collaborate throughout the weekend with their teams and world-class mentors, and leave on Sunday evening with a fleshed-out business plan! This event offers a unique blend of top-notch business expertise and startup intensity, with participants competing for $20,000 in prizes, including a $5,000 cash seed funding package. Hatch This offers a valuable opportunity to test and refine your ideas, engage with fellow entrepreneurs, and grow as a team. You’ll enhance your skills in building better companies, improve your public speaking, and tap into creative thinking in ways you may not usually explore. This is a chance to develop lasting skills that will support you on your entrepreneurial journey. If you haven't purchased your ticket yet, be sure to do so before it’s too late! TICKETS - https://lnkd.in/es8NS-nk EVENT - Sept. 27-29 Hatch This is powered by Hatch Innovation Hub, Venture Asheville, and AVL Digital Nomads. The event will be hosted at the Hatch Innovation building at 45 S. French Broad Ave. The closing pitch event on Sunday evening will take place at The Mule/Devil's Foot Beverage.

Pitch Party Sylva! As part of our collaboration with Mountain BizWorks to help entrepreneurs throughout WNC, we're expanding our pitch party reach beyond Asheville and Hendersonville. Our unwavering commitment to supporting entrepreneurship has led us to organize our very first Pitch Party Sylva! But that's just the beginning! We're gearing up to host more pitch parties and a variety of other engaging events in various locations across WNC. When: Join us tomorrow, September 25, at 6:00 PM (Come early for expert feedback at 5:15 PM) Where: Mad Batter 617 W Main St, Sylva, NC 28779 RSVP Today - https://lnkd.in/gBqcnKs4

Get ready, Asheville! This week's 1 Million Cups Asheville welcomes Hatch This (Powered by Hatch Innovation Hub, Venture Asheville, and AVL Digital Nomads) just 2 days before the main event! This is your chance to connect, ask questions, and explore everything Hatch This has to offer before the 48-hour challenge kicks off. Join us this Wednesday to hear from Ric Pratte, Maui Vang, CFP®, and Jeffrey Kaplan about what to expect, the high standards they have for participants, and some fascinating historical insights. Plus, there will be announcements you won’t want to miss! Are you ready to elevate your entrepreneurial journey? If you’re inspired by what you hear at 1 Million Cups this Wednesday, we invite you to join us for Hatch This on Friday (9/27)! This is your chance to turn your ideas into reality during an intense weekend of innovation, collaboration, and competition. Hatch This Tickets Sold HERE - https://lnkd.in/es8NS-nk When: Wednesday, September 25th Where: Hatch Event Space (45 S French Broad Avenue, Asheville, NC 28801)

We are thrilled to announce J Hackett as this year's Hatch This Keynote Speaker! In 2019, J and his team presented their innovative concept, Olympus, at Hatch This and emerged victorious, securing $20,000 in funding. While the company ultimately didn't gain traction, J's resilience and determination drove him to continue seeking new opportunities for impact and growth. In 2020, amidst the challenges of the pandemic and in response to the tragic George Floyd murders, J founded Black Wall Street AVL. This initiative was born from a deep commitment to uplift local Black businesses, creating a vital space for entrepreneurs to unite, share resources, and thrive in the face of gentrification's challenges. With a wealth of experience in community and economic development, J is an expert in nonprofit organizations, cultural diversity, strategic planning, and public speaking. He holds an MBA in Social Entrepreneurship from Lenoir-Rhyne University, equipping him with the tools to drive impactful change. Don’t miss this chance to learn from a true leader in our community! Did we mention how excited we are to welcome him back as the Hatch This Keynote Speaker?! Grab your Hatch This tickets today! - https://lnkd.in/gPPSkbzu

Exciting Announcement: Meet Our Esteemed Judges for Hatch This! We are thrilled to introduce the exceptional judges for this year's Hatch This competition! Each of these leaders brings a wealth of experience and a passion for fostering innovation in our community. Jon Jones Co-founder and CEO of Anthroware, Jon has a diverse background in professional services and robotics. With a B.S. and M.S. in Applied Physics and Nanotechnology from Appalachian State University, he emphasizes a user-first approach to product development. At Anthroware, Jon is dedicated to innovative design and building a supportive company culture. Outside of work, he enjoys Asheville’s outdoors with family and friends. Betty Shotton As President of Liftoff Leadership and a Partner with Berkana Consulting Group, Betty is a recognized leadership speaker and serial entrepreneur. She founded six companies, including one that went public on the NYSE. With expertise in entrepreneurship and executive leadership, she has served on numerous boards, including the Hatch Innovation Hub. Betty holds a BA from the University of Virginia and an MBA from Virginia Commonwealth University, and she resides outside Asheville. Clark Duncan As Senior Vice President for Economic Development at the Asheville Area Chamber, Clark leads a team focused on the AVL5x5 Strategic Plan for Job Creation. With over 15 years in local economic development, he has helped create 6,000 jobs and over $2 billion in investments in Buncombe County. A graduate of Wake Forest and the Sorbonne University, Clark is a certified Master Practitioner of Economic Development. Jay Richardson Chief Operating Officer for Burial Beer Co., Jay brings a heart-centered leadership approach and 19 years of experience at New Belgium Brewing Co. He was involved in strategic planning and operations, and he has a background in IT management. Jay holds an honors degree in electrical engineering from Mississippi State University. Join us in welcoming these outstanding judges to Hatch This! Their insights and dedication to innovation will inspire our participants and elevate the competition. We look forward to an exciting event filled with groundbreaking ideas! Hatch This is powered by Hatch Innovation Hub, Venture Asheville, and AVL Digital Nomads. The event will be hosted at the Hatch Innovation building at 45 S. French Broad Ave.

At today's 1 Million Cups Asheville, we learned about co-founder Elizabeth Leon and her company, DelishNC! Founded in 2019, DelishNC emerged from Elizabeth's recognition of a significant gap in the Venezuelan food market after moving to the WNC area. Teaming up with her partner, they connected with distribution companies in Miami, allowing them to ship authentic Venezuelan foods to North Carolina. They quickly established connections in Greenville, SC, and now ship products to numerous stores all over the east coast weekly! What’s next for DelishNC? They plan to open a brick-and-mortar restaurant to support their food truck, expand their catering services, and ramp up food production—all while running the restaurant! Community Call to Action: Visit DelishNC to enjoy some incredible food! Also, be sure to follow them on social media and leave a review to support this fantastic venture! FB+IG - @delishnc

DelishNC: Bringing Authentic Latino and Venezuelan Flavors to Your Table! DelishNC isn’t just a grocery store—they’re also a food truck, a bakery, and food production facility! They're dedicated to delivering the vibrant and genuine tastes of Latino and Venezuelan cuisine straight you. Whether you’re in Downtown Asheville or all the way in Australia, DelishNC will deliver their irresistible tequeños and mouthwatering eats. Join us on Wednesday (9/18) to learn more about DelishNC! When: Wednesday, September 18th Where: Hatch Event Space (45 S French Broad Avenue Asheville, NC 28801)