Students are challenged to develop a prototype of their solution to current problems they identify for a needed service, product, or business that will address one of the UN Sustainable Development Goals such as accessible education, sustainable communities, access to healthcare, support for inclusive culture and the arts, cybersecurity, regional unemployment, etc.  This process is supported through enrollment in an experiential learning based ESHP course where students learn the key concepts and steps to idea generation, opportunity analysis, the business model canvas, business plan and pitch presentation development. Once selected to be part of the Hatch, each BGSU student entrepreneurial team, or Hatchling, is also partnered with an alumni mentor who guides them through the entire process.

At the end of the spring semester, the Hatchlings present their business ideas to alumni investors during the live Hatch event to vie for funds to launch their business idea.  Historically, an average of over $50,000 in financial or in-kind start-up support has been awarded to student ventures that present the best solutions and strategies for addressing timely social and business challenges.  Alumni investors have also made equity investments, providing real money for students to incubate their businesses and let their ideas fly!

If you have creative or innovative ideas for addressing a societal issue or want to work with others to tackle these complex social challenges, please consider forming a student team and applying to enter the 2023 Hatch.  Remember, your idea doesn’t need to be perfect yet as all teams will receive guidance and mentoring to refine their idea and prepare their pitch! 

Eligibility and Application Process

• Applicants must be BGSU students (graduate or undergraduate) in good academic standing or have graduated from the university within the past year.
• BGSU students or recent alumni (graduated in the past year) must take a leadership role in developing, presenting, and implementing the concept and proposed solution.
• BGSU students must compose the majority of the team.
• Students are highly encouraged to form interdisciplinary teams of two or more, meaning students from different majors should work together in developing their solution. We recommend the maximum size of a team be five people, and each should bring a unique (and necessary) skill to the team. If you need help connecting with team members from other majors, we will help facilitate this.
• Applicants must submit their team information and their idea by noon on Nov. 21, 2022.
• Finalists will be chosen from the pool of applicants and be notified via email by Dec. 15, 2022.
• The Hatch 2023 will take place on April 13, 2023.

Similar to "Shark Tank," not every Hatchling will receive an offer from our alumni investors. But finding success through the Hatch program can mean many things, including the development of a product or business idea. Check out a few Hatchling case studies to learn more. 

The Hatch is part of Entrepreneurship Week (E-Week) at BGSU.

Each April, the Allen W. and Carol M. Schmidthorst College of Business hosts entrepreneurial leaders from around the world to share their experience and expertise through presentations and other events including the Women in Entrepreneurship Panel, the Paul J. Hooker Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership Hall of Fame and the Sebo Series in Entrepreneurship. There are many opportunities to engage through lunch and learns, presentations from world-renowned speakers and much more. Several E-Week events are open to the general public!

April 11-14, 2023. More details and complete lineup of events to come.