HATCH Program Empowers Local Entrepreneurs in Armidale

Last Saturday morning saw five aspiring entrepreneurs gathered for an intensive business planning workshop through the UNE SMART Region Incubator HATCH program. The four-hour session, focused on the Lean Canvas methodology, helped participants transform their initial business ideas into structured, actionable plans.

What stood out was the genuine engagement from all participants. As they worked through the Lean Canvas framework, their thoughtful questions and willingness to challenge assumptions led to valuable insights and productive discussions. The peer-to-peer learning was particularly effective, with participants offering different perspectives from their varied backgrounds and experiences.

Throughout the morning, the group worked systematically through key aspects of business development - from customer understanding to revenue modelling. The small group size allowed for detailed discussion of each business concept, with participants receiving specific feedback on their ideas.

Using the Lean Canvas methodology, each entrepreneur developed a structured one-page business model, identifying their target markets, clarifying their unique advantages, and mapping practical paths to market. The framework helped transform initial ideas into actionable business plans.

It was encouraging to see local entrepreneurs investing their Saturday morning in business planning and development. Their commitment to working through each element of the canvas methodically, while engaging in constructive discussion with peers, demonstrated a serious approach to business development.

By the session's end, each participant had not only developed a comprehensive business model but had also gained practical insights from their peers and formed new relationships with other members in our community. The initiative shown by these local entrepreneurs highlights the potential for new business development in our regional community, which is very exciting to say the least.

We will be running another HATCH program in Tamworth in the coming months. Details to be announced soon, so keep your eyes peeled or subscribe to our newsletter to stay in the know!