Planet Hatch Announces New Leadership Team
FREDERICTON– Planet Hatch, New Brunswick’s flagship startup acceleration centre, announced a new leadership team on Tuesday.
The announcement comes as Planet Hatch approaches its five-year anniversary.
Planet Hatch announced that Adam Peabody, formerly the Investment Attraction & Growth Specialist at Ignite Fredericton, will be joining the organization as its new Director. Julia Ramirez, formerly Population Growth Specialist at Ignite Fredericton, will be joining Planet Hatch as its Entrepreneurial Programming Specialist. Also, the organization says Vanessa MacLean will take an enhanced role as Entrepreneurial Services Coordinator.
“I’m thrilled to join a team dedicated to strengthening New Brunswick’s economy through new venture creation and innovation,” said Adam Peabody, in a news release. “Our community reached a watershed moment in 2016 being recognized as the Startup Capital of Canada, and I’m looking forward to building on that momentum as we strive to create a startup ecosystem regarded as world-class.”
Since 2013, Planet Hatch says it has supported the creation of over 150 startup companies resulting in over 400 jobs in New Brunswick. Startups range across a number of industry sectors including ICT, biotechnology, arts and culture, consumer products, craft alcohol, agri-technology, and more. At its inception, Planet Hatch had a core mandate to support the creation and development of high-growth startups in the technology sector. It has since expanded its focus to include a wider variety of traditional businesses and entrepreneurs.
The new leadership team says their mandate is to build on the success of the past five years through the expansion of service offerings, programming, and partnerships with the goal of increased economic development, jobs and new businesses.
“We are evaluating our programming for increased collaboration with our current partners while looking for new opportunities to expand our offerings locally and internationally. Planet Hatch has a variety of programs that are unique in New Brunswick, like the Start-up Visa Program, and we have reached multiple agreements for soft-landing zones in different locations around the world,” said Julia Ramirez.
“It has been an absolute honour working with such a dedicated team,” said Vanessa MacLean. “I’m enthusiastic about the growth we have been experiencing within our own team and our startups, and I’m looking forward to executing the plans we have been setting in motion that will further enhance the services we offer entrepreneurs and the city of Fredericton.”