Four teams advanced to the final round of Hen Hatch, UD’s premier startup funding competition, at the 2025 Blue Hen Innovation Fest on December 4. These finalists will compete to find out how much of the $50,000 prize pool will help them advance their ventures.
Congratulations to the 2025 Hen Hatch Finalist teams:
In-line pipe inspection
Rushabh Dhoke, Class of 2025, College of Engineering, Robotics Engineering major
Sneh Shukla, Class of 2025 (Fall), College of Engineering, Robotics Engineering major
An all purpose robot to provide real-time analysis. of water (and other utility) pipelines to save water and reduce pipe failures
Happydog
Brandon Schweitzer, Class of 2027, Alfred Lerner College of Business and Economics, Finance major
Kyle Oehlmann, Class of 2027, Lerner College, Finance and Management Information Systems majors
Emanuel Sobin, Class of 2027, Lerner College, Finance and Wealth Management majors
Happy Dog Surf Shop makes dog-inspired clothing, giving dog-loving customers an easy way to support animal shelters through their purchases.
Relief Chronic Care
Emilie Delaye, Class of 2027, College of Arts and Sciences, Fashion and Apparel Studies master’s program
Relief Chronic Care is a startup focused on helping women navigate the logistical challenges of chronic illness by providing credible resources, practical tools, and a supportive community.
SafeSip
Mackenzie Frank, Class of 2027, Lerner College, Entrepreneurship major
A straw that is chemically engineered to change colors when interacting with a drug, providing an unmistakable cue to someone signaling that their drink has been compromised.
During the final round of Hen Hatch, these teams will have 7 minutes to pitch and a 5 minute Q&A session with judges in front of a live audience.
Thank you to the semifinal round judges and mentors:
Andrea Reynolds, retired, Vanguard Investments; Beth Muscato, retired, Plastics Industries, Inc.; Gary McDaniel, CEO, Geothermal Technologies; Jonathan Wood, Founding Engineer, TrueName; Jordan Gonzalez, Growth Strategy, JP Morgan Chase; Kevin Marren, Cofounder, Routed AI; Palina Ivanova, Senior Project Manager, Orum; Pedro Moore, CEO, Funding Fuel; Phil Sugar, CEO, Phoenix Robotics; Rich Hayburn, Founder, Kinematic Solutions LLC; and Sandra Burton, Cofounder, LINNE Industries.
Meet the Semifinalists at the Innovation Showcase
Guests to the 2025 Blue Hen Innovation Fest will have the opportunity to meet the Hen Hatch semifinalists and finalists at the Innovation Showcase and learn more about their creative projects and startups.
AI Receptionist with Integrated CRM
Ujjwala Pothula, Class of 2026, College of Engineering, Computer Science major
Suvil Kaushik, Class of 2026, College of Engineering, Computer Science major
Bryan Cabrera Icte, Class of 2026, College of Engineering, Computer Science major
Marc Madlangbayan, Class of 2026, College of Engineering, Computer Science major
Joshua Washington, Class of 2026, College of Engineering, Computer Science major
The business concept is an AI-powered voice receptionist and all-in-one CRM/Scheduling platform that helps small businesses capture every call, automate bookings and follow-ups, and consolidate communications into one seamless, cost-effective system.
Arima Skincare
Arielle Mahugu, Class of 2027, College of Arts & Sciences, Biology major
Arima Skincare is a natural, handcrafted skincare brand dedicated to providing safe, high-quality products free from harmful chemicals, designed for anyone and everyone seeking healthier skin.
Dormp
Oluwatito Olubakinde, Class of 2027, College of Engineering, Computer Science major
Dormp is a managed collection-to-resale service that captures functional items students discard during college move-out, then cleans, inspects, and resells them at 40-70% below retail prices to incoming students during move-in, creating a sustainable circular economy that saves students money while reducing campus waste.
ModX
Logan Dendorfer, Class of 2026, College of Engineering, Mechanical Engineering major (Honors)
David Berson, Class of 2026, College of Engineering, Mechanical Engineering major (Honors)
Joseph Yarbrough, Class of 2026, College of Engineering, Mechanical Engineering major
New cleat design that allows full function on any playing surface.
Nimbus
Justin Farquhar, Class of 2026, Lerner College, Master of Business Administration
John Henry Cooper, Class of 2026, College of Engineering, Master of Science in Data Science
Jayden Thomas, Class of 2025, College of Engineering, Mechanical Engineering
Nimbus empowers independent restaurants to compete with large chains by providing accessible demand forecasting tools that optimize staffing and inventory, boosting efficiency, profitability, and long-term sustainability.
Spotter
Tristan Dendorfer, Class of 2026, College of Engineering, Computer Science major
Jasnoor Saini, Class of 2026, College of Engineering, Computer Science major
Kevin Kyle, Abhyuday Srivatsa, and Jonah Plotkin (University of Maryland)
Spotter is an AI-powered mobile app that uses computer vision to analyze lifting form in real time, helping people train smarter, avoid injuries, and have “a personal trainer in their pocket.”
About the 2025 Blue Hen Innovation Fest
The Blue Hen Innovation Fest on December 4 is an exciting event dedicated to celebrating innovation and entrepreneurship at the University of Delaware and beyond. This vibrant festival brings together a diverse community of participants, from enthusiastic undergraduate students to ambitious young alumni, all eager to share their groundbreaking ideas and entrepreneurial journeys. The event features a lecture on negotiation, the Innovation Showcase, Honor Circle recognition, Hen Hatch Final Round, and the Blue Hen 17&43 Most Promising recognition.
Join us on December 4 for a day of inspiration, collaboration, and networking as we celebrate the spirit of innovation and the future of entrepreneurship!
About Horn Entrepreneurship
Horn Entrepreneurship is the driving force behind entrepreneurship education and innovation at the University of Delaware. Consistently ranked as one of the top entrepreneurship programs in the United States, it was founded and continues to be supported by accomplished entrepreneurs. The program empowers aspiring innovators, equipping them with the skills and resources needed to bring their ideas to life and create positive change in the world.
