Stories & Updates

Aidan Kutch’s first sneaker flip started with a pair of shoes, a disappointing store offer and an eBay listing. Years later, the University of Delaware senior has turned that early lesson in value into Kutch’s Kicks, where the student founder turns sneaker restoration into a serious business by making high-end sneaker culture more accessible.

From sustainable fashion and food waste reduction to coastal restoration and eco-friendly products, University of Delaware students showcased bold ideas for a healthier planet at the fifth annual REEF@UD Demo Day on Monday, May 4, at the Venture Development Center.

The University of Delaware Board of Trustees unanimously voted to establish the Neil Book School of Innovation and Entrepreneurship within the Alfred Lerner College of Business and Economics at its semiannual meeting on Monday, May 11.  

The Entrepreneurship Club’s Spring Pitch Party was full of fresh new ideas on Wednesday, April 29, 2026. Students brought their ideas to the market for a night filled with fresh pitches, innovative ideas, and cash prizes.

On a morning in April, Nicholai Williamson, CEO of BonaFyde and University of Delaware alum, addressed a room of 500 young entrepreneurs and their chaperones from around the globe.

Through the Siegfried Fellows Program at the University of Delaware, students recently spent a day in Washington, D.C., engaging with leaders across consulting, global strategy, cybersecurity, and organizational research. While each speaker came from a different professional background, Fellows encountered a consistent message throughout the trip: meaningful work is driven not just by achievement, but by intention, curiosity, and purpose.

Spring is bringing the energy, and Pitch Party is bringing the ideas! On Wednesday, April 29, at 6 p.m. the Spring Pitch Party will transform the Venture Development Center into a Start Up Farmer’s Market of fresh ideas and fresh pitches. With student ventures showcased around the perimeter of the Co-Lab and live pitches taking center stage, this year’s event will feel like a farmers market for entrepreneurship: full of fresh thinking, creative concepts, and founders ready to put their ideas out into the world. Register to attend by April 26.

The fifth annual Ratcliffe Eco Entrepreneurship Fellows (REEF@UD) Demo Day is quickly approaching! On Monday, May 4, from 4-7 p.m. at the Venture Development Center, a variety of student teams will take the stage in front of expert judges to pitch their original, clever new solutions that push to innovate and fight against pressing environmental challenges.  Please register to attend by April 30.

Arielle Mahugu, Class of 2027, is turning her interest in science and wellness into something tangible through Arima Skincare. A Biological Sciences major with a Social Innovation and Entrepreneurship minor, Arielle is building a skincare brand while balancing academics, leadership roles, and hands-on entrepreneurial experiences through Horn. From Pitch Party and VentureOn to Hen Hatch and E-Club, Arielle has been steadily growing as both a founder and a student leader.

From housing to fightwear to agricultural robotics, UD Summer Founders alumni share how 12 weeks of mentoring and customer discovery changed everything.