The Hatchery Sandbox

🥚Everyone begins here.

As an Egg, you gain access to:

• Workshops
• Community events
• Social nights
• Building nights
• Proto Office Hours
• Team matchmaking opportunities
• Sandbox community channels

 🐣 Early engagement and exploration.

You unlock:

• Microsoft for Startups resources
• Tech stack access (Hubspot, credits, other software)
• Access to The Hatchery coaching network directory
• Mentorship introduction requests
• Founder lunches and special programming
• Guided tours of innovation spaces in Atlanta

🐥 Active builders making consistent progress.

You unlock:

• Eligibility for selected micro-grants
• Dedicated mentor support
• Peer cluster (mini-Incubator cohort) introductions
• Priority access to community resources
• Showcase your work at demo day style events 

🦅Students demonstrating sustained progress and real traction.

You unlock:

• Advanced funding opportunities
• Curated advisor and funder introductions
• Invitation only pitch event
• Fast-track consideration for advanced Hatchery programs
• Enhanced visibility through Hatchery communications

Practical sessions led by experienced founders, operators, and members of The Hatchery coaching network.

Topics may include:

• Customer discovery
• MVP development
• Pitch design
• Financial modeling
• Startup fundamentals
• Professional outreach
• Social impact ventures
• Fundraising and funding readiness

Drop in, pop open your laptop, drink way too much coffee, and build. Weekly sessions with José Gomez-Marquez for software or hardware prototyping, AI tools, and rapid experimentation. Fridays 1:30-3:30pm at The Hatchery.

Bring your project, bring your people. Monthly work sessions where you actually get stuff done, surrounded by other people doing the same.

Hatchery staff and student interns will be there to help you troubleshoot and find solutions.

Come chill with us on campus or at The Hatchery, have a drink on us, and meet collaborators, mentors, and fellow innovators.

Got an idea but no team? Got skills but no idea? We'll get you in a room together. In-person sessions built to help you find your people.

"What is it really like to fundraise with VC?"

"How the heck did you afford rent?"

You can ask these kinds of questions when you break bread with founders and operators shaping Atlanta's innovation scene, or get behind the scenes at spaces like HSRB II. Small groups, big perspective.

You will receive registration confirmation and information about the required kickoff. More information will be provided at kickoff.

Sandbox is open is open to Emory undergraduate and graduate students across all schools, majors adn experience levels.

You do not need a startup, a team, a polished idea, or previous entrepreneurship experience. Sandbox welcomes founders, students looking for teams, explorers, and students who want to contribute skills to a venture.

No. You can jon Sandbox to explore entreprenurship, meet collaborators, contribute your skills or join an existing team. Curiosity and willingness to participate are enough to get started.

Members can earn eligibility for funding by reaching the Fledgling or Eagle tier. Advancing a tier does not necessarily guarantee funding; specific funding opportunities may have additional requirements or review process.

Every Sandbox member begins at "Egg" and can progress through "Chick", "Fledgling" and "Eagle"

You advance by participating, demonstrating progress and earning points through eligible Sandbox activities. You can move through the tiers at your own pace, unlocking access to additional opportunities and resources along the way. 

Specific requirements and progress-tracking instructions will be shared during onboarding.

Members can earn points by participating in eligible Sadbox activities. Examples may include attending workshops and office hours, joining building or social nights, participating in team matchmaking, submitting project updates, connecting with mentors, teaching a workshop, or contributing to the community.

No, Sandbox is designed as a choose-your-own-adventure experience. Outside of the kickoff, you can select the activities and opportunities that best fit your goals, interests, and schedule.

You will get more from Sandbox when you participate consistently, but you are not expected to attend every event.

Yes. The kickoff is the only required event for Fall 2026 Sandbox members. 

The Fall 2026 kickoff will take place Saturday, September 26 from 11 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. at The Hatchery. Email thehatchery@emory.edu for more information.

Spring 2027 kickoff information is still to be determined.

The Fall 2026 cycle begins with the required kickoff on Saturday, September 26 at 11 a.m. at The Hatchery.

Your level of participation is flexible. You can remain in good standing with as little as one hour per month or participate in as much as 10 hours per month, depending on your goals and availability.

Sandbox members can participate in experiences such as workshops, office hours, building nights, social nights, team matchmaking, mentoring, founder lunches and innovation visits.

Specific opportunities will be shared through the Sandbox calendar and member communications.

Yes. Sandbox creates opportunities for for students with ideas to meet students who want to contribute their skills. Team matchmaking and community events can help you find potential collaborators, although a team match is not guaranteed. 

Yes, students at different stages are welcome, from early exploration to actively building a startup, nonprofit, project or other venture.

Yes. You can explore ideas, attend learning experiences, meet other students, and contribute to the community without committing to a venture team.

Venture teams benefit from many disciplines and skills, including research, design, writing, communications, technology, data, finance, operations, consulting, health, law and community engagement. You do not have to study business or computer science to make a valuable contribution.

Registered members will receive information about upcoming events, opportunities, and next steps through our Slack channel.

The Hatchery is located at:

1578 Avenue Place, Suite 200

Atlanta, GA 30329

You can get here:

• By foot: We're less than a 10-minute walk from Kaldi's Coffee on Eagle Row.
• By car: There is a parking deck just opposite our front door on Avenue Place, and we can provide free parking validation for up to 3 hours using a QR code inside The Hatchery.
• By Emory Shuttle: The A, B, CCTMA and Executive Park shuttles all pass near The Hatchery on Clifton Rd. For more shuttle information go here.
• By MARTA: Route 11 and Route 15 both pass by The Hatchery.

The Hatchery is committed to providing an accessible and inclusive environment for all students, staff and visitors. We work in partnership with Emory's Department of Accessibility Services (DAS) to ensure equal access to our programs and physical space. If you encounter any barriers or require specific accommodations, please reach out to our team at thehatchery@emory.edu.

Participation in The Hatchery Sandbox program is not considered significant resources of the Institute and therefore participants retain ownership of their IP. Graduate student participants working with staff or faculty who are employees may be considered differently depending on the project on which they are working and should discuss the status of their project with the Office of Technology Transfer.

Contact The Hatchery team at thehatchery@emory.edu or 404-727-3711,