Stories & Updates

On Wednesday, February 18, entrepreneurship majors, Delaware Innovation Fellows, faculty, and staff swam over to the Venture Development Center (VDC) for the biannual semester kick-off event. Sponsored by REEF@UD, this year’s “Under the Sea” theme transformed the VDC into a cozy coral reef, complete with an inviting spread of sea-themed goodies like shark-cuterie and sea breeze spirals. Hosted by the Student Experience team, the gathering launched a swell of lively networking, anchoring new connections and a tide of camaraderie.

Alec Boyd is a fall 2025 entrepreneurship grad with a minor in professional selling and sales management and a familiar face in the Venture Development Center. When he tried to transfer a few community college courses back to the University of Delaware to save time and tuition, he hit a wall of PDFs, emails, and outdated processes. Alec leveraged his coursework plus VentureOn, Pitch Party, and Hen Hatch to turn a personal frustration into a tool that can save students real time and real money: Equivly.

Got a venture in motion? Leading a project? Building something that makes life better? Horn Entrepreneurship is now accepting applications for its annual awards and scholarships, offering more than $10,000 in cash to support the next wave of UD student innovators.

During summer 2025, students from the University of Delaware’s Alfred Lerner College of Business and Economics discovered new avenues for professional preparation and practical hands-on experience. Lerner College students pursued an array of internships, externships and other professional development opportunities. From MBA scholars to undergraduates entering their second year at UD, students across a spectrum of Lerner programs shared their experiences accomplishing an assortment of projects.

The EntreX Impact Talk series continued this quarter with a conversation focused on sustainability, climate innovation and entrepreneurship. Hosted by Horn Entrepreneurship, the event featured Jo Norris, co-founder and CEO of Carbon Reform, a climate technology startup working to reduce building emissions through HVAC innovation.

Building parts that stand three feet tall isn’t an everyday 3D printing job and that’s exactly where Relay Manufacturing thrives. The manufacturing services company helps organizations bridge the gap between design and production through large-format additive manufacturing and other manufacturing services. The venture was founded by Rich Hayburn, a University of Delaware Class of 2020 graduate who studied Mechanical Engineering with an Integrated Design minor, along with a math minor and manufacturing concentration. While at UD, Rich leaned into Horn Entrepreneurship through Summer Founders, NSF I-Corps, and VentureOn, experiences that helped him turn hands-on problem solving into a growing business.

From growing up in a STEM-driven household to becoming a New York Fashion Week designer at age 23, University of Delaware alumna Annabelle Brame has always moved at the intersection of creativity, sustainability, and bold vision. A 2024 graduate with a BS in Fashion Design & Product Innovation and a minor in Entrepreneurship, Annabelle built the foundation of her fashion label, Brame, through Horn Entrepreneurship programs including Summer Founders, REEF, and VentureOn. Today, she’s crafting an entirely new conversation around ethical design, adaptable apparel, and what it means to build a fashion house rooted in purpose.

The 15 latest recipients of Blue Hen 17&43 awards were announced at the recent Blue Hen Innovation Fest. These awards are Horn Entrepreneurship and the Lerner College of Business & Economics’annual recognition of the most promising early-stage startups founded by University of Delaware alumni.