![Hemas CEO](https://hemas.com/assets/images/news/2023-09-04-01.jpg)
Hemas x Hatch: Slingshot program to support 75 startups in the next three years
Hemas Group, a diversified corporate with focused interest in Consumer Brands, Healthcare and Mobility, is partnering with Hatch to deliver a corporate
innovation program as a part of their 75 year celebrations This collaboration aligns to Hemas Group focus to explore ‘Open Innovation’ as a part of their
corporate journey.
Speaking on the partnership, Group CEO of Hemas Holdings Kasturi Chellaraja Wilson said, “through this partnership, we see significant potential
for Sri Lankan startups, with the business community coming forward to create a new ecosystem providing access to essential infrastructure, knowledge,
and capital. As we mark 75 years of enriching our communities, we are committed to invest in the country's future through this initiative and reinforce
our-commitment to delivering innovative solutions that empower families.
Speaking more about Hatch’s vision, the Co-Founder and CEO Brindha Selvadurai Gnanam explained, “We believe that entrepreneurs are catalysts
for economic development and that collaboration drives innovation. Hatch provides a comprehensive solution for startups through our bespoke programs,
extensive mentorship support, and like-minded community”.
As an initial step of the “Hemas x Hatch: Slingshot” program, a call for applications was extended for post-revenue startups operating in
selected scalable industries such as Education & EdTech, FMCG, Healthcare, and Logistics. The program kick started with the selection of
25 post-revenue startups who were invited to participate in a two day intense boot-camp on 26th and 27th of August 2023.
During the programme, entrepreneurs were provided a high quality immersive learning experience by industry professionals who provided
in-depth perspectives into some of the fundamental topics in a startup journey. This included a range of topics including fine tuning your
Value Proposition, creating a scalable Business Model, Fundraising 101, International Growth Strategies and navigating the journey of an entrepreneur.
This comprehensive approach ensured that startups not only solidified their core business concepts but also gained the essential tools for expansion and growth.
At the end of the Bootcamp, the 25 startups had the opportunity to pitch their business to a panel of judges. Thereafter 8 of these startups have now been
selected to advance to the next stage of the “Hemas x Hatch Slingshot Accelerator Program."
Over the next few months, the corporate accelerator implemented by Hatch, leveraging the extensive domain expertise and resources of the Hemas group aims
to refine the startups concepts ideas, broaden their perspectives, and provide them with potentially game-changing opportunities that facilitate their transition
from startups to scale up.
Hemas Holdings: Established in 1948, Hemas stated with a simple intent: to empower families to aspire for a better tomorrow. Guided by this belief,
for 75 years Hemas has empowered lives through innovative solutions in our focus areas of Consumer Brands, Healthcare, and Mobility. Woven into the
socio-economic fabric of Sri Lanka, Hemas has also expanded regionally with operations in Bangladesh. In our onward journey, we will continue to invest
in diverse and passionate teams, create meaningful offerings, cultivate trusted partnerships, and champion a more inclusive world, to create a positive
impact for all our stakeholders.
Hatch - an organization that delivers business incubator & accelerator programs, provides co-working space, and recently created a venture fund in Sri Lanka,
was founded in 2018 and is today considered the center of gravity for Innovation and Entrepreneurship in the country. Recognized as a leading innovation hub,
Hatch has also received multiple international accolades including the prestigious 'Best Co-Working Space in the World' at the Global Startup Awards 2021,
'Best Incubator/Accelerator' title at the 2022 SAARC Regional Startup Awards and more.
![Hemas CEO](https://hemas.com/assets/images/news/2023-09-04-02.jpg)
Rizny Faisal – Director-Head of Group M&A and Strategy
Kasturi Chellaraja Wilson – Group CEO – Hemas Holdings PLC
Brindha Selvadurai Gnanam - Chief Executive Officer, Hatch
Mevan Peiris - Chief Programs Officer, Hatch