$20,000 in prizes entices Asheville’s top entrepreneurs to the weekend accelerator event of Asheville from September 27-29, 2024.

Back after a pandemic break, for the fourth year, HatchThis brings a game-changing mash-up of an accelerator, a hackathon, and a weekend-long party for the Asheville entrepreneurial community. Aspiring founders arrive on Friday evening with an idea, work throughout the weekend with their team and world-class mentors, and leave Sunday evening with a fleshed out business plan! HatchThis offers a rare combination of world-class business acumen and startup intensity to help participants compete for $20,000 in prizes, including a $5,000 cash seed funding package.

Participants should come ready to pitch a business idea, or to join a team and support that team in developing their idea. Here’s how it works… Aspiring founders pitch their business ideas, and the event attendees choose their favorites. The winning founders then form their teams from the remaining event attendees. Once teams form, the real work begins: in small groups they build a prototype, get real user feedback, get coaching from mentors, pitch their deck in front of real investors, and compete for the prize package.

HatchThis is powered by Hatch AVL Foundation, 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.