NEWS: Groundwork launches grant scheme alongside Pizza Hut Delivery and Hatch Enterprise to support entrepreneurs in sustainable business

The New Founder Programme is designed to help budding entrepreneurs from underrepresented backgrounds start and grow their businesses into sustainable enterprises that have a positive, long-lasting impact on their communities. 


Groundwork has joined a partnership with Pizza Hut Delivery and Hatch Enterprise to administer the ‘New Founder Programme’ – a grant programme designed to help budding entrepreneurs from underrepresented backgrounds start and grow their businesses into sustainable enterprises that have a positive, long-lasting impact on their communities. 

The grant funding can support participants to explore new markets, increase trading, build capacity or better measure impact. The grantees will be selected based on the impact the funding will have on their business, as well as the social and environmental outputs of the project. 

To be eligible, applicants must be graduates of the New Founder Programme Launchpad and Incubator programmes. Graduates of the New Founder Programme’s Launchpad scheme can apply for a grant for up to £1,000. Those who completed the New Founder Incubator programme can apply for a grant of up to £5,000 to grow their businesses. 

About the New Founder Programme

Following the successful graduation of the first year of New Founder Programme entrepreneurs, the programme is moving into the next phase with the introduction of a grant opportunity for participants with the aim to empower communities and open new avenues for people across the UK to enter business. 

Many of Pizza Hut Delivery’s franchisees come from underrepresented backgrounds and started as small businesses founders – and they continue to provide valuable employment to their communities. New founders will learn the skills they need to grow their business ambitions into sustainable enterprises.  

To date, the New Founder Programme has supported 440 entrepreneurs and 57 new businesses – with an aim to reach 1,025 entrepreneurs and help to create 97 new businesses and 300 employment opportunities.

We’re pleased to be working alongside partners on this exciting programme that will go a long way to kickstart social enterprise projects in local communities. We look forward to seeing the results of these initiatives and the positive benefits they will bring.

Graham Duxbury, Groundwork’s UK Chief Executive

As a brand, we stand for more than just pizza. We are passionate about helping to open the door for a new generation of entrepreneurs from underrepresented backgrounds – especially as, like our franchisees, entrepreneurs give so much back to their communities. Launching the next phase of our New Founder Programme with Hatch and Groundwork through this grant scheme is the perfect step to continue supporting more underrepresented business leaders to grow their businesses and thrive.

Katie Mellor, Chief Capability and Culture Officer, (Chief People Officer), Pizza Hut UK & Europe

At Hatch we’re committed to building a better world through entrepreneurship by removing the barriers typically faced by underrepresented founders in the UK. We know that access to funding is something holding a lot of these entrepreneurs back from growing their businesses and deepening the impact they are able to have in their communities. This is why we’re so pleased to be offering this new grant scheme in partnership with Pizza Hut and Groundwork. We look forward to seeing founders and their businesses thrive as a result of the support.

Dirk Bischof, Chief Executive, Hatch Enterprise

Applications for the grant are now open and close on 5th September 2022.

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