Empowering Global Entrepreneurs | Scaling a Startup Program

Integrated Marketing StrategyCommunity EngagementContent MarketingGrowth Marketing

May 28

TOOLS: AIRTABLE • SPROUT SOCIAL • UNBOUNCE

Startups require tools and services like any enterprise. How can you make your product a vital part of a startup tech stack? With a compelling marketing narrative. I’ll show you how it’s done.

Hatch by DigitalOcean is a global startups program that aims to help entrepreneurs grow their businesses on the cloud. It offers cloud infrastructure credits, mentoring sessions, and exclusive events.

With an ambitious goal to attract 1500 qualified startups in a fiscal year, we had to think outside the box.

*Event invite for startup founders & entrepreneurs attending Web Summit in Lisbon, Portugal*

HOW

Start with the story, lead with the strategy

Hatch stood out due to its ability to bring a human touch to the digital world. The focus was on highlighting the richness of the startup community, which involved close interaction with the company’s product managers, analysts, and C-suite leaders - something competitors didn't provide. This connection has empowered startups to feel fully supported and recognized by their cloud provider, giving them the confidence to build their businesses.

The strategy involved

Redesigning the program’s visual identity on digital platforms to emphasize community and growth.
Organizing exclusive events for startup groups at participating accelerator hubs.
Establishing a seamless backend infrastructure to monitor engagement and notify sales teams of potential leads.
Creating shareable resources for paid media, social media, and email to showcase the program's value.

RESULTS

We did even better than we hoped, surpassing our program goal by 67%. Many startups not only joined the program but also stayed highly engaged, benefiting from resources, community, and support - everything a startup needs to succeed.

startups joined the program, surpassing yearly goal by 67%