Stories & Updates

Three teams in Horn Entrepreneurship’s 2026 Summer Founders pre-accelerator program are working to bridge the gap between generalized clinical treatment and the need for personalized, patient-centered care.

From reimagining essential medical equipment to integrating vital sign monitoring into everyday jewelry, these student founders are proving that the most effective innovations often start with a deeply personal understanding of the challenges patients and individuals face daily. This is an article in the series highlighting the teams participating in the 2026 Summer Founders program. You can meet them at this year’s Demo Day.

Darian Elmendorf’s path as a founder began with a deeply personal mission: making mental health support more accessible, relatable and sustainable. As he returned home to restart the project years ago, he turned a broad mental health group landscape into a specialized workforce development firm through Polaris Pathways.

Two teams in Horn Entrepreneurship’s Summer Founders pre-accelerator program are exploring how technology can help people make clearer, more intentional decisions. Prediction Wizard is building a points-based platform for social predictions and friendly competitions, while Budge is developing a pre-purchase decision support tool that helps users pause before spending. This is the first article in a series highlighting the teams participating in the 2026 Summer Founders program. You can meet them at this year’s Demo Day on August 13.

Recent alumnus Ke’Shaun Rogers, class of 2026, has never been the type to settle for one path. His journey at the University of Delaware has been defined by range, curiosity, and a willingness to step into unfamiliar spaces. After taking Introduction to Entrepreneurship with Dr. Laura Gasiorowski, Ke’Shaun recognized a pull toward innovation and creativity and switched his major to entrepreneurship in the fall of his sophomore year and never looked back.

From adaptive equipment access and wildlife tracking to beauty accessibility and safer winter weather solutions, the Delaware Innovation Fellows brought a wide range of student-led ideas to life at the 2026 DIF Innovation Showcase.

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.

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.

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.