Hutch’s third cohort capped off two years of learning and growing with a graduation to celebrate how far they’ve each come and the exciting things coming next. As an incubator that gives graduates the skills and vision necessary to build successful government-focused digital services firms, our team is proud to be part of these four companies’ journeys. 

Hutch empowers underrepresented entrepreneurs to grow their businesses and compete with larger competitors. As Hutch Board Member and NASA Chief Experience Officer Victor Udoewa said at this year’s graduation ceremony, “this work that you’re part of and that Hutch is doing is about representation. It’s about really, fundamentally changing the structure of our government, and the companies that come into the government and provide digital services.” 

To help them on this journey, Hutch ensures the digital services firms in every cohort receive the tools, mentorship, and peer-to-peer support needed to have a lasting impact on government clients and communities.

This year, 4 companies joined the growing list of Hutch graduates:

• Ibeify
  • Founded by Kalada Opuiyo Jr 
  • Full-service technical consulting company that empowers companies to embrace innovation by providing customers with unique solutions to addressing their technical challenges.
• Jumpstart: HR 
  • Founded by Joey Price 
  • Agile development HR firm that aims to help small businesses learn, adopt, and implement habits that reduce workplace friction and make workplace culture more productive and profitable. 
• Points North Studio 
  • Founded by Jessica Watson
  • Design agency that challenges the status quo by creating experiences that bring people, passions, and causes together.
• VITG Corp 
  • Founded by Vasu Togari 
  • Digital services firm that builds and delivers simple and intuitive digital solutions to improve the lives of our citizens by leveraging data and emerging technologies. 

In his opening remarks celebrating this year’s graduates, Fearless CEO and Hutch Lead Coach, Delali Dzirasa looked to the graduate’s futures and encouraged them to “take all of the lessons, take all of the notes from the past two years, and go fly.” But he also reminded them that they “have a family and support from each other, from the broader Hutch community, and from the broader digital services community.” 

This theme of support is an important part of  the Hutch ethos. 

When you graduate from Hutch, “you have a family that you can depend on,” said Emmanuel Iroanya, the founder of Theta and a 2021 Hutch graduate. This support comes from their current cohort, “but also from the cohorts from years one and two.”

Wallace Sermons, the Deputy Director of Area and Field Program Execution at the US Small Business Administration, reminded the graduates of the value of their work. “You’re taking a chance, but you’re also bringing solutions to the fold,” he said. “If the government had the solutions, they wouldn’t be procuring them from you.”

He also echoed the sentiments of Delali and Emmanuel around the importance of community. “Look at the people in this room, and think about how you can strategize and share,” he said. 

Established by Fearless in 2019, Hutch is the only digital services incubator that’s managed by digital services experts and focused on supporting women and minority entrepreneurs working in digital services. With 20 companies currently in the portfolio, Hutch has a goal to grow to 45 digital services firms by 2025. 

Sessions for the 2024 class begin January 2023. Learn more about Hutch and get notified about future educational opportunities for your business.